SpongeBob SquarePants (Broadway) NYC Reviews and Tickets

"Tina Landau’s exhaustingly imaginative production...You will probably adore this musical if: a) 'SpongeBob' was a formative influence of your childhood, b) you are a stoner who tokes up to watch reruns of the show on YouTube; or c) if you are (like my date for this show) a parent of 'SpongeBob'-bingeing progeny. If you are none of the above, you will find your patience sorely tested...Tune out until the next amazing set piece, and then gape at the ingenious reconfigurations of objects."
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"A joy. Like its irrepressible yellow hero, played by the peppy and limber-limbed Ethan Slater, the show is unabashedly committed to imagination and dorky enthusiasm...What send the show soaring are David Zinn’s sensational costumes and set...In the end, 'SpongeBob' succeeds because Landau and Zinn make even the most complicated musical staging look and feel like child’s play. It wants you to have fun. Soak it in."
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"It’s a truly gloomy soul who’ll be able to leave without mirroring the dopey grin with which the show’s absorbent yellow hero responds to his buddy’s existential angst...Under the joyfully maximalist hand of Tina Landau, Bikini Bottom gets the more-is-more-is-more-is-more treatment — with a DIY twist that’s both endlessly charming and integral to the production’s spirit...Is it too much? Nah, no such thing...I left realizing that I had smiled for literally every minute of it."
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"In heavy times, we can all use a little nonsense. (The good kind)...Here’s where the real twist comes: the show is very good. This is largely thanks to Tina Landau, its conceiver and director, who fills the stage with visual wit, from giant Rube Goldberg machines that spit out bouncy boulders to Zinn’s relentlessly clever costumes and sets...An all-star roster of artists supplied original songs but the standout is 'I’m Not a Loser,' by They Might Be Giants."
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"There's a certain whiplash effect, to be sure, in jumping from Bowie/Eno gloom rock to bubblegum pop to country to gospel to more conventional show tunes. But there's also a generosity of spirit here that, together with the playful visual imagination and the extremely likeable, racially diverse cast, proves hard to resist...Musical-theater snobs should probably give 'SpongeBob' a wide berth. But audiences willing to go with its demented escapism should find plenty of fun."
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"A head-spinningly packed Act I spends far too long setting up these various threads...Act II is much smoother, and features some of the show’s highlights, like Squidward’s gorgeous tap number...It’s something of a challenge to stay fully invested and interested in this world for two hours and 30 minutes. But 'SpongeBob' certainly deserves points for creativity...Overall, it’s an entertaining, if overstuffed and a bit too experimental, homage to the long-running cartoon."
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"Kyle Jarrow’s book retains the two key elements of the Nicktoon: the cheerful sea sponge’s unquenchable optimism and his selflessly heroic efforts to rescue his friends ...Landau’s hallucinogenic stagecraft transcends the show’s television origins by speaking a visual language that’s three-dimensional and boldly theatrical...It’s not as much of a gimmick as it seems, but without a signature sound, there’s no signature style. What there is, though, is plenty of giddy, goofy fun for all."
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“Ms. Landau and her superb cast never feigned enthusiasm and never just preached to the converted. They believed. And as a technical achievement, the show is extraordinary...Pure silliness readily mixes with knowing kitsch...The cartoon is transformed into a combination campy circus, rock concert and amusement park...In addressing those adolescent issues, the play is fervently sincere peddling pedantic homilies."
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“The last 40 minutes or so is such mind-rattling, eye-popping, rib-tickling fun that maybe I should just stop right there. Not that this popular series is ever short on energy, visual spectacle, inside-Bikinisms and the like...For, first-act problems aside, this show, ingeniously staged by Landau and choreographed by Gattelli within an inch of its CO2 life, has more to offer than we had any right to expect in this era of dreary Broadway knockoffs of Hollywood dross.”
