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I will never forget hearing that they were making a Spongebob musical in 2016 and thinking, “Wow, that’s a horrible idea.How in the world will that ever translate to stage?” I would live to eat those words.

Spongebob was admittedly one of my favorite cartoons as a kid. It was bright, weird, irreverent while still being wholesome, and it’s very responsible for my sense of humor. The early 2000s were an intense time to be growing up and I think for many kids my age, this show provided a colorful place to escape to and laugh and celebrate all things weird. Did you know this show was created by marine biologists, by the way? As a young neurodivergent, I naturally was planning to be one and that fact made me love the show even more.

Bringing this culturally iconic show to life onstage has been a wildly fun challenge! I cannot believe how much my parents and volunteers showed up for us, and the way that this incredible cast and crew have embraced the humor and larger than life characters and world has been sheer joy to witness. We also have an INCREDIBLE class of 8th graders this year, many of whom I’ve had since they were teeny tiny things in my very first Riverdale show, Beauty and the Beast! It will be a hard goodbye, but I cannot think of a better way to showcase this group. 

The musical itself is actually very touching. What is going to save us all from the impending disasters in life if not our ability to come together in times of crisis? It’s a tale as old as time and as relevant as ever. Together we survive, thrive, and grow. And while there are always Planktons there trying to capitalize on our fears, there are also Spongebobs out there, reminding us of the things that tie us together: friendship, community, and love for the beautiful world around us that we are so lucky to live in and take so very much for granted.  

It is the adult neurodivergent in me that must close with a few thoughts having worked on this show for a long time now. You’ll notice that much of our set is made from single use plastic, trash, and other found materials. While this show is not a DIRECT allegory for the climate crisis, I think it is impossible today to produce a show about our ocean and not think about the fact that over 14 million tons of plastic are dumped into our oceans each year and that 83% of marine debris is now plastic. I could go on and on, but it’s not an untold story. It’s actually one that entire generations are screaming at the top of their lungs about nonstop, if we would just listen. So instead let me leave with this. 

This show is for the Spongebobs of the world. The ones that break the mold. The ones who cannot help be authentically themselves, that really do dance to the beat of their own drum…or clarinet…or mayonnaise. The ones that love this world and actively seek to make it better. Please never stop being you. You make us all better. 

Christina Hernandez