2 minute read // Published by Young Peoples Theatre, March 2022
Written by Chelsea Willis
Who Lives in a Pineapple under the sea? Bridget and Jade do!
Our next production for 2022 is The SpongeBob Musical, directed by Maddie Watts. Splashing onto the stage in the July School Holidays, this fun for all ages musical is sure to delight the Newcastle Community. After many rounds of auditions, YPT has cast two students in the title role of SpongeBob, Bridget Ponman and Jade Wainwright who will take the stage in alternating performances.
Jade is no stranger to the YPT stage having performed in many musical with us over the years and also attends weekly classes in Drama, Jazz, Tap, Singing and Musical Theatre and is in our Think Beyond Cohort this year. Jade recently appeared as the Scarecrow in our production of Wizard of Oz and was nominated for a CONDA for her performance in HSPA’s Dags last year.
Bridget is also a YPT student who does weekly classes in Drama, Musical Theatre, Tap and Jazz and most recently appeared in our production of The Addams Family as Lucas. Bridget is a CONDA Youth Ambassador this year and won the CONDA Award for Excellence by a Youth Performer for her role in our 2020 production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang JR.
YPT is also thrilled to welcome Asha Olsen to the role of our SpongeBob Understudy. Asha will be playing the role of an Electic Skate and Krillette in the production and has taken on the challenge of understudying the title role in addition to her own work. Asha has appeared on our stage many times, most recently in BUNYIPS, a big beautiful mess of a play and also does weekly Drama, Musical Theatre, Tap and Jazz classes with YPT.
When asked how it feels to play the title role of SpongeBob, Bridget said: “I just love SpongeBob’s energy… now that I am SpongeBob its probably one of the best experiences of my life”.
Playing SpongeBob really is the ‘Best Day Ever’ for these young performers and we can’t wait for audiences to see this production come to life.
Tickets for The SpongeBob Musical go on sale on Monday 28 March at 9am via ypt.org.au/bookings
