PVIS to stage "The SpongeBob Musical: Youth Edition"

Having recently staged "Legally Blonde" and, just prior to that, "Freaky Friday," Alicia Trescavage, director of the Pequea Valley Intermediate School (PVIS) spring musical, was looking for something completely different. "I wanted to do something fantasy and a little off the beaten path," commented Trescavage. " 'SpongeBob' checked all the boxes."

"The SpongeBob Musical: Youth Edition" will be presented in the Pequea Valley High School (PVHS) auditorium, 4033 E. Newport Road, Kinzers, on Thursday, March 27, at 7 p.m.; Friday, March 28, at 7 p.m.; and Saturday, March 29, at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at http://www.pequeavalley.org or at the door prior to performances.

Adapted from the animated Nickelodeon series, the show offers a plot dripping with excitement when the underwater town of Bikini Bottom, which is inhabited by a variety of sea creatures, is threatened with destruction. The chronically positive SpongeBob, played by Ezra Byler, and his good friends, Patrick Star, played by Finn Martin, and Sandy Cheeks, played by Sarah Welch, are called upon to save the town from the eruption of a nearby volcano, called Mount Humongous. SpongeBob and his friends encounter villains in the shape of Plankton, played by Weston Lapp, and hysteria, among other roadblocks as they work to rescue their underwater community. "Plankton wants to hypnotize everybody and take them to his town of Chumville," explained Trescavage. "He's trying to relocate everybody." Additional characters include Austin Hofmann as the narrator, Daniel Della Rova as Gary, Logan King as Squidward, Kamryn Scarborough as Eugene Krabs, Aria Byler as Karen Plankton, and Brynn Smith as Pearl Krabs.

One of the director's goals was to give the cast of 23 students chances to play a variety of parts. "It has a lot of different kinds of characters and opportunities," she said, noting the students can each embody the main characters from the well-known "SpongeBob SquarePants" cartoon in their own individual ways.

"The music (for the show) is written by a number of artists, so there is a different feel (to each song)," explained Trescavage. Original tunes include songs by Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Alex Ebert, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, and David Bowie. "Plankton does a rap," shared Trescavage, who added that SpongeBob will sing an emotional and introspective song. " 'Super Sea Star Savior' is one of the biggest (numbers)," Trescavage stated, noting that at one point during the show, the sardines become enamored with Patrick. To show their adoration, the fish dress in robes and sing a gospel-style tune in homage to the starfish.

Trescavage noted that the show embodies lessons about individuality and original thinking. "One of the things I find interesting is how the fish blindly follow when the media tries to scare them," pointed out Trescavage. "It shows how people follow anything sometimes and don't think for themselves." Trescavage said that the show pivots on SpongeBob helping Sandy move beyond the mob mentality they are seeing to help save the town. "The lesson is you don't have to follow the crowd," pointed out Trescavage. "Trust that you are smart enough and strong enough to help, but (remember that) you don't have to do it alone."

Although the show will be staged at PVHS, rehearsals take place at PVIS, so Trescavage said there is a challenge to building and working with a multi-level stage that will not be available until the PVHS spring show has completed its run.

"SpongeBob" is Trescavage's 17th production with PVIS, and she noted that the work ethic the students bring to their parts continues to amaze her. "They really step up to the challenges," she stated, noting that for a number of the students, this is their inaugural show. She looks forward to working with that core group again next year. To hone future talent, Trescavage now runs theater clubs at both Salisbury and Paradise elementary schools. "We do improv games, skits, and monologues," she said, noting that club members will help backstage with the "SpongeBob" production as well as run the concessions stand.