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"Much impressive design and engineering work has gone into this $20 million production, which has been guided with an eye for childlike delight by Landau...The athletic Slater, meantime, proves to be a totally winning SpongeBob, accomplishing the unusual trick of seeming to exist simultaneously in two dimensions and three...And still: I can’t see recommending this show to anyone except true 'SpongeBob' buffs."
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"It is to the credit of the determined, big-hearted director and the charming, gifted star of 'SpongeBob SquarePants' that they have stayed relentlessly focused not only on the show’s famously goofy optimism but on its happily anarchic aesthetic...Not every attempt at singularity works, but, in its best moments, it is very much its own thing. Proudly so...In the final Broadway analysis, a show for those in the know and, of course, for kids...This is not a piece that will create many new believers."
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"Delightful but overstuffed...Explodes with catchy songs, Crayola-bright visuals, goofy humor, not-so-silly messages, and lots of heart. There’s a breakout star turn, to boot...Undersea denizens are given human form but retain telltale traits. It’s a smart decision that broadens accessibility...Momentum stalls occasionally from so many story threads, but David Zinn’s clever sets and costumes offer constant eye candy to compensate...'SpongeBob' is simply a pleasure."
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"Despite some weak spots, the new Broadway musical adaptation works well enough as a lively, silly, trippy show appealing to kids, Millennials and anyone who has watched the TV show since it premiered in 1999...The elaborate production benefits from an immersive, blue-streaked visual design that spills into the audience...All in all, 'SpongeBob' manages to win over the crowd thanks to an energetic cast, psychedelic flair and party atmosphere."
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"If you're a fan, this one's a boat load of fun...They managed to replicate the loony shenanigans of the Bikini Bottom dwellers, all the while making it somewhat palatable for adult tastes...The book is a clever melding of the narrow cartoon storylines with the more expansive needs for Broadway...All of the leads embody their cartoon counterparts impressively...My one big qualm is the running time; 2.5 hours of 'SpongeBob' may be more than some kids can absorb."
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"Nothing short of genius...Landau and her creative team have reimagined the television series for the stage, building a world that resembles the cartoon, while taking brilliant advantage of this new medium...Landau develops the vibe of a rock concert throughout, while Jarrow's text theatricalizes the incendiary humor...The show, however, is on the fatty side...SpongeBob might save the day in the end, but Landau is the real hero in this venture, and an inspiring one at that."
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"What makes the production work so well is that Landau's lovably energetic company is staged in movements that effectively replicate those of their animated characters...The production values are so strong that they come close to covering up the merely serviceable quality of much of the written material...But there's no denying that 'SpongeBob' is an optical treasure filled with clever stagecraft and played by a top-shelf company."
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“You'll love this -- if this is the sort of thing you love...Burdened with a silly, predictable plot and so many lessons about tolerance, kindness, and community spirit...this is a musical designed for true SpongeBob believers only...The songs are pretty uniformly forgettable...All of this is orchestrated with a fair amount of bravado by Landau...What she can't fix is the cipher-like lead character and a plot that is much too elementary for anyone past the fourth grade."
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"The wildest romp of a musical Broadway has seen in many a season...It's best to have a familiarity with SpongeBob...There's still a lot of fun to be had for the uninitiated...Mostly made up of silly shenanigans and lots of big production numbers, several of which are quite good...It is certainly an overstuffed banquet for the eye and the ear, and it does run the risk of stimulus overload, but for fans of that happy-go-lucky member of the phylum porifera, it's not to be missed."
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"Landau leaves almost no storytelling device unexplored, creating theatrical sorcery in this lavish production. But while the effects are impressive, often I simply wished for time to enjoy less frenetic moments of connection...Subplots among the supporting characters proliferate, but end up as superfluous, or underdeveloped red herrings...The diverse cast includes a versatile and energetic ensemble...True SpongeBob 'believers' — and stoners are going to have a great time."
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“This visually stunning, witty and faithful stage adaptation is a lot of fun but drawn out...Landau’s euphoric staging vigorously emphasizes spectacle, humor, and sensitivity...The material is edgy enough to entertain adults...Portions of it are over-extended, repetitious, and tangential. Perhaps for Broadway, its creators felt the need to really make it a full-length show. In this case, less would have been more,though the abundant merriment is still pleasurable."
