When director Tina Landau got the call from her agent asking if she’d be interested in pitching herself to Nickelodeon for a SpongeBob SquarePants musical—now in previews at Broadway’s Palace Theatre and officially opening December 4—she didn’t know much about the animated character who lives in a pineapple under the sea. “I guess I would say I liked it,” she says now of the show. “I didn’t watch it often. When I did, I could only watch one episode. Eleven minutes was all I could bear.”
Tina Landau Marc J. Franklin
Landau’s initial reaction to adapting the series? “I’m not interested in a theme park show.”
But what ultimately piqued her interest was the opportunity to divert from the familiar SpongeBob aesthetic and channel the “indie spirit” creator Stephen Hillenburg originally embraced. “I thought if I could pitch exactly the kind of show that I want to do and would be interested in seeing, why not give it a whirl?”
She describes the process as extracting the “SpongeBob DNA.” The identifying feature: the celebration of the surreal. Years later, when meeting with the series’ writers, she’d learn she wasn’t far off. They approached the show with a similar theatrical sensibility, telling her, “We worship at the altar of Dada.”
As Landau signed on, there was still no script. With a focus on physicalizing her vision, she worked with an array of collaborators, including clowns and circus performers, to create a set of laws for the SpongeBob universe.
Contemplating her childhood, Landau recalls her early ambitions: director (check) or, fittingly, oceanographer. She now realizes the unifying factor of the two: “You can be in a world other than our own everyday, walking, breathing one. Laws are different; sound is different.” Creating a SpongeBob musical became an absurdist composite of both.
Landau’s Bikini Bottom (where SpongeBob resides) exudes a DIY mentality: “We made a tunnel out of hula hoops. There’s a mountain made out of cardboard boxes. It’s a whole world created out of scrap metal and a chum bucket.”
Landau then found actors to inhabit her world (led by Ethan Slater, whom she asserts has “that eau de SpongeBob”), a story to share (an apocalyptic Everyman tale), and a musical language to tell it. (Like Bikini Bottom, the score is a hodgepodge of elements from various sources; among those who contributed are Sara Bareilles, John Legend, and David Bowie.)
The end result is a show that creates new life with the SpongeBob DNA. As a young audience member from a workshop recalled, the series shows how SpongeBob looks while the musical shows what SpongeBob feels.
And Landau believes the world needs a SpongeBob musical. “In a world that can feel like it’s crashing into some horrendous ending, SpongeBob has a different spin. He says, ‘No. Let’s not give up. Let’s find a way to make this better.’”
Your First Look at the SpongeBob SquarePants Musical on Broadway
30 years ago, on November 5, 1987, Stephen Sondheim‘s elaborate interweaving of many fairy tales, Into the Woods, opened at the Martin Beck Theatre on Broadway. The famous score includes such hits as “No One Is Alone,” “Children Will Listen,” and the show’s title song.
Flip through photos of the original Broadway staging below:
Celebrate 30 Years of Into the Woods With a Look Back at the Original Broadway Production
Since Into the Woods opened on Broadway in 1987 (and had a solid, Tony-winning run of 765 performances), the musical has received three New York revivals, including one on Broadway. There have been numerous reunion concerts, the original production was aired on PBS, and the show has been turned into an Academy Award-nominated feature film made by Disney.
Into the Woods has become a mainstay of regional theatres, summer stock companies, community theatres, and high schools.
Flip through the many different productions of the show below:
A Look Back at Into the Woods on Broadway and Beyond
A Look Back at Into the Woods on Broadway and Beyond
Playbill.com looks back at the two Broadway stagings of the musical, as well as some notable regional productions.
77 PHOTOS
Stephen Sondheim, Bernadette Peters and James Lapine in rehearsal for the original Broadway production Photofest
Chip Zien, Robert Westenberg, Bernadette Peters, Joanna Gleason and Tom Aldredge in the original Broadway production Martha Swope
Robert Westenberg in the original Broadway production Martha Swope
Danielle Ferland, Ben Wright, Kim Crosby, Chip Zien and Bernadette Peters in the original Broadway production Martha Swope
Danielle Ferland and Robert Westenberg in the original Broadway production Martha Swope
Joanna Gleason, Bernadette Peters and Chip Zien in the original Broadway production Martha Swope
Members of the original company Martha Swope
Robert Westenberg and Kim Crosby in the original Broadway production Martha Swope
Danielle Ferland in the original Broadway production Martha Swope
Bernadette Peters, Tom Aldredge, Robert Westenberg, Joanna Gleason and Chip Zien in the original Broadway production Martha Swope
Grammy Award winner Jason Mraz took his first Broadway bow November 3 as he steps into Waitress.
