March 12, 2025 • 20 mins
Sandy the squirrel is truly a fish out of water in the world of Spongebob and the rest of his aquatic friends. A mammal from the warm land of Texas, Sandy ends up in Bikini Bottom, living in a space suit to protect her from drowning as well as the crushing pressure of the water. In the cartoon, she's built herself a beautiful life and seems relatively accepted by those around her. However, as we've learned from talking with Danielle Cover, who plays Sandy in the Bloomfield Players' production of The Spongebob Musical, that isn't the case in the stage show.
In this exclusive Box Seat Babes interview, Danielle Cover discusses some of the deeper messages and commentary in The Spongebob Musical, such as discrimination and hatred toward those who are viewed as different. As a squirrel living under the sea, Sandy finds herself blamed for some of the impending doom that is threatening to destroy Bikini Bottom! Cover also talks about what drew her to this role, how her son has helped her to develop her character, and the joy it is working with her daughter on this production. What's her favorite moment from The Spongebob Musical? Listen to this exciting interview to find out!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Thank you so much for joining us today, Danielle.
How are you doing?
I'm doing well, thank you, how are you?
doing all right.
Glad to be here.
So I'm excited.
I'm not going to see it this week if I'm seeing SpongeBob the Musical next weekend.
How has your rehearsal process for SpongeBob the Musical been so far?
Well, we've been rehearsing since early December with a break from over the holidaysbecause we are a community-based organization that does a lot of our rehearsals out of the
(00:30):
schools.
So it's been a long go of it.
We also had some fun snow days in there, which was very entertaining, but we made them upon the back end.
And so tonight we are having our final dress rehearsal.
So it has been a very long process, everything seems to be coming together pretty well forour dress rehearsals this week.
(00:52):
Little tweaks here and there, but we have arrived, I guess.
Whether come good or come bad, we are here.
yep, we made it.
So excited for our final dress rehearsal tonight.
So how familiar with you, whoa, sorry.
How familiar were you with SpongeBob before being cast in the show?
Not at all.
(01:14):
I actually, my only exposure to SpongeBob without dating myself was that I did not watchit as a child because it was not in my age range, but my son has started watching it, who
is 11, so I had some vague inklings of how it worked, but I watched the musical onlinewhen the show was posted.
(01:38):
and I thought this is the weirdest, strangest thing I have ever seen.
I sit on the board for Bloomfield Players, so I was going to just be a board member.
And after assisting with a day of auditions, I was like, you know, maybe.
And so I did end up auditioning and being cast as Sandy, which was a huge surprise.
(02:03):
But it did give me a little more insight into the different characters in SpongeBob andgot to rely on my son as a source for character development, which is very entertaining,
asking your 11-year-old the motivations of a squirrel.
But,
I'm sure I like that's not the usual conversation you have with them
(02:23):
Right, no, it's usually, this is a joke you probably shouldn't be watching because it's alittle over your head, but I think it's hilarious.
Which is one of the things I have kind of liked a lot about SpongeBob, both the musicaland the TV show, is that there's that hidden humor, the innuendo in there that I find
funny still as an adult.
And there's plenty of stuff in there for kids to understand and learn about and know andget the story concept from.
(02:49):
So it has been an experience getting to dive deeper
Pun, not intended, but sorry about that.
Into the world of SpongeBob and Bikini Bottom.
You know, that's one of the things that I love the most about animated shows and movies isthat there's such a level, there's like a humor level for adults and then there's a humor
(03:09):
level for kids and both can enjoy it.
I mean, and I think that's true of both the cartoon and the show.
There are still things that in the wings where they are happening that I am not a part ofthat as an adult I hear them and I have to stifle a giggle and hope my mic is not on
because they're still funny to me as an adult and the kids kind of look at me sideways andI'm like, it's not that deep, but it's still enough to make me crack a smile, crack a
(03:37):
laugh there.
yeah, it still rings true in the musical.
So what is the story of SpongeBob the musical and how does Sandy the squirrel yourcharacter how does she kind of factor into that overall story?
So let me see if I can give a relatively quick plot synopsis.
Bikini Bottom, place where SpongeBob and Patrick and Sandy and all the sea creatures live,is in danger.
(04:03):
of total chaotic destruction from a volcano.