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"The musical is as effervescent as its boyish leading man. Still, Slater must – and does -ensure the comic, user-friendly tone is set and maintained...Director Tina Landau deftly pulls all the pieces together and delivers a package that works on all levels, breaking some of the rules along the way. The lack of creature-specific costumes in this type of enterprise is rare and welcome...Courtesy of Kyle Jarrow’s clever, efficient book, Landau has reeled in a whale of a good time."
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"Jarrow's slim libretto benefits from the show's 15 songs...This may not be a stellar score, but it's expertly played and sung; and, despite the variety of songwriters, the numbers are admirably integrated in the action and story. Months from now, when the dust settles around this much buzzed about new musical, Ethan Slater is what people will still be talking about...Slater is surrounded by fine supporting players and an admirable (and idiosyncratic) ensemble."
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“It is a rare feat to effectively translate style and comedy from one genre to another. Tina Landau, the conceiver and director, succeeds marvelously...The real star of the show is not the Starfish, nor Spongebob...It is David Zinn, credited with scenic and costume design. Mr. Zinn should get his credit above the title, so dazzling and enjoyable is his work...It is for those who love non-stop creativity in costume, design, color, lighting, choreography, zany comedy, and madcap mayhem.”
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"One of the most transgressive musicals on Broadway today, one that lays the foundation for a kind of enlightened escapism that could lead us through this strange era by offering a vision of the best we can be...The lovingly archetypal tale is indeed saturated with humor for every comedy palate...'SpongeBob the Musical' proves that escapism can be intelligent. That we can escape to a vision of the world as it could and should be."
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"Fun and smart and festive and joyful it is. In spades...It’s a colorful spectacle that feels intoxicating and exciting before the show even begins...Ethan Slater making his Broadway debut, gives about the best performance of a sponge that one could hope for...Every underwater creature is playing their part swimmingly...Time will tell if it is a success financially, but as an artistic endeavor, they have surprised the Broadway world and hit that pineapple out of the park."
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"The 'save the world' plot is simple and easy to follow, with musical numbers that attempt to move the action forward with little success...Tina Landau has created an inventive production that provides enough amusement and razzle dazzle to satisfy audiences that are familiar with this famed Nickelodeon character and his cohorts but will not in any fashion keep the interest of serious theatergoers. It is a vibrant spectacle that sparkles but does not shine."
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"Tom Kitt has helped assemble a tuneful and eclectic score...All of this makes for many enjoyable moments. But it’s still difficult to justify devoting two and a half hours to a cartoon sponge...Despite all the terrific talent and pleasing razzle dazzle, a theatergoer who isn’t seven years old or stoned or an unusually empathetic parent may secretly wish before the 150 minutes are up that Humongous will destroy Bikini Bottom soon and let us all get back early to dry land."
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"One of the most creative animation-to-stage adaptations I’ve seen...Although the plot is paper thin, there is much more here than meets the eye. Self-help advice is liberally dispensed in musical form from artists in all genres...An original cast recording that is catchy and contagious. The musical variety is just one of the many things that makes this show a genuine crowd-pleaser. The energy that this supremely talented cast gives is beyond electric...Don’t resist this gem."
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"This exuberant, expensive and sometimes enervating spectacle -- directed with utter confidence by Tina Landau and featuring typically thrilling choreography by Tony winner Christopher Gattelli -- is likely to give you whiplash...I’m not sure the creators’ idea to have over a dozen notable songwriters contribute to the score was a gamble that fully paid off. There are a few too many songs for the show’s own good, and far too many musicals styles are on display here."
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“This tidal wave of nautical nonsense has turned the Palace Theatre into an eye-poppingly colorful seascape filled with subaquatic life ranging from petite plankton to lumbering leviathans…Staged with unceasing zest…and a confetti-covered…beach ball party, 'SpongeBob SquarePants' defies you to be bored...Within all the nutty behavior and antics, a few adult-oriented thematic points are made…Expressive vitality, visual ingenuity, vibrant musicality, and consistently exceptional performances.”
