AdriAnne Larsen
alarsen@cherryroad.com

Uintah High School theatre is taking patrons to Bikini Bottom. It is performing The Spongebob Musical March 3-4, 6-7, and 9-11.

If one has only seen the cartoon of Spongebob and the citizens of Bikini Bottom, it might be difficult to imagine what an entire musical might look like in that world.

But performers across the nation and the world have proven over the nine years since The Spongebob Musical’s inception that Spongebob, Patrick Star, Sandy Cheeks and all their cohorts can have fun and have heart at the same time. The Uintah High School Theatre company now joins those ranks.

The show it has created is full of silliness and sincerity as the characters navigate threats to their home and how best to move through them.

The Spongebob Musical began in 2015, debuted in Chicago in 2016 and made a Broadway run beginning in late 2017. The musical closed on Broadway in the middle of 2018 after 327 regular performances.

During its Chicago debut and its Broadway run, the musical received praising and positive reviews regarding the story’s content and set design. At the 2018 Tony Awards, the musical was nominated in 12 categories and won the category of best scenic design of a musical.

Uintah High Theatre has similarly created an incredible set into which the audience will be able disappear for the evening. The music adds to the entrancing environment with an array of fun sound effects that were found in the original show.

The principal performers shine brightly in their musical and acting performances.

Benson Baumgarten, who plays Spongebob, brings a sincerity to the role that will rally audiences behind him and empathize with his plights.

Other principal characters are Sandy Cheeks, played by Olivia Christensen; Patrick Star, played by Taylor Murray; Mr. Krabs, played by Nolan Nyberg; Plankton, played by Kevin Haslem; and Squidward, played by Cade Marshall; all of whom bring their respective roles to life in bubbly fun form.

Tickets for remaining performances can be purchased at https://uintah.ludus.com/index.php.