Interview: Juliane Godfrey Is a SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS Triple Threat

Juliane Godfrey, dance captain of SpongeBob SquarePants: THE BROADWAY MUSICAL, is dancing as fast as she can. A mother hen to her brood of 20-plus inhabitants of the submarine town of Bikini Bottom, Godfrey juggles multiple hats in this trippy spectacle. She's also an actor, singer and dancer in the Technicolor-blasted, live production of the whimsical television cartoon.

"This is definitely a hefty job," Godfrey said. "As dance captain, my main job is to maintain the choreography"-by Christopher Gattelli-"and I'm always watching to make sure things evolve." Dancing sea creatures make up the bulk of the show, from eventual hero SpongeBob (inhabited without prosthetics by a malleable Ethan Slater) to the winning Squidward Q. Tentacles, nimbly portrayed by four-limbed Gavin Lee.

It was a unique challenge. "I watch it a bunch of times to see if things evolve and take notes," said Godfrey. "I also work with swings and new people. I maintain the dance as a whole throughout the musical."

SpongeBob, a colorful sponge, skips and dances with a rubbery flair. A motley array of other bottom dwellers is costumed in a hodge-podge of child-appealing hues.

"The biggest challenge I had was to learn every track in the show," Godfrey said. "Fifty percent of the show is dancing." As a swing, Godfrey has to change her mindset and think like a dancer while at the same time taking mental notes for her other job.

Godfrey learned the tracks the hard way. She was put into the first rehearsal. "That was the best and scariest way to learn the tracks," she added. "When I'm on, I always want to make sure everyone else is taken care of. There was a lot of movement exploration in rehearsals," Godfrey said.

"When we have a viewpoint together we move as a unit," she said. "We acknowledge the pace and the show's architecture. Whether they are dancing in groups or alone, each character develops a way to complete the move," Godfrey added.

Preparation is the key.

"When push comes to shove, I have to be prepared," Godfrey said. "I learned the show slowly and I was scrambling to watch every rehearsal." she said.

"Thank god for this amazing choreography; it really helps tells the story. Chris was adamant the dancing wasn't just frilly," Godfrey said. "There's a big hip-hop number and it gets everybody out of Bikini Bottom. It's a sexy, seductive way to get everyone on board.

"It's a glitzy, fun show," she said. Her favorite dance sequence is when Squidward and fluttery sea anemones perform "I'm Not a Loser." "It's like our Rockettes number," Godfrey said with a laugh.

The show takes advantage of numerous dance styles. It's a pastiche of swing, tap, hip-hop and tutting, which is a form of street dance with intricate hand and finger movements. The sardines tut in their number. "It's like a feast for the eyes," Godfrey said of the candy-colored fun-zone set and clever costumes.

Every move in the show is charted; each movement is accounted for. "You can do as much research as you'd like, but you can't bring your barbells out on the field," she said.

"It's like learning how to drive a car. Until you're in the driver's seat you don't know how it's going to play out. It's one crazy experience." Godfrey always know who's doing what throughout the complicated dance scenes.

"We're going to make mistakes, and thankfully we haven't had a dangerous one.

Oversized plastic party cups and pool tubes form swaying background anemones and other living things.

When Squidward tap dances in four-legged pants, a kick-line of pink-sequined anemones are background candy. When sea skates (on skateboards) appear, they move in time to Aerosmith. Other songs have been written by rock-pop stars include The Flaming Lips, Cyndi Lauper and Plain White T's.

The story revolves around SpongeBob and his best friend, starfish Patrick Star (Danny Skinner), who learn of the imminent destruction of Bikini Bottom by volcano. Hurdles are jumped, friendships get tested and the town's fate may be in the paws of a squirrel.

Although kid-centric, it's a show with wide appeal. "The audience has been awesome," Godfrey said. "It's interesting watching the little kids freaking out when the pirates come up the aisles and scare them" (in a kid-friendly way, of course). "I know adults who didn't want to come to the show but loved it, even though it seems like a kids' show," she said.

"There's something about the energy of SpongeBob: he's fast-moving and colorful. In the lobby I heard two middle-aged women debating whether or not to see it. I told them the message speaks to all ages. It's topical-the community is panicking because the world is ending," Godfrey said.

Godfrey discovered her ability to dance in rhythm when she was a baby. "I was a diaper dancer," she said with a laugh. "I always loved to dance, but initially hated dancing school."

The California native uses dance as an entryway into other theatrical positions. "Dance always comes first, but I also love storytelling and acting," she said. "I don't have to beat my body up when I do straight plays."

Godfrey does hot yoga for relaxation and stretching before a show. "I always get here early, because what I do changes from show to show," Godfrey said. "I don't know who I might be."

She encourages curious but hesitant theatergoers to take a chance on this bubblegum musical.

"The bottom line is that it's fast-moving and it's joyful," Godfrey said. "It's colorful and creative and I know you're going to have a good time."

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical is playing at the Palace Theater, 1564 Broadway. The book is by Kyle Jarrow; conceived and directed by Tina Landau; music supervision by Tom Kitt; lighting design by Kevin Adams; hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe; costume and scenic design by David Zinn; make-up design by Joe Dulude II; and sound design by Walter Trarbach.

Photo Credit: Sarah Jenkins

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