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"The most exciting sequences arise when Landau puts cartoon plots aside and concentrates on delivering the sugar-shock visual pleasure...This raw bar of composers makes for a lack of musical cohesion...But more conventional book musicals don’t have David Zinn’s blissfully eye-popping set and costume design...Design and performances aside, 'SpongeBob' is as perfunctorily entertaining as it is insistently forgettable."
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"One of the most deliciously outlandish physical productions in memory...Tina Landau does a good job over there in Bikini Bottom: there is a lot of show here, and she packs it all onstage. While it might not be artistic, it is ever-cheery and delivers what it aims to...Late in the second act comes the one knockout, show tune-wise: 'I’m Not a Loser'...Otherwise, it’s a tame evening for those who enter the Palace gates without a preexisting affinity for 'SpongeBob SquarePants.'"
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"It’s all admirably imaginative. What the designs, direction and performances rarely are is magical, inspired, or outrageously fun, although the two Rube Goldberg-like machines that thrust 'molten' beach balls onto the stage can be called 'ingenious'...Severely hampered by Kyle Jarrow’s flat, witless book...What keeps 'SpongeBob' afloat are the original songs by Sara Bareilles, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, and others."
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"This is an astonishing looking scenic achievement...The undersea world of 'SpongeBob' teems with cartoon creatures, here brought to life by a superb cast put through entertaining confrontations and elaborate musical numbers. Yes, the book sags now and then but there is always an arresting sight of a new scenic wonder or lighting coup...A memorable example of the elaborate staging possible in the theater, and anyone interested at that aspect of showbiz should be sure to see it."
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"Ultimate credit goes to Director Tina Landau whose eye and ear for detail adds credibility and whose imaginative staging captivates...Kyle Jarrow’s book employs signature expressions, expanding and embroidering while maintaining unique personalities...The musical’s problem, ignored by ninety percent of this exuberant audience, is its music and lyrics (arranged/orchestrated by Tom Kitt) which are almost uniformly generic/cliché."
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"Familiarity with the perennially cheerful SpongeBob and his fellow citizens of the underwater hamlet of Bikini Bottom is helpful but not essential for delighting in this fun-filled romp, staged with a combination of child-like glee and adult sophistication by Landau...Jarrow’s otherwise snappy book could lose a half-hour particularly during an extended adventure sequence...Some adults may chafe at all the giggly silliness, but for kids and kids at heart, this is a sweet, watery treat."
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"There’s an intriguing juxtaposition between the trippy, hippy, hallucinogenic fantasy land in which the musical is set in and the happy family show it’s setting out to be...This mix gives it plenty of contemporary culture credibility, but doesn’t give the show a defining musical voice. Landau similarly throws everything at the staging from juggling and cycling to tap dance and skateboarding that makes it feel deliberately chaotic but also a bit relentless."
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"It’s a guaranteed good time for families...But it could so easily have been much better...Act two has better songs, more action and eventually a propulsive rush to the confetti-filled finale. You’ll be smiling when you leave...While the production is handsome, it also has a playground vibe that feels just right...Truly, a lot of songs just kill time...But what a shame and what a show they might have had...I had fun, mostly because the cast was so winning."
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"The wildly entertaining new musical also offers sage lessons in how to save civilization in the face of doom...Fans of Stephen Hillenburg’s Nickelodeon franchise will be happy to see the gang’s all here, brilliantly sprung to life by visionary director Tina Landau...It’s a buoyant and rollicking score that flows together remarkably well, thanks to music supervisor Tom Kitt."
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"Slater sings, leaps, and charms us all...Works for whoever is watching...A brilliant feat of directing by Landau who ensures a ranging production makes smooth sense, while remaining an arresting and unpredictable visual delight. The music in the show is similarly spectacular, loud and a panoply of styles...Zinn’s costume and scenic design is another star of the show...For all that the multi-colored 'SpongeBob' musical cavalcade is a party for the eyes and ears, it is also political—radical even."
