The SpongeBob Musical as presented by Mitchelstown Musical Society

Public Adjudication 

Mitchelstown Musical Society 

The SpongeBob Musical 

Saturday 22nd March 2025 

Mitchelstown Musical Society's production of ‘The SpongeBob Musical’ was their third show to be produced in Mitchelstown Leisure Centre, and what a fantastic venue it was too. Front of house was an experience in itself as we entered the leisure centre, passing a fishing boat which set the nautical tone for the evening. Continuing with the theme, the entrance was 

bedecked with maritime delights and ushers and usherettes were dressed in oilskins and wellingtons; a wonderful effort made by all. What really stood out though was the sincerity of welcome for every single audience member, underlining what a wonderfully warm community effort this was for the Mitchelstown area. 

For the uninitiated, Bikini Bottom faces an apocalyptic fate as Mount Humongous threatens to erupt and destroy everything in its wake. Of course, SpongeBob and his friends are tasked with saving the day and that pretty much sums up the plot. ‘SpongeBob’ is not your usual musical theatre fare. It takes a little bit of a leap of imagination from an audience to really appreciate what it’s all about. But for those who embrace and believe, it is a riotous romp of colour, comedy, and heart. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea but, in true seafaring style, I was ‘hooked.’ 

Direction was in the very capable hands of Michael-Anthony Greene. Detail, detail, and even more detail, was evident in Mr. Greene's work. He captured the whimsy of the cartoon version whilst bringing Bikini Bottom to life on stage with a vibrant energy, relentless humour, and a wonderful visual spectacle. There were many pertinent themes throughout. Friendship, belonging, community and courage permeated the narrative and Mr. Greene explored all of these whilst never losing sight of the comedy and heart at the centre of the show. There was incredible sharpness of movement amongst the ensemble, beautifully coordinated with sound effects. A superb job from Mr. Greene. 

Michael Young was musical director, and he presided over a magnificent orchestra located on the top level of the set, high above the stage. They mastered an eclectic mix of musical genres from pop to rock to hip hop to gospel. With songs written by, amongst others, David 

Bowie (!), Cyndi Lauper and John Legend, this was always going to be an interesting ride musically. Principal singing was excellent throughout. There was a superb choral sound from the ensemble and the gospel number ‘Super Sea Star Saviour’ was particularly impressive. 

Aileen Coffey gave us some very strong choreography, which was brilliantly quirky and totally in keeping with the madness of the show. Choreography was well rehearsed and, for the most part, executed with great precision. From the brilliant opening number ‘Bikini Bottom Day’ right through to the wonderfully uplifting ‘Best Day Ever,’ we were treated to some wonderfully dynamic routines throughout. ‘Just a Simple Sponge,’ performed in 

darkness with ensemble dressed in black, utilising glowing sponges was a very clever routine. I loved the fabulous tap number and kickline in ‘I'm Not a Loser.’ A really good job by Miss Coffey. 

Far from being far from being just a simple sponge, Paul Morey Stout turned in an exceptional performance as the titular character SpongeBob SquarePants himself. This was a portrayal full of boundless optimism, childlike glee, and unwavering positivity. The audience simply loved him. Mr. Morey Stout's comic timing was impeccable, his facial expressions hilarious, and his gangling physicality was remarkable. Heck, this guy could even do a perfect backflip! Not only that, but his incredibly impressive tenor voice left us with our jaws on the floor. ‘Just a Simple Sponge’ was my own personal favourite but there were so many other musical highlights to choose from. 

Fionn Mehigan gave a very funny performance as SpongeBob's endearing best friend Patrick. Mr. Mehigan had superb stage presence, excellent comic timing, and wonderful diction. His ‘BFF’ song with SpongeBob was one of the highlights of the night and he demonstrated a superb vocal in ‘Super Sea Star Saviour,’ which had a glorious gospel feel to it. 

Eve Fitzsimons was a wonderful Sandy Cheeks. This was a superbly dynamic performance. Her Sandy was clever, resourceful, and strongly independent. She was a very intelligent actress with wonderful stage presence and a very strong singer to boot. ‘Hero is My Middle Name’, where she outlined how to save the day from the impending volcanic eruption, was excellently performed and she was absolutely brilliant in ‘Chop to the Top’. A wonderful all-round performance. 

Brian O'Riordan gave a brilliant portrayal of Squidward, getting a perfect balance between the character’s cutting sarcasm and underlying vulnerability. His comic timing was also excellent, and he showcased a wonderful vocal in ‘I'm Not a Loser,’ in which he gave a fabulous performance. One minor thing was that he needed to be more aware of centre for lighting purposes during this number. 

Rory Ward was a delightfully devious Sheldon J. Plankton, complete with eye patch. This was a brilliantly villainous performance with just the right amount of camp malevolence. He was excellent in ‘When the Going Gets Tough,’ a hip hop, rap battle in which his excellent diction really impressed. His elation at being called Big Guy was very funny, and he played wonderfully off Karen the Computer. 

Karen the Computer was played with a great comic touch by Michelle Vaughan. She was very funny with sassy attitude and comedic timing. A baddie she may have been, but she was a most likable one, getting the balance just right and endearing herself to the audience in spite of her villainous tendencies. Vocally, she shone in ‘When the Going Gets Tough.’ A very strong all-round performance from Ms. Vaughan. 

