Bikini Bottom meets Brevard as 'The SpongeBob Musical' opens at Cocoa Village Playhouse

In a splashy move, Cocoa Village Playhouse is ready to make waves with "The SpongeBob Musical." The show opens Friday, May 3 for a run through May 19.

This lively adaptation promises to transport fans to the colorful underwater world they know and love from the beloved Nickelodeon series "SpongeBob SquarePants."

"The musical keeps the essence of the cartoon and the characters but presents a more cohesive storyline," said director Nathaniel Knepper-Quijano. "The audience follows SpongeBob and his friends as they face a crisis when their underwater home is threatened by a volcanic eruption."

The musical boasts an infectious soundtrack, featuring original songs by some of music's biggest names, including David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, Aerosmith, John Legend and Panic! at the Disco.

"Every song within this production was specially written by a different popular artist," Knepper-Quijano said. "The music is fun, energetic and heartwarming and includes a multitude of genres. One moment we’re in traditional musical theatre, complete with a full stage of tap dancers, the next, we’re beat boxing and rapping with hip-hop dancers galore."

Leading the cast as SpongeBob is John Dudley, a longtime veteran of Cocoa Village Playhouse productions. Anderson Law plays Patrick Star, and Breanna Streeter takes on the role of Sandy Cheeks the Squirrel.

"This production is massive and without the community and family created by our cast, would not be possible," Knepper-Quijano said. "It truly takes every single cast member, working as a team."

One of the challenges of the show is translating the vibrant, cartoonish world of Bikini Bottom to the stage. From the set design to the costumes, Cocoa Village Playhouse's team has worked to capture the essence of the series.

"The sheer amount of color and vibrance within our costumes has been painstakingly designed and crafted by costume designer Daniel Hill, his assistants Michael O’Quinn and Melissa Dudley, and a team of loving volunteers," Knepper-Quijano said. "Almost all of the costumes you’ll see were designed and built by our team of volunteers just for this production."

But Cocoa Village Playhouse has gone a step further with the set design, incorporating recyclable materials and plastic waste in order to highlight a message of conservation.

"You’ll see plastics bottles that have been brilliantly sculpted to create curtains and borders within the set," Knepper-Quijano said. "You’ll also see plastic six-pack rings, commonly found on bottles, as jellyfish tentacles or plastic bottlecaps in wigs and headpieces that were recycled by restaurants in Cocoa Village."

"The SpongeBob Musical" is a story about friendship and the power of optimism in the face of adversity, no matter how daunting the odds may seem.

"Beneath its wacky exterior, you’ll be pleasantly surprised that the musical has a heartwarming and poignant message about friendship, courage and community," Knepper-Quijano said.

"I’ve asked several people, 'when was the last time you took a chance on something you didn’t know anything about and then fell in love with it?' I promise you will find something you will love in 'The SpongeBob Musical.'"

If you go

'The SpongeBob Musical'

Where: Cocoa Village Playhouse, 300 Brevard Ave., Cocoa

When: Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. through May 19

Tickets: Start at $25

Call: 321-636-5050

Website: cocoavillageplayhouse.com

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Christina LaFortune is the Entertainment and TGIF Editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Follow her on Facebook at facebook.com/christinalafortune or send her an email at clafortune@floridatoday.com.

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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: 'The SpongeBob Musical' makes a splash at Cocoa Village Playhouse