And so the job of Sandy and SpongeBob and Patrick is to help stop the volcano.
Sandy the squirrel is both science and STEM inclined as well as inclined to martial arts.
That would be where we differ.
And they are...
(04:23):
tasked with preventing this from happening and making a team that has brains, brawn, andSpongeBob spends a lot of the time in the show trying to figure out what his talent is
that he brings to the team.
And part of the subplot that goes along with it is that the sea creatures that live underthe sea, Sandy is a mammal that comes from the surface.
(04:48):
And so because
Sometimes in times of chaos, we question and distrust things we don't understand or know.
The town of Bikini Bottom where she has lived turns against her and they, a lot of thechants throughout the show are blame the squirrel.
So they've decided that it is Sandy the squirrel's fault that the volcano is going toerupt.
(05:14):
And so throughout the course of their adventures, Sandy has to make sure she stays safeand decide whether or not she is going to help save Bikini Bottom.
She ultimately does happen to agree to help, but then there is a falling out betweenPatrick and SpongeBob, which makes things even more chaotic and problematic as they try
(05:35):
and stop this volcano from erupting.
So I'm not going to give away the ending because that would be just...
Spoiler alert, but that is where I will leave you as will they won't they will they savethe town who knows?
But if you'd like to come see it and find out be my guest
(05:55):
That's kind of like that there's a little bit of that darkness there though of like forSandy of having to like be persecuted for being a mammal that doesn't that doesn't come
from the sea, you know?
Actually, our music director, Nick, had pointed out at one point when we were discussing,he was just, toward the end of the show, when things are changing, and we were saying we
(06:22):
need to get back into rehearsal to go combat the racism.
And the kids looked at him, and they, many of them are older, eight and older is ourcutoff, looked at him and they were like, racism?
And...
So we had to have a quick little conversation about how these parallel one another in reallife, in age appropriate terms, because it was something that, good or bad, part of
(06:49):
SpongeBob went over their head.
having them make that connection and being able to sort of explain that to them was kindof awesome and amazing to sort of see the light bulbs start going off and figuring out,
yeah, like most of them had exposure to that topic at school and they knew racism bad,right?
(07:12):
But didn't see the parallel when we're talking about a musical full of jokes and puns andlaughter and songs.
so being able to bring that theme to their understanding was kind of awesome.
So how has this role challenged you as an actor?
(07:32):
my goodness.
Well, I am a solid background ensemble dancer.
That is generally where I have been with some minor parts here and there supporting roles,I guess if you will.
(07:54):
And so this has been...
quite a challenge in terms of just the volume of things I need to remember.
I know that as an ensemble member, you have to generally remember more songs and moredances, but you are with other people who are also remembering those things and you can
(08:15):
sort of rely on your ensemble counterparts to help you through that if you get lost.
And when someone casts you as a lead,
We'll find out whether or not that was a good choice very soon.
You have a bigger responsibility than I anticipated in carrying the show plot along.
(08:42):
Not that the leads carry the whole show, but you are responsible for making sure you saythe right lines at the right times and not leaving critical orchestra cues out, not
leaving critical plot points out, even things as...
seems as silly as props that are critical to continue the story.
And so the responsibility of it is something that was a little bit shocking to me and issomething that has been a challenge that I've enjoyed a little bit.
(09:14):
I do get a little anxious every time that I step on stage more so than when I supportingroles or ensemble roles.
Just because I want to make sure that this show does well and I don't want it to be myfault if it doesn't.
Because I forgot something or didn't do something.
(09:34):
So that has been incredibly challenging.
I've been spending a lot of time.
I recorded my lines and so I'm pressing them on my voice memos back and forth on my way toand from work to make sure that I get that time in to remember my lines and songs and
things.
It's really hard to play with a rehearsal track while you're in the car, so that was agood time recording those acapella.
(09:57):
But that, just the volume has been quite a challenge.
mean, character developing a squirrel has also been a little bit, but I do have a veryreliable 11-year-old source who has been a great support in that area.
Speaking of the music, what is the music like specifically for Sandy?
I know that there's all different kinds of artists that have gone into making this music,but what is that for Sandy?
(10:22):
So, yes, super eclectic, love, love that about the show, that it doesn't really fall intoany one genre.