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“Landau has transformed that modest tale into an all-singing, all-dancing musical extravaganza...Yet ‘SpongeBob’s’ deceptively simple stagecraft remains true to the humble spirit of its protagonist...The numbers similarly work best when they stick to tried-and-tested Broadway convention, whereas bursts of hip-hop sound like bad pastiche of 'Hamilton'. Bringing together songs by nearly two dozen artists, the show suffers from a lack of musical consistency.”
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“What makes the show really unusual is not its genesis in children’s television but its score, each song composed by a different artist or songwriting team...Some are intrinsically better than others. But where one might expect them to clash, in sequence they form a colorful undersea mosaic...The story and structure are pretty loose But a show like this doesn’t depend on tightness of plot. This musical is mainly about family-friendly fun and spectacle, and it delivers on both counts.”
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"A nonstop swirl of color, dazzle, moving sets and props, and inventive silliness...The eclectic score...amazingly seems of a piece, and director Tina Landau’s cleverness keeps things frantically eye-catching...The first act almost reminded me of wacky 1980s shows done in the East Village...Its exuberant zaniness verges on too much of a good thing, but you miss the energy onslaught in Act Two...Anyone angling for some lavishly thought-out lunacy should squeeze this sponge tightly."
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"Slater, in his Broadway debut, perfectly captures SpongeBob’s enthusiastic approach to life...Director Tina Landau has conceived this show with care, guarding Nickelodeon’s 18-year-old juggernaut while infusing it with a subtle nod to current events and musicals of the past...Ultimately, though, music makes this show...To those who can’t imagine this as anything beyond basic kids’ fare, here’s some advice. Check your preconceptions at the door and enjoy the ride."
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"An absolute delight. Silly, heartfelt and charming, it has infectious songs written by an array of top music talent and it’s been cleverly conceived and directed by the innovative Landau. Landau and her collaborators haven’t tried to put the cartoon series onstage; they’ve reimagined it for the theatre...It’s a thin plot to stretch out over nearly two-and-a-half hours, but the occasional lulls are forgivable...Dare I say that adults as well as children are likely to find 'SpongeBob' absorbing."
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"Pleases not only SpongeBob’s loyal fans but also audiences just looking for fun...Astonishingly, thanks to Landau’s unified artistic vision and deft musical direction by Julie McBride, diverse genres meld into a delightful pop-music pastiche...The show is perfectly cast...It’s director Landau whose vision prevails, unifying performances and song...'SpongeBob SquarePants' is a blast."
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"It is magical and colorful and fun...It is an incredible visual spectacle with some real substance underneath. It’s perfect not only for children but for families, for adults, for anyone...The director, designers, and actors have accomplished something extraordinary, perhaps one of the best examples of 'suspension of disbelief' ever seen in theater...One of the best musicals on Broadway right now, and is certainly the best musical of the season. Quite simply, it is extraordinary."
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“One of the best shows of the season...One doesn’t even need to have ever seen an episode of ‘SpongeBob’ to enjoy this magical piece of theatrical cotton candy...There are so many impeccable performances from the mega-talented cast...Deserves to run for years and entertain and inspire many with its universal message of teamwork, inclusiveness and hope, making it a badly needed tonic for these troubled times, but it’s also just a lot of harmless merriment and so much fun.”
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“The splashy musical comes across as a glorified episode – and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that...A delightfully giddy experience, both sweet and energizing, both in design and performance. What’s astonishing about the tuneful show is the consistent high it manages to sustain throughout its two-and-a-half hour running time.The show is led by an endlessly inventive, exuberant, and altogether smashing performance by the charismatic Ethan Slater in the title role."
