The SpongeBob Musical
Synopsis: SpongeBob SquarePants is the musical adaptation of Nickelodeon’s long-running animated children’s sitcom of the same name. We find ourselves in the undersea city of Bikini Bottom, inhabited by happy-go-lucky and ever-optimistic yellow sea sponge SpongeBob SquarePants and his equally quirky circle of friends and neighbors. SpongeBob’s pleasant existence is abruptly interrupted when it is discovered that Mt. Humongous, a nearby volcano, will erupt within the next 48 hours and completely obliterate Bikini Bottom. SpongeBob, trying to prove to himself and the world that he is not “just a simple sponge” resolves to save the day when everybody else has given up all hope.
Though SpongeBob SquarePants is incredibly fun and family-friendly, its timeless story of identity, crisis, and community is also a witty allegory that examines and critiques the politics of the modern era, and it does so in such a way where children will appreciate and understand the plot line, while adults can read between the lines and extract even more from the musical’s message. SpongeBob SquarePants features an eclectic score of music; each song having been written by a different musical artist with the purpose of recreating the type of musical hodgepodge exhibited by the original television series.
Show Rating: G
Based on the Series By: Stephen Hillenburg
Book By: Kyle Jarrow
Original Songs By: Yolanda Adam, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Flaming Lips, Lady Antebellum, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Panic! at the Disco, Plain White T’s, They Might Be Giants, T.I.
And Songs By: David Bowie, Tom Kenny & Andy Paley
Additional Lyrics By: Johnathan Coulton
Additional Music By: Tom Kitt
Production Conceived By: Tina Landau
Nickelodeon, SpongeBob Squarepants, and all related titles, logos, and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.
Directed By: Kevin Earnest
Music Directed By: Claudia Earnest
Choreographed By: Lauren Haza
SHOW DATES:
Thursday, July 16
Friday, July 17
Saturday, July 18
Sunday, July 19
WHERE:
Columbus East High School Robbins Auditorium (230 S Marr Rd, Columbus, IN 47201)
TICKETS:
Season Ticket Holders: will receive an email closer to the show date to secure their desired show night. If you did not receive your email, please reach out to seasontickets@millracetheatre.org.
General Admission tickets: will be $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Tickets will go on sale a minimum of one month prior to the first performance.
If you need to submit an anonymous incident report for this production, please fill out this form linked here.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:
Legacy Sponsor:
William Eggleston
Marquee Sponsors:
Tracy L. Haddad Foundation
Johnson Jensen LLP
Executive Season Sponsor:
Coca-Cola Columbus Indiana
Season Sponsors:
Wealth Wisdom Abundance, LLC
Kind Car Wash
Mother Bear’s Pizza
Kessler Investment Group LLC
Jan Brinkman, Century 21 Scheetz
Peter King Law, PSC
Baylor Photography
Official ‘24-’25 Season Photographer
Season Sponsors Continued:
Nancy & Eric Andrews
Patrick & Sharon Andrews
Jim & Claudia Earnest
Kevin & Lisa Earnest
Allison & Ross Kunkler
Jim & Sue Lindhorst
Donnie Robinette
Anonymous
Activities are made possible in part by the Columbus Area Arts Council, Indiana Arts Commission, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
Generously supported by Columbus Area Visitors Center (www.columbus.in.us).
-
WHEN: Auditions will be held on May 15 and May 16. Audition opportunities are broken down into:
Friday, May 15 from 6-9pm OR Saturday, May 16 from 2:30-5:30pm: Adults (current 8th graders and up) interested in principal roles.
Saturday, May 16 from 9-10am: Adults (current 8th graders and up) interested in only Ensemble opportunities.
Saturday, May 16 from 11am-noon: Youth Auditions open to current 1st through 7th graders
WHERE: Asbury United Methodist Church (1751 27th Street)
WHO CAN AUDITION: Current first graders and up. Diversity is one of the main themes of ‘The SpongeBob Musical.” As such, we’re looking to find and celebrate diversity in body type, color, race, gender, age, and ability. That’s what an ocean habitat looks like, and that’s how our world is, and that’s the Bikini Bottom Way. This being said, principal roles will be cast to incoming high schoolers and older.