The singer-songwriter takes on the role of Dr. Pomatter, the new-to-town gynecologist who offers local diner employee and baker Jenna Hunterson (currently played by Betsy Wolfe) an escape from her abusive marriage.
Also beginning a limited stint in the musical November 3 is David Josefsberg (An Act of God, Honeymoon in Vegas), who fills in for Christopher Fitzgerald in the role of Ogie through November 19.
Joining the two in their first curtain call was composer Sara Bareilles (who also previously starred in the show).
Flip through photos of their first bows below:
See Jason Mraz Take His First Broadway Bow in Waitress
See Jason Mraz Take His First Broadway Bow in Waitress
The Grammy winner, who appeared on composer Sara Bareilles’ concept album for the musical, took on the role of Dr. Pomatter November 3.
18 PHOTOS
John Cullum Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Jason Mraz Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Jason Mraz Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Betsy Wolfe Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Maia Nkenge Wilson, Betsy Wolfe, Victoria Collett, Caitlin Houlahan, David Josefsberg, Jason Mraz, and Eric Anderson Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Will Swenson, Maia Nkenge Wilson, Betsy Wolfe, Victoria Collett, Caitlin Houlahan, David Josefsberg, Jason Mraz, Eric Anderson, and cast Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Victoria Collett, Caitlin Houlahan, David Josefsberg, and Jason Mraz Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Victoria Collett, Caitlin Houlahan, David Josefsberg, Jason Mraz, and Eric Anderson Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Maia Nkenge Wilson, Betsy Wolfe, Victoria Collett, Caitlin Houlahan, David Josefsberg, Jason Mraz, Eric Anderson, Anastacia McCleskey, and cast Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Caitlin Houlahan, David Josefsberg, and Jason Mraz Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Mraz succeeds original cast member Drew Gehling, who recently stepped in for a return engagement. He is set to play a ten-week limited engagement.
Aladdin Running time: 150 minutes, including intermission Opened March 20, 2014 Click here to read the reviews! To purchase tickets, click here. New Amsterdam Theatre: 214 W 42nd St, New York, NY 10036
Anastasia Running time: 150 minutes, including intermission Opened April 24, 2017 Click here to read reviews. To purchase tickets, click here. Broadhurst Theatre: 235 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036
A Bronx Tale Running time: 2 hours, including intermission Opened December 1, 2016 Click here to read the reviews! To purchase tickets, click here. For discount tickets on select performances, click here! Longacre Theatre: 220 W 48th St, New York, NY 10036
Chicago Running time: 150 minutes, including intermission Opened November 14, 1996 To purchase tickets, click here. For discount tickets on select performances, click here! Ambassador Theatre: 219 W 49th St, New York, NY 10019
Frozen In previews Opens March 22, 2018 To buy tickets, click here. St. James Theatre: 246 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036
Hamilton Running time: 175 minutes, including intermission Opened August 6, 2015 Click here to read the reviews! To purchase tickets, click here. Richard Rodgers Theatre: 226 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036
Hello, Dolly! Running time: 160 minutes, including intermission Opened April 20, 2017 Click here to read the reviews! To purchase tickets, click here. Shubert Theatre: 225 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036
Kinky Boots Running time: 2 hours and 20 minutes, including intermission Opened April 4, 2013 To purchase tickets, click here. For discount tickets on select performances, click here! Al Hirschfeld Theatre: 302 W 45th St, New York, NY 10036
The Lion King Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including intermission Opened November 13, 1997 To purchase tickets, click here. Minskoff Theatre: 200 W 45th St, New York, NY 10036
The Phantom of the Opera Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes, including intermission Opened January 26, 1988 To purchase tickets, click here. For discount tickets on select performances, click here! Majestic Theatre: 245 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036
School of Rock Running time: 135 minutes, including intermission Opened December 6, 2015 Click here to read the reviews! To purchase tickets, click here. Winter Garden Theatre: 1634 Broadway (between 50th and 51st St), New York, NY 10019
SpongeBob SquarePants, The Broadway Musical Opened December 4, 2017 Click here to read reviews. To purchase tickets, click here. Palace Theatre: 1564 7th Ave (between W 46th & W 47th Streets), New York, NY 10036
