Review: THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL at Portland Playhouse

When I saw Portland Playhouse's 2025–2026 season announced, the show I was most irrationally excited about was THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL. I’m far from an expert on the SpongeBob SquarePants universe, but I've watched enough episodes to have completely fallen for the little yellow sponge in square pants and a tie whose greatest ambition in life is to be the best fry cook at the Krusty Krab. I particularly love Patrick, the perpetually anxious and not quite bright sea star. The whole thing is wonderfully, unabashedly silly.

The musical was conceived by Tina Landau with a book by Kyle Jarrow, and its score is something unusual: original songs contributed by a wildly diverse roster of artists including David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, Sara Bareilles, John Legend, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Panic! At the Disco, They Might Be Giants, and The Flaming Lips. In other words, this is not your average musical. When it opened on Broadway in December 2017, it earned 12 Tony nominations.

The story centers on a crisis in Bikini Bottom: a volcano called Mount Humongous is about to erupt and destroy everything. As panic spreads, the residents turn against each other. Sandy Cheeks, the scientist squirrel, becomes a scapegoat, while Sheldon Plankton and his wife Karen the Computer do everything they can to stoke fear and exploit the chaos for their own gain. Meanwhile, SpongeBob, Patrick, and Sandy hatch a plan to actually save the town. There is a timely message here, should you choose to hear it.

The cast hits the jackpot. Somehow, the Portland Playhouse stage fits more people than you'd think physically possible. Benjamin Tissell brings an enormous, irresistible energy to SpongeBob. Isaac Lamb is particularly wonderful as Patrick Star, landing every beat of that character's blend of anxiety and obliviousness. Quinci Freeman-Lytle is terrific as Sandy, the scientist squirrel who refuses to be run out of town. Darius Pierce plays the villain Plankton as though the role was written for him. In a cast this strong, Maeve Stier as Karen the Computer is a standout, and a multi instrumentalist to boot. Susannah Mars, Jimmy Garcia, Rizo (aka Amelia Zirin Brown), Merideth Kaye Clark, Ashley Song, and Eliza Jane Schneider round out the company, along with a large rotating cast of kids. 

This production is bright and colorful, and fully committed to the cartoon world the show lives in, with fabulous scenic and lighting design by Daniel Meeker and costumes by Wanda Walden's. The whole production has the feeling of best possible chaos, which is exactly right for SpongeBob. Like the cartoon itself, the comedy operates on multiple levels simultaneously, landing differently for kids and adults without condescending to either. 

Music direction is by Eric Nordin, and the actors play instruments, a detail that adds another layer of delight to an already overstuffed evening.

This show is a blast. Go see it, take your kids, or don't. You don't need to be a SpongeBob devotee to have a great time, though it's worth watching an episode or two beforehand so you can see just how faithfully the characters have been brought to life.

THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL runs through June 7. Details and tickets here. One practical note: there are some partial view seats in the theater, so arrive early enough to snag a good spot.

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