That for Sandy's big number, which is in the second act called Chop to the Top, it waswritten by Lady A, and so it has a distinct country vibe.
Sandy is a squirrel originally from the great state of Texas.
(10:46):
And so she has some country down home roots and has a bit of an accent, which I casuallymaintain throughout the show.
And yeah, it's my cedar.
so yes, the song that is her prominent song does have a bit of a country vibe to it, whichI fully love and support.
(11:10):
Country is one of my favorite gems and my eclectic choices in music.
That is her vibe through songs for her specific songs.
And then, like the rest of them are written by so many different artists.
is, it's like pulling a song genre out of a bag every time that you are presenting a newsong in the musical, which does help keep it really interesting and doesn't really fall
(11:38):
into any one music genre.
so there's really something for everybody, which is kind of awesome.
We love that, because then it brings more people in.
There's something they can all approve, they can connect with.
So how do you get into the mindset of Sandy the Squirrel?
Well, I can honestly say I probably haven't thought as deeply about it as I should.
(12:07):
think more so the personification of Sandy than the actual squirrel mentality, I guess,both in the Broadway presentation and in our presentation.
The animals have been personified.
And so less so about the the mammal well, I guess the male part is important but less soabout becoming a squirrel and more so about her major Character points where she's from
(12:38):
What she enjoys what she's good at science and martial arts being at the top of that I Ama first grade teacher.
So being a person who tries to help support students in STEM, especially women in STEM I
love that part of this role and I think that connecting that piece, that scientific piece,that part that really sort of a little bit of a know-it-all at times and sometimes that
(13:10):
knowledge becomes very valuable.
So trying to find a balance between that as well as the shift in the
feelings of the townspeople and how that's kind of reflected.
So I think that holding onto those two core things as part of her personality, her love ofscience and martial arts, and now feeling like an outsider are what I've based most of
(13:34):
this character development on, as well as a questionable accent.
And the costume, Sandy has such an iconic costume.
She does.
Ours is slightly different.
I do get to wear a really cool space suit that is got patches and buttons on it.
My favorite one is the one that says I'm a figure, a level one figure skater, which I didnot notice.
(13:56):
One of the kids did.
But also I get to wear some amazing cowboy boots with my space suit, which I very muchlove.
And that really does complete the outfit.
surprisingly just a space suit and some cowboy boots and we have a character.
And our final dress rehearsal today, we actually are not doing costumes, but I probably amgoing to put on my cowboy boots because I do feel a little bit different when I'm wearing
(14:26):
them as a character.
So to help kind of keep in that vibe, I may or may not, but also walking in them andmaking sure I don't kick anyone or anything with the end of them is very helpful.
mean, when in doubt, always wear the cowboy boots.
What has been a highlight of your time on this production?
(14:48):
Well, I think being cast was a bit of a highlight and a bit of a surprise.
But I have returned to the stage with several friends that I have met through bothBloomfield Players and through other local community theater that I've been a part of.
And I've done work out of St.
Dunstan's and Stagecrafters as well.
(15:09):
So there's a lot of overlap as I've discovered in my time in returning to the stage.
I took quite a hiatus.
hiatus, goodness, I took quite a hiatus between high school and an adult in communitytheater.
so getting back into that groove has gotten me the opportunity to be a part of severaldifferent community theater groups.
(15:34):
One of the favorite highlights is that, always, is that I get to do some stage work withmy daughter.
She is not currently on stage.
We have done
three musicals together in the last two years, I believe.
And it has been quite my favorite part, but this year, because of a difficult travelsoftball schedule, she was not able to join the production, but is joining us backstage on
(16:03):
tech.
And so, still getting to share those moments, getting to be near her and learning somemore about theater, that's really both what...
I still continue to love about theater is making, she enjoys this, I promise.
Having her come and be a part of it with me, it's built some amazing traditions.
(16:24):
One of our favorite being Midnight Tacos and really has helped us kind of find a thingtogether, even if it's not the same as it was previously.
So that is always the highlight when I get to do shows with her and kind of build our ownfamily traditions.
Awesome.
Two more questions, promise, and then I'll let you go.
(16:45):
No, you're okay.
What themes of SpongeBob the Musical resonate the most with you?
Well, I think that the one we kind of already touched on was the kind of subterfuge ofdiscrimination, right?
