SpongeBob, played by Hayes junior Aito Tatman, pops and locks in front of Patrick Star, played by senior Ethan Terry, Tuesday during a rehearsal for the upcoming musical.
Glenn Battishill | The Gazette
Stella Marx, playing Sandy Cheeks, exclaims in front of Aito Tatman, playing SpongeBob Squarepants, Tuesday during a rehearsal for Hayes High School’s upcoming production of “The SpongeBob Musical,” which opens next month.
Glenn Battishill | The Gazette
Tickets are now on sale for the Delaware Hayes Thespians’ production of “The SpongeBob Musical,” which opens next month.
Rehearsals are underway for the show, which is based on the long-running cartoon and features many of Bikini Bottom’s iconic characters. The show will open on March 16 at 7:30 p.m. The cast will perform the show again on March 17 at 7:30 p.m. and on March 18 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at our.show/7j2evhil.
Hayes junior Aito Tatman, who plays the show’s title character, SpongeBob Squarepants, said Tuesday that he’s excited for the show.
“I’m really enjoying bringing to life this cartoon that just meant to much to us as kids,” Tatman said.
Senior Ethan Terry, who plays Patrick Star, SpongeBob’s best friend, said he’s enjoyed preparing for the show.
“I love going to rehearsals every day,” Terry said. “I’ve wanted to do this show since like seventh grade, and it being my last show, I’m super ecstatic. I’m so excited for everyone to see it. It’s going to be really, really great. I’m looking forward to the audience’s reactions and laughs.”
Riley Christopher, a senior playing Squidward, said he’s enjoying the role and getting to react to the sillier characters.
“It’s interesting being surrounded by so many crazy people and having to be pretty monotone,” Christopher said. “It comes pretty naturally to me.”
Christopher added he’s excited to put on the show for nostalgic reasons.
“I just love being able to put on a show that I’ve loved since my childhood with all the people I love being around,” he said.
Junior Stella Marx, who plays Sandy Cheeks in the show, said she has worked hard to deliver lines in Sandy’s Texas accent.
“To get it, I watched Sandy episodes (of the show) over and over so I could nail it for my audition,” Marx said. “I’ve been noticing that when I talk sometimes, something I say will sound Texan.”
Marx said she has a background in dance and has done competitive dancing for 11 years, but this is her first musical at Hayes.
“I’m really excited to be a part of everything and even though it’s something new for me, it’s so welcoming and so much fun,” she said. “Everyone is working so hard, and we are putting a lot of effort into this show. I’ve danced for 11 years. I love performing and never saw dance as a career path, and now I want to do this as a career.”