HOW TO PREPARE:
Adults Interested in Principal Roles:
Prepare 1 minute of a song of your choice. Bring a Spotify link with start and end times, backing track on a USB drive, OR bring sheet music and use our accompanist (all auditioners will also do a brief vocal exercise with the accompanist)
Learn a fun combination featuring multiple styles (hip hop, tap, contemporary musical theatre, country line dancing, and more!)
Warm Readings: Sides are included at linktr.ee/MRTCSB. You'll be assigned sides based on your interests and what we see during auditions. You can also request to read for additional roles.
Wear shoes you can move in - no flip flops!
Adults interested in Ensemble Roles:
We will teach you a song that we can all sing together and then in small groups
We will learn a brief choreography combination
Wear shoes you can move in - no flip flops!
Want to be considered for featured dancer roles? Plan to stay a bit longer for additional choreography evaluation.
Youth Auditions:
We will teach you a song that we can all sing together and then in small groups
We will learn a brief choreography combination
Wear shoes you can move in - no flip flops!
Current 1st and 2nd graders will be cast as Patchy’s Pirate Crew (only in 2 songs in the second act)
Youth will be cast in ensemble roles only
AUDITION FORMS & WAIVERS: You can fill out a digital audition form prior to auditioning here. Additionally, you can review our participation waiver in advance here. Paper copies of both will be present at auditions. A waiver must be signed by each actor auditioning in person and every cast member. Auditionees will be given a number and have their photo taken. Auditions will be recorded for casting purposes only and will be destroyed following casting.
VIRTUAL AUDITIONS: Virtual auditions are open to performers unable to attend in-person auditions on May 15-16. Virtual auditionees will not be considered for principal roles without attending an in-person callback. Callbacks will be held May 17 or 18. Virtual Auditions must be uploaded by May 15.
Step 1: Fill Out the Audition Form Linked Above
Step 2: Record the following videos:
Introduction: Your name, age, and any relevant experience
Vocal Selection: 16-32 bars of a pop or rock song that shows your personality and vocal range. Accompaniment tracks encouraged; a capella is fine.
Cold Read of the Following:
Citizens of Bikini Bottom! I have just been informed that Mt. Humongous is… active. Now, I want everyone to remain calm. There is absolutely no reason to panic. Everything is completely under —[pause]— okay, a little bit of panic is fine.Movement Clip (optional): Freestyle or any movement that shows your physical energy and presence.
Step 3: Upload Your Videos: Upload to our shared folder here. Please create a subfolder with your name and upload all files there.
Step 4: Email the Director at kevinearnest@milracetheatre.org and let him know that you have submitted a virtual audition.
CASTING AND REHEARSALS: The cast list will be released on the MRTC website and social media pages following any potential call backs. Rehearsals details will be released soon. Rehearsals vary by role. All cast must attend every night during the final two weeks. For a full character list breakdown, expand the next section below.
PERFORMANCE DATES:
Thursday, July 16th, 2026
Friday, July 17th, 2026
Saturday, July 18th, 2026
Sunday, July 19th, 2026QUESTIONS: Contact Director Kevin Earnest (kevinearnest@millracetheatre.org) or Production Manager Lauren Ulrich.
There are plenty of ways to get involved backstage or on staff. Please visit our “Get Involved” page and fill out the form, or send us a direct message on Facebook or Instagram.
If you need to submit an anonymous incident report for this production, please fill out this form linked here.
