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This episode is brought to you by Black Butler: 
Parody of the Phantomhives, a Black Butler 
abridged series/parody.

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And by Midnight Musicals. Welcome to the 
podcast musical undergound, coming in early 
2021. Thank you.

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Hi, I'm Diva from Musical Hell, and I know 
the score.

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["O Fortuna" performed by Cast in Bronze]

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DIVA: Adaptation has always been a part of 
music theater,

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and a significant portion of those adaptations

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have always been based on material the audience 
will recognize.

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But it feels like the last few years in particular 
have been dominated

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by projects that can be  summarized as

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"Hey, remember that thing from a few decades 
ago? It's back! In musical form!"

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Not that there's anything terribly wrong 
with that.

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Broadway is a business after all, and getting 
butts into the seats is a priority.

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But such projects always carry the risk of 
only being accessible

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to those who are already invested in the 
property being adapted.

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After all, a good adaptation should be able 
to stand on its own

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and not just rely on the nostalgia or fandom 
of the viewer.

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With that in mind, we're gong to look at 
the SpongeBob musical from the perspective 
of someone

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who hasn't seen a single episode of SpongeBob 
SquarePants.

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Yes, you heard right.

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Despite the animated series being on for 
over two decades, I haven't sat down and 
watched any of it.

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Even though I know the show has recieved 
a  lot of critical and popular acclaim,

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I've never really had the need to see it 
for myself.

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What I do have on the other hand is a lot 
of people on Patreon

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who don't mind paying money to hear what 
I have to say about things.

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So, I'm going into this completely blind.

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I don't need to know whether so-and-so is 
a beloved side character

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or why this one bit calls back to such-and-such 
an episode.

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My main objective is to discover -- can someone 
come to this musical

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with absolutely no previous emotional envolvement

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and come away with an enjoyable experience?

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Let's find out.

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I will say the opening number, "Bikini Bottom 
Day,"
   does an excellent job of introducing 
the main cast.

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If you're familiar with the show, it gives 
you a chance to go, "Hey, it's that guy!"

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But if you're not, it helps you get your 
bearings easily.

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CAST [singing]: end of the world, swim with 
 the current 'til it carries you along

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DIVA: The opening is also useful in  establishing 
the aesthetic of the show.

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Instead of copying the look of the cartoon,

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as is normal for the touring live shows that 
usually tie in with animated series,

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this production evokes the feel of a cartoon

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through creative use of costumes, sets, sound 
effects, and dance.

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I particularly liked the blacklight choreography 
for SpongeBob's

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Pasek-and-Paul-esque "Just a Simple Sponge,"

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which allows for some fun imagery.

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SPONGEBOB [singing]: Just give me adventure! 
 I'm a contender and more!

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I will show I'm not just a sponge next door.

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DIVA: The plot is a decent standalone piece, 
mostly focused on Bikini Bottom

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being threatened with destruction from the 
local volcano,

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with some subplots on an evil scheme to hypnotize 
the town,

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a benefit concert,

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and Patrick the starfish becoming a cult 
leader.

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As with any good family show, there's subtext 
here
   that the parents will easily pick 
up on,

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like the dangers of mob mentality and prejudice,

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the importance of science-based solutions 
in the face of disaster,

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and appreciating life even when it's at its 
most messed up.

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Boy, this is all sounding really relevant.

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CAST [singing]: It's the best day ever!

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DIVA: Even the expected topical references 
are a bit above the usual low-hanging fruit.

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Doing a riff on "Anatevka"? That's a deep 
cut right there.

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CAST [singing]: Bikini-tevka! Bikini-tevka!

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DIVA: The score isn't written by a single 
composer, but by a collection of various 
pop artists.

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And as a result, it is a bit of a hodgepodge 
but there's some noteable bits.

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"Bikini Bottom Day" is particularly catchy,

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and I liked Planton's villain song,

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which has some clever rap patter and even 
leans a bit into full-on "Cabinet Battle" 
mode.

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SPONGEBOB: Hold on, Plankton! I am simply 
shocked!

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Bikini Bottom is our home. I can't believe 
you'd talk about just walking out.

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Let's figure out a way to stay, today, tomorrow 
...

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DIVA: On the other hand, I could definitely 
do without the Act II opener,

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involving a pirate character who the applause 
tells me is beloved by SpongeBob fans,

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but in practical terms doesn't really add 
anything to the show.

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PATCHY [singing]: Me laundry stays damp and 
me boots start to stink and me fingernails 
filthy and dirty.

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DIVA: So, is the SpongeBob musical worth 
it for non-SpongeBob devotees?

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I'd say yes.

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It didn't chart on my best shows ever list, 
but it was a bit of cute fun

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with some clever staging and a surprisingly 
moving climax.

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With a lot of colorful principal characters 
and pop culture relevance,

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it's very likely to show up in future school 
productions.

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So it's a good thing the out-of-touch old 
folks in the audience should find plenty 
to enjoy.

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I'm Diva, I know the score, and now so do 
you.

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["O Fortuna" performed by Cast in Bronze]