Cast Set for THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL Presented by Kokandy Productions

Kokandy Productions has announced the cast for The SpongeBob Musical, playing June 22 - August 20, 2023 at The Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St. in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood.

The show stars Frankie Leo Bennett as the bright, bold and boldly optimistic SpongeBob SquarePants. He is joined by a motley crew including Sarah Patin (Sandy Cheeks), Isabel Cecilia García (Patrick Star), Tommy Bullington (Eugene H. Krabs), Parker Guidry (Sheldon J. Plankton), Quinn Rigg (Squidward Q. Tentacles), Amy Kim (Karen the Computer) and Jennifer Ledesma (Pearl Krabs). The Bikini Bottom ensemble includes Connar Brown, Maddison Denault, Sydney Genco, Fia Hunter, David Lipschutz, Nicky Mendelsohn, Nataki Rennie, Shane Roberie, Quinn Simmons and Kelcy Taylor. Swings include Amelia Bell, Abbey Demorow and Kenny Miller.

The SpongeBob Musical is based on the beloved animated series created by Stephen Hillenburg and features a book by Kyle Jarrow, with original songs by Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Alexander Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Flaming Lips, Lady A, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T's, They Might Be Giants and T.I., and songs by David Bowie, Tom Kenny and Andy Paley. Additional lyrics are by Jonathan Coulton, with additional music by Tom Kitt. The musical production was conceived by Tina Landau. Tickets are now on sale at bit.ly/SpongeBobChicago. The press opening is Friday, July 7 at 7 pm.

An exciting new musical featuring irresistible characters and magical music, this deep-sea pearl of a show is set to make a splash with audiences young and old. The future is bright, the future is bold, the future is The SpongeBob Musical.

Kokandy Producing Artistic Director Derek Van Barham comments, "We're so excited to dive into our 11th season - a season with a splash zone! We really couldn't think of a better way to spend the summer than The SpongeBob Musical, inviting Chicago into our very own Bikini Bottom. Just the mention of the show, its characters and its uplifting message are enough to brighten anyone's day. There's something for everyone in the world we're going to create. Come on in - the water's (more than) fine!"

The production team includes G "Max" Maxin IV (he/him, Lighting Designer), Jakob Alderhalden (they/them, Costume Designer), Sydney Genco (she/her, Make-Up Designer), Keith Ryan (he/him, Wig Designer), Jonathan Berg-Einhorn (he/him, Scenic Designer), Mike Patrick (he/him, Sound Designer), Kirsten Baity (they/them, Intimacy Choreographer), Corbin Paulino (he/him, Stage Manager), Leo Batutis (they/them, Assistant Director), J Alan (J/her, Associate Choreographer), Brennan Urbi (he/they, Casting Associate), Nicholas Reinhart (he/him, Production Manager), Scot Kokandy (he/him, Executive Producer) and Derek Van Barham (he/him, Producing Artistic Director).

PERFORMANCE DETAILS:

Title: Nickelodeon's The SpongeBob Musical

Based on the series by Stephen Hillenburg

Book by Kyle Jarrow

Musical Production Conceived by Tina Landau

Directed by JD Caudill

Music Direction by Bryan McCaffrey

Choreography by Jenna Schoppe

Cast (in alphabetical order): Frankie Leo Bennett (he/him, SpongeBob SquarePants), Connar Brown (she/her, Mayor/SG1/Krabby Patty Fish, u/s SpongeBob), Tommy Bullington (he/him, Eugene H. Krabs), Maddison Denault (she/they, Buster/Electric Skate 1, u/s Pearl), Isabel Cecilia García (they/them, Patrick Star), Sydney Genco (she/her, Perch/Sardine 5, u/s Plankton), Parker Guidry (they/them, Sheldon J. Plankton), Fia Hunter (she/her, Mrs. Puff), Amy Kim (she/her, Karen the Computer), Jennifer Ledesma (she/her, Pearl Krabs), David Lipschutz (he/him, Patchy/Electric Skate 3, u/s Squidward), Nicky Mendelsohn (he/him, Old Man Jenkins/Electric Skate 2, u/s Patrick), Sarah Patin (they/them, Sandy Cheeks), Nataki Rennie (she/her, Sardine 2, u/s Sandy), Quinn Rigg (he/him, Squidward Q. Tentacles), Shane Roberie (he/him, Larry the Lobster), Quinn Simmons (they/them, Sardine 1, u/s Karen) and Kelcy Taylor (she/her, Sardine 3, u/s Electric Skate 1).

