Now playing at the Majestic Theatre is the North American Tour of the critically acclaimed, award-winning ‘The SpongeBob Musical’ and there is only one more performance on Sunday January 26 at 2p.m. This production brings the spirit of SpongeBob to life with humanity, heart and pure theatricality and is the 2018 Best Musical winner of the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards. When the impending doom of an erupting volcano threatens Bikini Bottom, SpongeBob, Sandy Cheeks and Patrick join forces to save the day. Tickets start at $45 and are available in person at the Majestic Theatre Box Office or online.

‘The SpongeBob Musical’ begins with a pre-show skit that has Patchy the Pirate, SpongeBob’s number one fan, in the audience taking pictures of the stage when two security guards try to stop him. Patchy claims he is being harassed and alleges pirate discrimination as he is led away. The guards then go through the usual theater etiquette that includes no picture or video taking allowed. The story begins as SpongeBob (Lorenzo Pugliese) awakens and welcomes the day with his pet sea snail Gary. He greets his fellow Bikini Bottom friends, including best friend Patrick (Beau Bradshaw), Squidward (Cody Cooley) and Sandy Cheeks (Daria Pilar Redus), as he walks to work at the Krusty Krab restaurant. “Bikini Bottom Day” At work, SpongeBob hints to Mr. Krabs (Zach Kononov) about his desire to become the manager but he just laughs and tells SpongeBob that he is “just a simple sponge.” The entire town is then rocked by a violent tremor and a news report reveals that it was caused by the nearby Mount Humongous, a volcano that is about to erupt. “No Control” The town predictably panics but the town villains Sheldon Plankton (Tristan McIntyre) and Karen the computer (Caitlin Ort) convince them to use an escape pod, which is really just a plot to hypnotize them into liking their restaurant. Always the optimistic, SpongeBob believes the town should try to save Bikini Bottom instead of running and convinces Sandy, who is a scientist, to help him stop the volcano. A last minute effort stops the volcano’s eruption and SpongeBob emerges the hero and the townspeople welcome a brand new day. During the curtain call, the cast performs the SpongeBob Square Pants theme song and the theater bursts out into full on party mode.

SpongeBob SquarePants is a beloved animated series and its successful transition to the stage will entertain both children and adults. With themes like friendship, determination and teamwork, ‘The SpongeBob Musical’ is a delight to experience for die hard fans of the franchise as well as those who appreciate silly, goofy and whimsical entertainment. It is true to the general feel of the animated series but some fans may be disappointed that the costumes are not more obvious to the characters. With that said, Lorenzo Pugliese is adorable as SpongeBob and Tristan McIntyre makes the evil Sheldon Plankton the evil villain everyone loves to hate. A creativity plus is awarded for using constantly moving and revolving ladders to simulate SpongeBob and Sandy’s ascent to Mount Humongous. Show highlights include “BFF” as SpongeBob tries to comfort an upset Patrick and “I’m Not a Loser” when Squidward performs a dance number in his imagination. The setting and costumes are bright and cheerful, with special mention of the gorgeous giant jellyfish, and it is just what ‘The SpongeBob Musical’ aims to be. This family friendly production has heart and plenty of laughs and is a definite must see but it may not be for the smaller kids because it is the length of an average Broadway musical.