Freshmen sought for SpongeBob musical production

Auditions for the Little Theatre of Tuscarawas County’s summer production, “The SpongeBob Musical,” will be held Sunday, April 30 and Monday, May 1 at 6:30 p.m. in the Dover High School auditorium at 520 N. Walnut St.

Those auditioning should enter door G on Tornado Alley and park directly across from the side entrance. If necessary, callbacks will be held Wednesday, May 3. Registration will begin at 6 p.m.

Director Joe Compton plans to cast 35 actors. Some parts require physical agility and/or ability to move or lift heavy objects.

Auditionees should prepare a one-minute cutting of a contemporary pop or musical theater song with no backing vocals that best shows their vocal range. A piano accompanist will be available and a Bluetooth speaker with access to Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube Music. There also will be a dance/movement portion and reading from the script. Any questions can be answered by emailing Joe Compton at 15comptonj@gmail.com.

Auditions are open only to individuals who will enter ninth grade at the beginning of the 2023-24 school year. Individuals who do not meet this criteria will not be considered and are encouraged to participate in the Little Theatre’s 2023 summer theater workshops. Rehearsals will be held Sundays through Thursdays from 6-9:40 p.m. and will begin the week of May 7. A read-through is planned for Sunday, May 8.

When the citizens of Bikini Bottom discover a volcano will soon erupt and destroy their humble home, SpongeBob and his friends must come together to save the fate of their undersea world. With lives hanging in the balance and all hope lost, a most unexpected hero rises up. The power of optimism really can save the world.

“The SpongeBob Musical” will open Friday, June 30 at the Little Theatre and run for three weekends through July 16.

Assisting Compton will be Mary Maxwell, assistant director; Micah Carrick, music director; and Jennica Cochran, choreographer. Matt Spies is the producer. The show is based on the series by Stephen Hillenburg, book by Kyle Jarrow and musical production by Tina Landau and presented by special arrangement with Concord Theatricals.

Sponsors are Wayne Garage Door and Krugliak, Wilkins, Griffiths & Dougherty Co. L.P.A.

The Little Theatre of Tuscarawas County is located at 466 Carrie Ave. NW in New Philadelphia.