Swings: Amelia Bell (she/her, u/s ensemble), Abbey Demorow (she/her, u/s ensemble) and Kenny Miller (he/him, ensemble u/s).

Location: The Chopin Theatre (Studio), 1543 W Division St. in Chicago

Dates: Previews: Thursday, June 22 at 7 pm, Friday, June 23 at 7 pm, Saturday, June 24 at 7 pm, Sunday, June 25 at 5 pm, Thursday, June 29 at 7 pm, Friday, June 30 at 7 pm, Saturday, July 1 at 7 pm, Sunday, July 2 at 5 pm and Thursday, July 6 at 7 pm
Press performance: Friday, July 7 at 7 pm

Regular run: Saturday, July 8 - Sunday, September 3, 2023

Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm; Sundays at 5 pm

Tickets: Previews $25 (with code "PREVIEW). Regular run $40. Students/senior $30. There will be a limited number of $15 tickets available for students and artists for each performance. Tickets are now on sale at bit.ly/SpongeBobChicago.

About the Artists

JD Caudill (Director, they/them) is a queer director, artistic director, literary manager and music director, whose recent direction includes I Promised Myself to Live Faster (Hell in a Handbag), After the Blast (Broken Nose Theatre), Southern Comfort (Pride Films and Plays), Bechdel Fests 4-6 + 8 (Broken Nose Theatre), Book of Shadows (Broken Nose Theatre), and other plays at The New Colony, Haven Theatre, The Runaways Lab Theatre, New American Folk Theatre, Hobo Junction, 20% Theatre, Paragon Theatre, Otherworld Theatre, Arc Theatre, 16th Street Theatre, Stage Left, The Syndicates and Red Theatre. They are interim artistic director of Broken Nose Theatre, where they've served as a literary manager and ensemble member for the past 5 years, and a proud ensemble member of Hell in a Handbag of seven years. As a director, their mission more than ever is to create queer art for everyone, for they want queer audiences to see themselves onstage more authentically than ever before, and to help non-queer audiences build empathy and understanding for our community.

Bryan McCaffrey (Music Director, he/him) is thrilled to be joining Kokandy in bringing Bikini Bottom to Chicago this summer! Previous projects have included Passing Strange and New Faces (Porchlight Music Theatre), Jack Off The Beanstalk and Christmas Karol (PrideArts), Guys and Dolls, Parade, The Full Monty, Something Rotten and Spring Awakening (Theatre Nebula) and The Addams Family (Williams Street Reparatory).

Jenna Schoppe (Choreographer, she/her) makes her Kokandy debut, and couldn't be prouder to be choreographing SpongeBob. Previous choreography credits include: The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Godspell, Once Upon a Mattress and The Threepenny Opera (Theo Ubique); Yank: a WW2 Love Story (Pride Films and Plays - 2018 Jeff Award for Best Choreography); Nunsense, Call Me Madam, Do Re Mi and The Rink (Porchlight Music Theatre); Mamma Mia, (Highland Park Players); Bobbie Clearly (Steep Theatre) and The Producers (Nightblue Performing Arts - Jeff Award Nomination).

About Kokandy Productions

Founded in 2010, Kokandy Productions seeks to leverage the heightened reality of musical theatre to tell complex and challenging stories, with a focus on contributing to the development of Chicago-based musical theatre artists, and raising the profile of Chicago's non-Equity musical theatre community.

The company's artistic staff is comprised of Derek Van Barham (Producing Artistic Director), Scot T. Kokandy (Executive Producer) and Adrian Abel Azevedo & Leda Hoffman (Artistic Associates). The Board of Directors includes Preston Cropp, Scot T. Kokandy, Danielle Sparklin and Katie Svaicer.

For additional information, visit www.kokandyproductions.com.

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