Waitress Running time: 2 hours 30 minutes, including intermission Opened April 24, 2016 Click here to read the reviews. To purchase tickets, click here. For discount tickets on select performances, click here! Brooks Atkinson Theatre: 256 W 47th St, New York, NY 10036
Wicked Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including intermission Opened October 30, 2003 To purchase tickets, click here. Gershwin Theatre: 222 W 51st St, New York, NY 10019
Broadway Theatre: 1681 Broadway (on the corner of 56th St), New York, NY 10019 Cort Theatre: 138 W 48th St, New York, NY 10036 Hayes Theatre: 240 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036 Lunt-Fontanne Theatre: 205 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036 Lyric Theatre: 213 W 42nd St, New York, NY 10036 Nederlander Theatre: 208 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036 Samuel J. Friedman Theatre: 261 W 47th St, New York, NY 10036 Studio 54: 254 W 54th St, New York, NY 10019 Vivian Beaumont Theater: Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, 50 Lincoln Center Plaza #1, New York, NY 10023
Deirdre Brennan has worked with the Irish Repertory Theatre for over two decades, and she and her jaw-dropping attention to detail return for the third annual production of the Rep’s immersive The Dead, 1904. The interior designer is responsible for transforming a townhouse at 991 Fifth Avenue (owned by the American Irish Historical Society) into both a stage and an early 20th-century home for the adaptation of James Joyce’s short story about a Christmas party, which returns to for the third consecutive year. Directed by Ciarán O`Reilly, the show will run through January 13, 2019. We spoke to Brennan about the show, her work, and what a theatrical interior designer does.
How did you go about transforming this Fifth Avenue townhouse for the The Dead, 1904,? DB: Step one was to walk through the townhouse with director Ciarán O’Reilly and get his vision for the show. I got a sense of what we would be able to use that was already there, and then think about how to flesh it out. One of the ways that we wanted to make people feel like they were in Dublin in 1904 once they walked through those doors, was to put up curtains, so people weren’t looking out at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We put up these rich, dark green velvet curtains that just envelop you.
Deirdre Brennan Hannah Vine
Do you pay a lot of attention to granular details like the color and texture of the curtains? DB: Yes, absolutely. One of the things that I researched was how the Irish would have decorated for Christmas during that era. We made garlands with real holly and ivy, and used things that they would have actually used back then.
With a show like The Dead, 1904, which is immersive, do you have to be conscious of the fact that audience members can approach the set and props at such close proximity? DB: Everything that we used, we were conscious of people being able to come up close to them. The writer, Jean Hanff Korelitz, loves antiques. She spent a year collecting all the china, silverware, and glassware that are used in the show. By the time I came along, she had already amassed this huge collection of beautiful props. When you sit down at the table for dinner during the show, it’s so richly filled.
How did you become attached to The Dead, 1904? DB: I’ve worked with Irish Repertory Theatre for the last 20 years. When Ciarán [O’Reilly] asked me if I wanted to decorate the set, I jumped at the chance. It’s a favorite story of mine, and just the idea—staging it in a townhouse in New York—was so tempting. Interestingly enough, years ago when I was in Dublin, I happened to pass the original townhouse that this story was set in.
What is your background? DB: In set decorating. My first show with Irish Rep was The Importance of Being Earnest in the early 1990s and I’ve worked with them ever since.
Can you explain to me what a set decorator does? DB: Usually I work with the production designer, who draws and designs the set, and then I collaborate with the director to fill everything out—hang all the pictures, buy the fabrics, search for the furniture…etc. And you make sure it’s all coordinated and fits in the period. In addition to that, you take care of all the hand props that the actors use.
It sounds so similar to interior designing. What made you choose theatre over being an interior designer? DB: Because it’s more of a collaborative effort—you work with the directors, writers, designers, and actors. You all come together to create a mood and a feeling. And also, because of the story. These plays and stories take you other worlds.
The American Irish Historical Society is located at 991 Fifth Avenue, New York. For more information, visit IrishRep.org.
