SpongeBob SquarePants to open at the Palace Theatre

SpongeBob SquarePants is officially coming to Broadway. Previews begin at the Palace Theatre on November 6, 2017, ahead of an official opening on December 4.

The musical, conceived and directed by Tina Landau, staged its world premiere production at Chicago's Oriental Theatre in the summer of 2016.

SpongeBob SquarePants features a book by Kyle Jarrow and original songs provided by a host of popular artists including Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of AEROSMITH, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Alexander Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Flaming Lips, John Legend, Lady Antebellum, Cyndi Lauper, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T's, They Might Be Giants and T.I., with an additional song by David Bowie. Additional lyrics are by Jonathan Coulton.

Synopsis: "Stakes are higher than ever before as SpongeBob and all of Bikini Bottom face the total annihilation of their undersea world. Chaos erupts. Lives hang in the balance. And just when all hope seems lost, a most unexpected hero rises up and takes center stage. Get ready to dive to all-new depths of theatrical innovation at SpongeBob SquarePants, where the power of optimism really can save the world!"

Cyma Zarghami, President of the Nickelodeon Group, released the following statement:

"We could not be more thrilled to bring Nickelodeon's iconic SpongeBob SquarePants to the theater in an original musical conceived specifically for Broadway. We are also incredibly honored to be in such a gorgeous house as The Palace, where audiences will be immersed in the fun and surprising world of Bikini Bottom."

The cast of SpongeBob SquarePants includes Ethan Slater (as SpongeBob SquarePants), Lilli Cooper (as Sandy Cheeks), Danny Skinner (as Patrick) and Gavin Lee (as Squidward), with additional casting to be announced at a later date.

The creative team behind SpongeBob SquarePants features orchestrations, arrangements & music supervision by Tom Kitt, choreography by Christopher Gattelli, scenic & costume design by David Zinn, lighting design by Kevin Adams, projection design by Peter Nigrini, sound design by Walter Trarbach, and hair & wig design by Charles G. LaPointe.

SpongeBob SquarePants is produced on Broadway by Nickelodeon with The Araca Group, Sony Music Masterworks and Kelp on the Road.

"SpongeBob SquarePants," which debuted in 1999, is an American animated television series created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Set in the fictional underwater city of Bikini Bottom, the series follows the adventures of the title character and his friends. A film adaptation was released in 2004, with a sequel released in America on February 6, 2015.