POINT PLEASANT BEACH — Audiences were transported to the little undersea town of Bikini Bottom when the community was treated to G. Harold Antrim Elementary’s production of “The SpongeBob Musical.”
Performances of the maritime musical took place on April 10 through 12 at the F. Thomas Crawley Auditorium. The six performances were split up into two separate casts with different roles for many actors — the Krabby Cast and the Patty Cast — with each cast featuring in three different shows.
“Teaching K-8 general music, to see the transition from the kids who come in with a variety of talents at a young age and to see them blossom…is a huge thing,” said Eric McLaughlin, music teacher and co-director of the musical alongside Terri DiGennaro and Nancy Wagner. “This was the perfect year for this cast to fit with SpongeBob (the musical).”
“The kids work the hardest,” said Ms. DiGennaro, co-director and third-grade teacher. “This is the hardest thing; in September, October we really start kicking it off, and the kids get everything in, they do it all.”
“We’ve had this show in our back pocket for a couple of years, and we just had the right kind of kids to do SpongeBob this year,” Mr. McLaughlin said.
Kai Conde and Claire Ruddy, both eighth-graders, played best friends SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Star, mimicking their own real-life friendship. They spoke to The Ocean Star following the final performance on Saturday.
“It’s really emotional to be here, because we’ve been doing it so long; you get so connected to everybody backstage. I’m literally crying so hard,” said Kai.
Claire agreed, adding, “I’m just really sad right now — I’m going to a different high school, so I won’t be acting with any of these guys ever again…You make really good friends here.”
Seventh-grader Jacqueline Scannell played the Texan squirrel Sandy Cheeks, and echoed the sentiment that Friday night’s show was bittersweet because she had to say goodbye to her co-stars.
“I’m new to this school, so this is my first year in drama,” she said. “I’m really sad that the eighth-graders are leaving — Kai, Braden, Claire — but I think this show went really well, and I’m so excited for next year…It’s like a second family.”
Several of the oldest student actors said that they are looking forward to what the high school cast has in store for them.
“I’m going to miss everyone here…I’m so excited to join the high school cast,” said Braden Miles, eighth grade, who played Squidward in all six shows. He explained his love for drama to The Ocean Star. “It’s a great way of expressing yourself. You’re a whole separate person on that stage; any problems, all your stresses are gone.”
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