The Academy of the Holy Cross is putting together a Holy Cross production of “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical.” It is about a little sponge who wants to save his town from a volcano.

Dr. Dale Placek is the director and said it was chosen for many reasons.  For one, everyone knows SpongeBob. Another reason is because the school wanted to do a play that is fun with fun music from artists such as Sara Bareillies, John Legend, They Might Be Giants, Panic at the Disco, T.I.(Rapper), and Yolanda Adams who is a Gospel singer.  With the variety of music, a plot that is nice and sweet, it will be a fun but meaningful musical.  

“It involves a lot of different people who have a lot of different skills and talents,” Placek said.

To put on a play you need several groups of people.  One group is the actors.  The actors are having play practice every day.  Katie Sheetz is playing Patrick.

“I get ready for the play by drinking lots of water and going over my lines,” Sheetz said. “I also say hello to my friends and try to do some vocal warm-ups.”

Dance teacher Donna Reese and the dance captains are teaching the dances to the actors. 

“I dance in most of the numbers in the show,” Sheetz explained. “My favorite dance is “Hero Is My Middle Name.” It was choreographed by my friend Taz and it is a really fun number.”

Music teacher Laura Van Duzer is teaching them songs.

“I am a Bikini Bottom citizen, a sardine, a pirate, a teen fan, a jellyfish, a sponge, kelp, and Cowboy 4,” cast member Lilly Sherman said. “We practice after school. We are learning about our music. It’s a lot of songs!” 

There are 20 songs in the play. Sherman’s favorite two songs are “Daddy Knows Best” and “Chop to the Top.”

The actors are also working on their lines with the stage managers because the lines are the most important part

If an actor forgets a line “the audience might be taken out of the story or forget that person is playing a character,” Placek explained.

Another group is tech crew, a group of students, who work on things needed for plays. Technical director Kevin deSouza is in charge of tech crew and puts them in groups. There is a Build and Paint group, a Costumes group, and a Sound group. All the groups are working hard.

Build and paint team is using tools to put together the scenery.  Then they will paint it. Costumes are working on the costume for Patrick and SpongeBob. Then they will make costumes for other characters. The Sound group is working on the microphones that are going to be on the characters faces so that they can talk to the audience. The Stage Managers are helping Placek solve problems like how to put glow sticks in flowers.