-
SpongeBob Squarepants: Everyone’s favorite yellow sponge, and the hero of our story. Bright, cheery, and always optimistic, SpongeBob knows how to maintain a positive attitude, even when a deadly volcano threatens to destroy his beloved town. Vocal range C2-B4
Patrick Star: Well-intentioned but lacking common sense or skills; kind and somewhat clueless, an innocent; a big softie, who can also be prone to sudden child-like fits of rage or frustration. Vocal range Bb2-Bb4
Squidward D. Tentacles: SpongeBob and Patrick’s cranky, clarinet-playing neighbor. He has a very gloomy outlook on life, believing the world’s “a horrible place filled with fear, suffering, and despair”, but nonetheless, he dreams of becoming a famous stage star for the sake of his late mother, and is willing to do just about anything to achieve his big break. Vocal range A2-F#4
Sandy Cheeks: A brainy and athletic Texan squirrel who came to Bikini Bottom for a research project. She acts as SpongeBob’s most trusted ally on their quest to stop the volcano from erupting, using her vast amount of scientific knowledge and brilliant inventions to aid the mission. Vocal range G3-E5
Eugene H. Krabs: The greedy owner of the Krusty Krab, and employer of SpongeBob and Squidward. While everyone is off panicking about Bikini Bottom’s imminent doom, he decides to strike the iron while it’s hot and puts on a huge “apocalypse sale” at his restaurant, exploiting the fear of his fellow fish to make him even richer. Vocal range B2-Bb4
Pearl Krabs: Mr. Krabs’ teenage whale daughter. Even though her father spoils her silly, she deeply detests his greed and wants him to prioritize his family, not his profits. She’s also a huge fan of the famous rock band the Electric Skates, and eventually plans to run away with them after she’s had enough of her dad’s neglect. Vocal range Bb3-F#5
Sheldon J. Plankton: The scheming owner of the Chum Bucket who has big plans for word domination. He uses the Mount Humongous disaster to his advantage by convincing everyone to leave Bikini Bottom and settle in a new town, where he’ll tyrannically take them over as their new Evil Overlord. But they don’t know that, of course. Vocal range B2-G#4
Karen the Computer: A waterproof supercomputer who is Plankton’s snarky sidekick and wife. She aids her husband in his plot to take everything over after realizing that his Evil Plan is putting the spark back into their relationship. Vocal range G#3-F#5
Patchy the Pirate: The pirate president of the SpongeBob fan club. Eager to see his idol star in his very own Broadway musical, Patchy sets up his own little VIP seat right in front of the stage, before getting booted out by security guards. He constantly tries sneaking his way back into the theater throughout the majority of the show. Vocal range D3-F4 (F5 Falsetto)
Perch Perkins: The head anchor of Bikini Bottom News. He keeps everyone up-to-date on the current state of their doomed hometown. Has a booming bass voice and progressively becomes more and more frazzled. Vocal range E2-E4
Mayor of Bikini Bottom: The overbearing mayor of Bikini Bottom. She claims that everything is under control as the apocalypse draws nearer, but it’s pretty clear that she has absolutely no idea what to do... so she decides to become a dictator.
Mrs. Puff: SpongeBob’s teacher at Boating School, an underwater school where students learn to drive boats like cars. She and SpongeBob are on an endless quest to get him a driver’s license, but due to his unintentional recklessness behind the wheel, they are never successful.
Larry the Lobster: A muscular lobster who spends most of his time “getting his claws swole”. He eventually becomes the Mayor’s bodyguard.
Old Man Jenkins: A cranky old fish who leads and Angry Mob against Sandy for being a land creature.
The Electric Skates (x3): A famous rock band who’s hired to perform at the Bikini Bottom benefit concert. Pearl’s a huge fan of these guys. They’re known to rock out while zipping across the stage on skateboards and roller skates, hence the name.
Featured Ensemble: Playing a variety of roles with many speaking and singing solos. Roles include, but not limited to:
Sea Creatures
Fish
Hip Hop Dancers
Cowboy Fish
Security Guards
Buster Bluetang
Evil Plankton Fish
Johnny Bartender
Multiple Sardines
Jellyfish
Mob Fish