‘SpongeBob the Musical’ sets sail in Canton July 21

“SpongeBob, the Musical” is a production of the New Direction Performing Arts Academy, the same theater group that sold out six shows of “Annie” last fall at the Canton Cultural Center. It features a cast of 35 students and recent graduates age 8-18 who attended the school’s summer camp.

Ten cast members are from Tusky Valley schools; others represent schools in the Canton area including GlenOak, Perry and Jackson; and others are homeschool students.

“It’s a funny show with a lot of heart,” said Carrie Spina, director of the show, executive director of NDPAA, and the speech and drama coach at Tusky Valley. “It’s not at all silly like the cartoon. It has a much deeper message.”

The basic plot goes something like this: SpongeBob and his friend Sandy Cheeks believe the volcano in their undersea city of Bikini Bottom is about to blow and end their watery world tomorrow.

This prompts them to consider how to best spend their last day together as friends, as family and as a village. But SpongeBob and Sandy decide to team up with Patrick Star and save Bikini Bottom by stopping the volcanic eruption.

“This show is so much fun, and everyone comes together for a happy ending,” Spina said. “In listening to the Broadway recording, it really reminded me of what we went through with COVID. The whole town is going through this journey. And they don’t know if they have tomorrow or not. Even my stage manager Olivia Burgess said it reminded her of what we went through.”

Featured cast and crew

Some of the key cast members include Thomas Harenas as SpongeBob SquarePants, Collin Myers as Patrick Star, Dajeun Dickerson as Mr. Krabs and Connor Belden as Squidward Q. Tentacles.

Tusky Valley students in key roles include Danny Armstrong as Sheldon J. Plankton, Kaleah Dorsey as Sandy Cheeks, Izzy Drummer as the Mayor of Bikini Bottom and Zackary Leshon as Larry the Lobster.

Spina credited a trio of people for their help casting the show including her son Drake Spina and Tanya Hedrick, a speech and debate coach from Salt Lake City, Utah.

Choreographing the show is Katy Russell.

“Then our musical director is Emily Leishman Roh, also from Salt Lake City. She’s perfect for our students because she has worked with middle school students for so long,” Spina said.

Spina said the show feels like a rock concert at times.

“There are a lot of lights, activity and movement. We are also using full projection. There will be images on the back screen of the volcano, animated jellyfish and other sights, so it’s really pleasing to the eyes for the younger kids,” Spina said.

About the venue

The Cultural Center Theater stage is where it all began for Spina. “I worked at The Players Guild as the director of education and outreach for nine years,” she said. “This is my 18th year of teaching summer camps, which started there but moved to Umstattd Hall at McKinley High School after those first nine years. So now I’ve come full circle.”

Show dates are July 21 and 22 at 7 p.m. and July 23 at 2:30 p.m. The show has a run time of about 2 1/2 hours, which includes an intermission.

All performances are on the Cultural Center Theater main stage at 1001 Market Ave. N. in Canton. Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased by clicking the Buy Tickets link at www.newdirectionperformingartsacademy.com.