As part of its mission to make theater appealing for a younger generation – for those who work in the field, and for those who merely attend – Tampa’s ThinkTank is presenting The Spongebob Musical Aug. 14 through 23 at freeFall Theatre in St. Petersburg. It opens tonight.
If you’re thinking “Hey, isn’t that a cartoon about a yellow sponge dude, with googly eyes and square pants?” let’s check a few boxes.
Indeed, The Spongebob Musical is based on the long-running animated series on Nickelodeon. It’s about the anthropomorphic sea sponge and his wacky undersea friends, and their adventures beneath the waves in a place called Bikini Bottom.
This play, however, was on Broadway for 350 performances, and received 12 Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical.
And, as ThinkTank founder and Producing Artistic Director Georgia Mallory Guy explains on today’s Arts Alive! podcast, the songs were written, most specifically for the production, by the likes of Cyndi Lauper, They Might Be Giants, The Flaming Lips, Sara Bareilles, John Legend, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, Panic! At the Disco and others.
She also points out that the humor is aimed both at young people and adults; a blend of slapstick and sophistication. The New York Times called it a “ginormous giggle of a show.”
Showtimes and tickets are at this link. There you’ll also read about ThinkTank’s other programs and events for young theater-makers, and young audiences.
We also talk about Guy’s career as one of Tampa Bay’s finest actresses, who lit up the stage in three of the past year’s most indelible dramas: The Pillowman, God of Carnage and Danny & the Deep Blue Sea.
Click on the arrow to listen to the conversation.
https://media.stpetecatalyst.com/uploads/2026/08/Arts-Alive-final-Georgia-Mallory-Guy-8-14-.mp3
