Cabrillo College’s theater department is no stranger to musical theater. Cabrillo Stage mounts a high quality professional musical every summer, with two recent highlights being 2023’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame and 2024’s In The Heights which felt like it cut out a section of New York’s Washington Heights and placed it on Cabrillo’s magnificent Crocker Theater.
This November, get your fry cook hat, spatula and get ready, because Sponegbob Squarepants, his amazing friends (and Plankton) are going to cook up some fun at Cabrillo College. With SpongeBob SquarePants the Musical. Featuring music written by David Bowie, John Legend, Plain White Tees and more. Spearheaded by Cabrillo Stage Artistic Director Andrea Hart
Taking on a musical of this scale and bringing the community into the vibrant world of Bikini Bottom, with student actors of varying skill levels, creates a coral reef of connection, ripe with fun and exciting learning experiences for everyone involved.
“When you’re working in an educational context, you have actors of all different levels. Getting everyone on the same page for an experience that can be educational, enriching and get a show up is such a challenge. Especially when it’s a musical. Everything overlaps, which I think will make the stage feel really alive and lush” says Hart, whose favorite characters in the cartoon are SpongeBob and Patrick.
From skating eels, to breathtakingly colorful costumes created by Maria Crush, a costuming magician, and a mind blowingly imaginative set, designed by creative wizard, Skip Epperson and technical director, Marcel Tijoe, affectionately referred to as “the best kind of yes man” there is something in SpongeBob SquarePants the musical for everyone to enjoy.
“The great thing about Skip and Marcel’s collaboration is that Marcel is a very creative technical director. If you have an idea he will bring you three different options on how that idea might be done. And Skip is a great collaborative designer who digs into the script to find what the set might need. This show is like playing The Floor is Lava, and that playfulness brings in wild unexpected things the audience won’t expect,” says Hart
SpongeBob the musical also offers themes of kindness and strong friendships in the face of the constant ebb and flow of our relationships, portraying Patrick and SpongeBobs struggles as they adapt to the challenges facing their community.
“The show has a message about being kind and how you treat your friends, there will be some audience participation along the lines of “Are you Team Patrick?” “Are you Team SpongeBob?” Patchy The Pirate might get you on your feet for a singalong. These big kids acting like little kids will be a lot of fun–Patrick is a really loveable character. Tristan Vong who plays him is super locked in, and the relationship between SpongeBob and Patrick is really adorable. It’s something
I wish our society celebrated more. This really close friendship between boys is really sweet and loving” says Hart
Cabrillo will be providing educational resources for kids in school to explore some of the aspects of undersea life presented in the musical with lesson plans and a lobby display.
“We have a student matinee and lesson plans that can be sent out to go along with it. We’ll be doing a collaboration with the oceanography department on their study of plankton and beach erosion so that will all make for a very hands-on lobby display” says Hart, a director who could not be happier with the community she gets to play with every day.
SpongeBob SquarePants The Musical will run at Cabrillos Crocker theater on the main stage, Nov. 8-24 7pm on Fridays and Saturdays (except Nov 15) and 2pm on Sundays, with a special 10am student matinee Nov 15. General Tickets are $26 and can be bought at cabrillovapa.universitytickets.com/w/event.aspx?id=1844
By Matthew Chipman
