NEWS-PRESS.COM | FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2022 | 5
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“He had the spirit of SpongeBob,” she says. “It just came to life. The joy kind of came right out of him.” Continued from Page 4W The geeky, high-pitched SpongeBob voice took longer to get right, though, “And then we really see how a com- Maas admits. Especially since his natumunity handles crisis. And we really see ral speaking voice is lower. how quick a community is to turn on Slowly, though, he managed to fi nd each other in crisis.” that voice and make it his own — without Of course, there’s more to “The Spon- outright copying the voice from the TV geBob Musical” — getting its Southwest show, movies and original Broadway Florida premiere May 19-28 at Florida musical. Repertory Theatre — than its story of im“It’s kind of like drawing out certain pending doom under the sea. vowels and emphasizing certain words There’s also colorful set, whimsical and a higher pitch,” he says. “It’s such a costumes and a cast of wacky funny voice to do.” characters from the beJust don’t expect loved Nickelodeon TV SpongeBob to be show and its movies, wearing a giant including the sea sponge costume sponge Spongeonstage. All of Bob, his squid the TV show’s “No matter what the neighbor characters Squidward and have been line, I try to always his buddies turned into Patrick (a starhumanoid keep a smile fi sh) and versions of on my face and Sandy Cheeks the originals. (a squirrel in an So instead keep it positive.” astronaut’s of a big square Landon Maas space suit). sea sponge, portraying Sponge Bob And they’re all Maas’ Spongesinging and dancing Bob wears a bright to original pop-rock yellow dress shirt tunes written by a team along with a red tie, susof famous songwriters and penders and plaid shorts. musical artists, including Sara BaThat makes it a lot easier to reilles, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of march and dance around onstage, Maas Aerosmith, Alexander Ebert of Edward admits. “It’s nice. It’s comfortable, too. Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Flam- It’s nice to not be in a big square ing Lips, Lady A, Cyndi Lauper, John (laughs).” Legend, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White DeCarlo hopes audiences leave “The T’s, They Might Be Giants and T.I. SpongeBob Musical” feeling inspired by Each song is written in a diff erent SpongeBob and his undying optimism. style by a diff erent songwriter. And that And maybe having some hope about our variety of genres and dancing styles own, real-life crisis. makes the show really fun to perform “Everyone has been on such a journey and watch, Maas says. these past 21⁄ 2 years,” she says. “And ev“It’s so energetic,” he says. eryone has been on this uphill battle and Speaking of fun, Maas says he’s hav- fi ght to get back to quote-unquote noring a blast playing SpongeBob, too. He mal. considers himself an optimistic person, “I think it’s kind of a universal agreeand he happily lets that spirit shine ment: We will never get back to our old through onstage. normal, but it’s now our job as a commu“No matter what the line, I try to al- nity to come together and create a new ways keep a smile on my face and keep it normal and kind of keep going forward.” positive,” he says. “And the only moConnect with this reporter: Charles ments where I’m not, the audience can Runnells is an arts and entertainment tell it’s a really serious moment. … You reporter for The News-Press and the Nareally don’t see him down or sad.” ples Daily News. Email him at crunIt’s Maas’s own joyful spirit that sold nells@gannett.com or connect on Facedirector DeCarlo on casting him as the ti- book (facebook.com/charles.runnells.7), tle character. That happiness and opti- Twitter (@charlesrunnells) and Instamism were there from his fi rst audition. gram (@crunnells1).
