Are You Ready Kids?

After conquering tv and the silver screen, everyone's favourite sponge is headed to Chicago in his first ever musical! SpongeBob The Musical opens at the Oriental Theatre in June 2016 for a strictly limited month-long run, before transferring over to Broadway later in the year. The story follows Spongebob on a quest to save the day, with the help of his best fried Patrick and the rest of Bikini Bottom's beloved inhabitants. Co-concieved and directed by Steppenwolf Theatre member Tina Landau, an impressively starry roll call of musical artists have contributed to the score, including David Bowie and The Flaming Lips.

Since premiering in 2009, the adventures of Spongebob has become a carton juggernaut for Nickelodeon, with its slapstick silliness and surreal flights of fancy making it a big hit with kids and adults alike. Now on its ninth season, the animation has also made it to the silver screen in two movies that featured wonderfully wacky appearances from David Hasselhoff and Antonio Banderas.

The Music Makers

The wealth of talent contributing to SpongeBob's musical venture is quite staggering. Topping the bill is the legendary David Bowie, who was no stranger to the world of Bikini Bottom, having voiced the character of Lord Royal Highness in the show's 2007 special Atlantis Squarepants. Also writing original material are Cyndi Lauper (who won a Tony for Kinky Boots' score), Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, Lady Antebellum, John Legend, The Flaming Lips, Dirty Projectors, They Might Be Giants, Panic! at the Disco and T.I.