Maybe less racism than just general discrimination against a particular character forbeing different than someone else.
(17:12):
And I think that is a theme that resonates across from adults to children.
And I do think it's one of the most important things that
comes out of the show, especially in our current climate and the way that people arereacting in our real world to people who appear to be different than one another.
(17:33):
And I think that this particular theme doesn't necessarily beat you over the head with it,but it does make you think as you start to look at things as simple as what are the lines
is that she has lungs and it's
It's so small, so simple, but so many of our hangups about other people or people when weare experiencing prejudice or discrimination, it can be about one thing.
(18:03):
One physical difference, one invisible difference, one disability, one anything.
And it could be something very simple.
And to be able to find a way to work through things that are
maybe not comfortable for us in ways that really do help bond together as a community.
(18:27):
And I think that that's kind of an important part of the show.
You know, I think that also probably answers the next question too of what do you hopeaudiences walk away from with this musical?
it's that this because it's really that sounds like that is the universal message thatSpongeBob the musicals kind of giving is let's not hate each other just because we can,
(18:49):
you know?
just, you know, be kind to people, not just because they're different.
I think the other theme that I really like that is more SpongeBob's part of the characterdevelopment is that when we can't find the thing that we are good at, or we don't always
know what we are good at, part of finding yourself and having friends that support you tohelp you find yourself.
(19:15):
And those people who are truly your friends,
are people that even after a rough patch, you can come back to and find a way through andthose people will help support you in your endeavors to find yourself.
And I think that that's another important theme because we don't always, I don't always,even as an adult know who I am or what I want to be and finding people you can rely on,
(19:40):
finding people that you can trust that help support the most authentic version ofyourself.
I think is another really important theme throughout the show and is something that I feellike speaks particularly to those littles that I love both at home and at school as is
(20:02):
finding a good friend and what does it mean to be a good friend because I will tell youmiddle school is fraught with
yeah.
about being a friend and what that means and who is your friend and who's not your friend.
And so that one I hope resonates a little bit more with my daughter.
(20:26):
Well, perfect.
Danielle, thank you so much for your time.
I appreciate it.
I'm so, so excited to get to do this.
I really, really appreciate it.
So SpongeBob the Musical runs from March 7th through the 16th at Bloomfield Players, soget your tickets now, we'll see you there!
Thank you so much.
Have a wonderful afternoon.
Thanks, you too.
Thank you so much for joining us today, Danielle.
How are you doing?
I'm doing well, thank you, how are you?
doing all right.
Glad to be here.
So I'm excited.
I'm not going to see it this week if I'm seeing SpongeBob the Musical next weekend.
How has your rehearsal process for SpongeBob the Musical been so far?
Well, we've been rehearsing since early December with a break from over the holidaysbecause we are a community-based organization that does a lot of our rehearsals out of the
(00:30):
schools.
So it's been a long go of it.
We also had some fun snow days in there, which was very entertaining, but we made them upon the back end.
And so tonight we are having our final dress rehearsal.
So it has been a very long process, everything seems to be coming together pretty well forour dress rehearsals this week.
(00:52):
Little tweaks here and there, but we have arrived, I guess.
Whether come good or come bad, we are here.
yep, we made it.
So excited for our final dress rehearsal tonight.
So how familiar with you, whoa, sorry.
How familiar were you with SpongeBob before being cast in the show?
Not at all.
(01:14):
I actually, my only exposure to SpongeBob without dating myself was that I did not watchit as a child because it was not in my age range, but my son has started watching it, who
is 11, so I had some vague inklings of how it worked, but I watched the musical onlinewhen the show was posted.
(01:38):
and I thought this is the weirdest, strangest thing I have ever seen.
I sit on the board for Bloomfield Players, so I was going to just be a board member.
And after assisting with a day of auditions, I was like, you know, maybe.
And so I did end up auditioning and being cast as Sandy, which was a huge surprise.
(02:03):
But it did give me a little more insight into the different characters in SpongeBob andgot to rely on my son as a source for character development, which is very entertaining,
asking your 11-year-old the motivations of a squirrel.
But,
I'm sure I like that's not the usual conversation you have with them
(02:23):
Right, no, it's usually, this is a joke you probably shouldn't be watching because it's alittle over your head, but I think it's hilarious.