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"Cheerfully gaudy, brilliantly staged...The show zips along, it's perfectly well-timed and charming, and the audience I saw it with seemed to have fun with it....In the old art/commerce balance, this show leans a titch too hard into the commerce zone to gobble up without the occasional raised eyebrow. Sure, the show's fun, spectacular, and gorgeously realized, and the cast is incredibly game. Still, something about 'SpongeBob SquarePants' left me colder than I wanted to be left."
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“Let’s just say I was pleasantly surprised…The list of songwriters providing the score to the show is fairly remarkable…While not the most dramatic or thought provoking musical imaginable, it is certainly a fun show to attend and be completely entertained while being transported into the wacky world of Bikini Bottom. If you enjoy 'SpongeBob' on the small screen, then you’ll want to see the magic of theater bring all your favorite characters to life singing and dancing onstage.”
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“One of the silliest and dumbest of any shows that has ever hit Broadway opened last night at the Palace Theater. The backers, producers, and the performers involved should all start looking for something else to do…No love affair, no real comedy and otherwise no nothing. To be fair, several of the participants in this mess are quite good…'SpongeBob SquarePants' was designed for kids...I don’t think anyone else should be caught dead watching this ocean of trash.”
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"Tina Landau’s direction enables the characters to come alive and transcend the cartoon world. Kyle Jarrow’s book and the choreography by Christopher Gattelli enhance the enjoyment of this wonderful musical...This musical is a show for the entire family. It also has a sublime message about the values of collaboration, tolerance, and appreciation of differences. You will leave the theatre with a feeling of satisfaction and happiness."
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"It was surprisingly entertaining and exceptionally put together...It is a miracle of miracles that Kitt and the show’s book writer, Jarrow, were able to make all these songs work cohesively...The show is by no definition perfect...'SpongeBob SquarePants' requires a certain amount of tolerance to the sometimes obnoxious simplistic characters, but the fantastic score and earnest production is an overall surprisingly enjoyable show, entertaining and exquisitely lush."
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“A surreal extravaganza that is as bonkers as it is surprisingly coherent...It adheres to the basic tenets of great musical theatre: from the scene-establishing opening to the 11 o'clock number...The cast is sensational, delivering the kind of high octane, super-caffeinated work that this material needs...Truly gorgeous, and a defiant antidote to the minimalism of other current Broadway hits...It's nuts, but gosh it's fun.”
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"Will have you grinning ear to ear the entire show—and long after you leave the theater...In the hands of a very talented creative team, it’s made the leap from screen to stage beautifully...Despite the wide-range of musical styles these musicians come from, their songs all flow together, creating a cohesive show. They compliment one another, the characters, and the story...The actors themselves are all marvelous. The ensemble works together so well; all the leads are perfectly cast."
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"'SpongeBob SquarePants The Broadway Musical' is a wonder of neon psychedelic delight starring a character-perfect lead surrounded by a fun-centered cast which should delight adults and children of all ages!"
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"The real superstar of ‘SpongeBob,’ the person who makes it all work, is the yellow sponge himself; well, the actor playing him. Newcomer Ethan Slater is a one-man rocket of energy and positivity, you can't help but love him the second he opens his mouth at the top of the show. Slater's portrayal of the titular character is infectious, his joy radiates throughout the theater…With everything happening in our country these days, the optimistic SpongeBob may be the hero we need."
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"The award for smartest silly idea for a show goes to 'SpongeBob SquarePants'...Landau creates an evening that bombards the senses, challenges the funny bone, and even tugs are the heart from time to time. The cast is superb...Highest marks of the evening go to Slater in the title role...What seemed most remarkable about the evening is how it manages to get an audience of sophisticated Gothamites and first-time theatergoing tots all on the same page."
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"Neptune and Nickolodeon be praised, director Landau and Zinn have forsaken a Disneyesque theme park approach...and opted for something infinitely more Seussian...What holds it all together is Slater as SpongeBob. Exuding an irrational optimism with a touch of sexy swagger in his clownish strut, this guy is a total vaudevillian who can stretch his face into strange shapes, cross his eyes individually and in tandem, flip, split, contort, and hit a breakdown move."
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