Diarmuid Vaughan was a bombastic Mr. Krabs. This was a wonderfully energetic performance full of character, eccentric personality and just the right amount of crabbiness. Mr. Vaughan got the very best out of his larger-than-life characterisation and his vocal performance in ‘Daddy Knows Best’ was superb. 

Ali Fleming played Pearl Krabs, Mr. Krabs' daughter. This was an excellent performance which showcased her simply amazing vocal in ‘Daddy Knows Best.’ Miss Fleming's 

incredible power and range in this powerhouse vocal performance was quite astounding, making a huge impact in a relatively smaller role. 

Mary O'Callaghan was a wonderful character as the mayor of Bikini Bottom. She was a very strong performer with excellent diction and wonderful presence, playing the role with grace and authority. 

Kenneth Speight was a brilliantly cheesy news reporter, Perch Perkins, and his delivery was quite hilarious. 

Diarmuid Hanley played Patchy the Pirate, a character who gets to interact with the audience at the top of Act One and Act Two. His accent may not have been the most secure but he more than made up for it with energetic exuberance. There was great banter with Mr. Young before treating us to ‘Poor Pirates,’ which was delivered with gusto to the delight of the audience who, by this time, were firmly on Team Patchy. 

Girl group, Electric Skates, had three wonderful performers, Niamh Stone, Chloe O'Leary, and Susan Rea. These three girls looked fabulous in their silver and all were wonderful movers. Their strong vocals blended very well together, giving us one of many musical highlights of the show with the superbly performed ‘Bikini Bottom Day’ reprise. 

A brilliantly directed ensemble was most impressive throughout. They were exceptionally sharp and wonderfully disciplined. Of course, this doesn't happen by accident. Timing of movement was exceptional, and it was clear that a lot of rehearsal had gone into all of their scenes. It was refreshing to see how much attention had been given to the ensemble in this show. Their opening number ‘Bikini Bottom Day’ was outstanding on all fronts, really setting the tone for the for what was to come. 

Hannah Myers was stage manager and she ensured that the show flowed very well. Whilst there wasn't a huge amount of set changing for crew to do, they really came into their own when splitting and moving the trucks which made up Mount Humongous. All of this movement was brilliantly timed and I can only imagine that tech rehearsal was very busy indeed trying to coordinate everything. 

The set was a visual feast, transforming the stage into an underwater wonderland. The very imposing Mount Humongous with smoke coming out of the volcano's top was most impressive, as was the very simple, green sparkling seaweed all around the stage. There was wonderful use too of the upper level, which allowed for some very interesting staging opportunities. An excellent design which worked perfectly in the space. 

There was top notch lighting right throughout the show, with colour choices enhancing the mood and highlighting key moments throughout. There were vibrant, colourful washes suggesting the underwater location with lots of blues and greens. This wonderful design always complemented the on-stage action. The operation was generally very good and well timed. 

When sound was good, it was very good. However, on the night that I attended, (the society’s final performance), there were significant issues. I have to be honest and say that I felt that this should not be the case on the last night. There were mics left on backstage occasionally and multiple cues were missed throughout. Feedback was a considerable issue. 

One of the key features of ‘The SpongeBob Musical’ is that the percussionist performs all of 

the sound effects. Indeed, sound effects are a hugely integral part of the production. As Squidward walked, there were perfectly timed ‘squelches’ for every step. There was exceptional cueing by the percussionist of all sound effects with the on-stage movement and the lighting cues and incredible attention to detail and meticulous timing throughout the show. I would have loved if the percussionist was featured more from a lighting point of view to really give him his moment. An exceptional job by this very talented musician who was so in tune with the show from start to finish. 

There was excellent projection of graphics and integration of both animation and still images which added so much to the overall visual and blended perfectly with the set. 

By its very nature, props for the SpongeBob musical are quirky in the extreme. The props team were wonderfully creative and provided some exceptionally good props which added to the visual feast. Bubble guns, Patrick's belly button scratcher, star tambourines were only a few of the wonderful array of props used in this production. Great attention to detail all round. 

Hair and makeup are an essential part of the SpongeBob musical's appeal. Designs were bold, colourful, and imaginative, cleverly reflecting characteristics of the much-loved cartoon characters. There was a wonderful selection of wigs and makeup was exceptionally good, adding to the rich visual tapestry of the show. 

Costumes too were exceptionally good, a vibrant celebration of the cartoon series. There was a crazy mix of colourful costumes bringing the animated undersea world to life. Crab's boxing gloves and the BFF costumes were hilariously in keeping with the craziness. I loved Perch Perkins' test card suit, a comic highlight in itself, and the burger costume was most unexpected. The fabulous jellyfish looked amazing. I loved the detail of Patrick's pink runners and the sardines' amazing costumes were a delight, as were the sea anemone's pink tails and wonderful headpieces. Of course, the real highlight was Squidward's two extra legs, which were quite the creation. 

This was an uplifting, joyous feast of fun from Mitchelstown Musical Society, with standout energetic performances and wonderfully creative visual elements. ‘The SpongeBob Musical’ is not just aimed at children. There are plenty of subtle layers for adults in its social commentary on community and inclusion. I really hope that it becomes a more popular show on the circuit as it has something for everybody. Congratulations to Mitchelstown Musical Society for such a brave show choice and a top-notch production. It caused quite the splash. Yes indeed, there's definitely something in the water in Mitchelstown… 

Pat McElwain 

Gilbert Adjudicator 2024/2025