This past weekend, the Delaware Hayes Thespians performed their much anticipated production of “The SpongeBob Musical.”
The show follows SpongeBob and his friends through their quest to save Bikini Bottom from a volcanic eruption. SpongeBob, Patrick, and Sandy push through doubt and adversity to eventually accomplish their goal and save their home.
The production had a huge turnout and even sold out the Saturday matinee.
“I think the show went amazing,” senior light manager Kayla Coleman said. “We had to miss a couple days of rehearsal due to not wanting to spread any sickness around, so I think a lot of the company was nervous as to how it would go, but it was good.”
Auditions took place at the beginning of January, and rehearsals started not long after that. This show brought back a sense of nostalgia for many of the students involved, but it came with its challenges as well.
For senior Ethan Terry, who played Patrick Star, taking on his role was more difficult than it may seem.
“I watched SpongeBob for much of my childhood but actually trying to be [Patrick] on stage is kind of hard for me because I don’t really act stupid and dumb, it’s just not really in my character,” he said.
The casting process is selective, and students don’t always land the role that they may have expected.
“My first go-to was Squidward, and then my second choice was Plankton,” Terry said. “Then in my audition, they had me read for Patrick and that got the most reactions out of everyone, so that’s what I got cast as.”
“The SpongeBob Musical” consists of many behind the scenes components to create the final product that gets put on stage.
“My favorite part of SpongeBob was all the extra effects we added in towards the end,” Coleman said. “We had bubbles, confetti, fog and just some fun lighting to make the auditorium feel more like an aquarium.”
For Hayes, this show was more intricate than others in the past have been.
“I’d say it’s probably the most high-tech show that Hayes has ever done,” Terry said.
This show also incorporated the pit orchestra into the show more than usual.
“I like how much the pit [was] able to interact with the cast in the show because that’s not really something we’ve had in the past,” junior cello player Emily Ward said. “I feel like it really helps us feel like we’re actually part of the show and not just like the background music.”
Throughout the production, the pit held up different items into the view of the audience, allowing everyone to acknowledge their presence more than usual.
For the seniors, SpongeBob was their last production at Hayes. However, some of these students plan on continuing to be involved in theater after high school.
“I’m majoring in communications in Bowling Green, and I’ll probably minor in theater or some kind of acting,” Terry said.
For others, this is the end of their theater journey, but the experience will bring back positive memories.
“It’s hard to believe it’s my last production at Hayes honestly,” Coleman said. “I have been in a lot of different shows at this point, and I always loved the difference from the beginning rehearsals to the end. I’ll miss the family I’ve made in theater, but I’m happy with how the last four years went.”