Bikini Bottom is in imminent peril, and SpongeBob must team up with his friends Patrick and Sandy to save his hometown. The Broadway hit, The SpongeBob Musical, is at Reno Little Theater.

~Review and Photos by Dana Nöllsch~

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The Story of The Spongebob Musical

The Spongebob Musical takes the audience on a journey to save the town of Bikini Bottom. The town is made up of many eccentric underwater characters, making Bikini Bottom an exciting place to be.

SpongeBob, with the help of his friends Patrick and Sandy, hatches a plan to save his hometown from imminent destruction. But first, they must come together as a team to accomplish that goal. The journey is long, and the three of them must work together if they are to succeed.

This is more than just a musical based on a children’s cartoon. While there are highly visible lessons to learn, those lessons are not just for children; many adults can also use those lessons.

The story of a sponge, a starfish, and a squirrel coming together to save a community also contains lessons on greed, anger, desire, and, most of all, hope. All of this is wrapped up in music and dance that will captivate the audience.

The Spongebob Musical was created for Broadway and is a larger-than-life production. Reno Little Theater absolutely succeeds in producing a larger-than-life experience for the audience.

I knew very little about SpongeBob SquarePants before seeing The Spongebob Musical. And if you haven’t seen SpongeBob in its movie or cartoon form, don’t let that get in the way of seeing this high-energy musical.

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Oh, and the color palette is phenomenal; check out the photos and see for yourself.

A Little About the Performances

The cast is nothing less than exceptional, singing and dancing with energy, well-honed talent, and storytelling ability. The cast is quite large, and I wish I could talk about each one individually because they are all standouts. But here are just a few of the actors who make The Spongebob Musical a fun and entertaining experience.

Danny Sturtevant plays SpongeBob; his look, athletic ability, and acting talent shine in the role of the ever-happy sponge.

Patrick Mink plays SpongeBob’s best friend, Patrick. Mink’s comedic talent is unmistakable as he plays Patrick. Patrick is a character who finds himself conflicted and looking for recognition, and Mink skillfully brings that to the character.

Cassidy Buchan plays the outsider, a squirrel named Sandy, who just wants to help the town of Bikini Bottom survive the imminent threat. Buchan is outstanding as the brains of the trio.

Ryan Costello is always a larger-than-life character on stage, and his portrayal of Squidward showcases his many talents. In his role, Costello sings with his unique voice and dances with his four legs, bringing the determination of his character to perform on stage splendidly.

Jim Sturtevant brilliantly plays Mr. Krabs, the restaurant owner whose only agenda is to make money. Sturtevant sings and dances as you would expect any crab to do, but he also brings empathy to his character as we see Mr. Krabs grow and evolve by the end of the story.

There are many other actors who deserve a shout-out, and I truly wish I could single all of them out.

There is also a live band, who get involved in the action. It is brilliant that the band members are so visible and participate in the story.

There is so much talent on stage that you will sometimes have a hard time knowing where to draw your attention as you watch the SpongeBob musical. And this is a good thing.

We must remember the Crew who made it all happen behind the curtain. You all should be proud of what you have brought to your audience.

What About the Set

The set is an experience in itself, one that starts as you make your way into the theater. The hallway leading into the theater feels like you are entering the ocean on your way to Bikini Bottom. Then, when you enter the theater, you see the town under the sea in front of you.

Jared Sorenson and Chad Sweet made the stage feel massive, fitting the large cast performing on it. Adding to that, the many band members who move from location to location during the story, I am sure creating the set was quite the undertaking, and it is one that is very well done indeed.

The Bottom Line

The Spongebob Musical is so much more than a musical for kids; it is the centerpiece for a meaningful night out for the family or even an exhilarating date night for the couple who enjoy fun, high-energy musicals.