Which is one of the things I have kind of liked a lot about SpongeBob, both the musicaland the TV show, is that there's that hidden humor, the innuendo in there that I find
funny still as an adult.
And there's plenty of stuff in there for kids to understand and learn about and know andget the story concept from.
(02:49):
So it has been an experience getting to dive deeper
Pun, not intended, but sorry about that.
Into the world of SpongeBob and Bikini Bottom.
You know, that's one of the things that I love the most about animated shows and movies isthat there's such a level, there's like a humor level for adults and then there's a humor
(03:09):
level for kids and both can enjoy it.
I mean, and I think that's true of both the cartoon and the show.
There are still things that in the wings where they are happening that I am not a part ofthat as an adult I hear them and I have to stifle a giggle and hope my mic is not on
because they're still funny to me as an adult and the kids kind of look at me sideways andI'm like, it's not that deep, but it's still enough to make me crack a smile, crack a
(03:37):
laugh there.
yeah, it still rings true in the musical.
So what is the story of SpongeBob the musical and how does Sandy the squirrel yourcharacter how does she kind of factor into that overall story?
So let me see if I can give a relatively quick plot synopsis.
Bikini Bottom, place where SpongeBob and Patrick and Sandy and all the sea creatures live,is in danger.
(04:03):
of total chaotic destruction from a volcano.
And so the job of Sandy and SpongeBob and Patrick is to help stop the volcano.
Sandy the squirrel is both science and STEM inclined as well as inclined to martial arts.
That would be where we differ.
And they are...
(04:23):
tasked with preventing this from happening and making a team that has brains, brawn, andSpongeBob spends a lot of the time in the show trying to figure out what his talent is
that he brings to the team.
And part of the subplot that goes along with it is that the sea creatures that live underthe sea, Sandy is a mammal that comes from the surface.
(04:48):
And so because
Sometimes in times of chaos, we question and distrust things we don't understand or know.
The town of Bikini Bottom where she has lived turns against her and they, a lot of thechants throughout the show are blame the squirrel.
So they've decided that it is Sandy the squirrel's fault that the volcano is going toerupt.
(05:14):
And so throughout the course of their adventures, Sandy has to make sure she stays safeand decide whether or not she is going to help save Bikini Bottom.
She ultimately does happen to agree to help, but then there is a falling out betweenPatrick and SpongeBob, which makes things even more chaotic and problematic as they try
(05:35):
and stop this volcano from erupting.
So I'm not going to give away the ending because that would be just...
Spoiler alert, but that is where I will leave you as will they won't they will they savethe town who knows?
But if you'd like to come see it and find out be my guest
(05:55):
That's kind of like that there's a little bit of that darkness there though of like forSandy of having to like be persecuted for being a mammal that doesn't that doesn't come
from the sea, you know?
Actually, our music director, Nick, had pointed out at one point when we were discussing,he was just, toward the end of the show, when things are changing, and we were saying we
(06:22):
need to get back into rehearsal to go combat the racism.
And the kids looked at him, and they, many of them are older, eight and older is ourcutoff, looked at him and they were like, racism?
And...
So we had to have a quick little conversation about how these parallel one another in reallife, in age appropriate terms, because it was something that, good or bad, part of
(06:49):
SpongeBob went over their head.
having them make that connection and being able to sort of explain that to them was kindof awesome and amazing to sort of see the light bulbs start going off and figuring out,
yeah, like most of them had exposure to that topic at school and they knew racism bad,right?
(07:12):
But didn't see the parallel when we're talking about a musical full of jokes and puns andlaughter and songs.
so being able to bring that theme to their understanding was kind of awesome.
So how has this role challenged you as an actor?
(07:32):
my goodness.
Well, I am a solid background ensemble dancer.
That is generally where I have been with some minor parts here and there supporting roles,I guess if you will.
(07:54):
And so this has been...
quite a challenge in terms of just the volume of things I need to remember.
I know that as an ensemble member, you have to generally remember more songs and moredances, but you are with other people who are also remembering those things and you can
(08:15):
sort of rely on your ensemble counterparts to help you through that if you get lost.
And when someone casts you as a lead,
We'll find out whether or not that was a good choice very soon.
You have a bigger responsibility than I anticipated in carrying the show plot along.
(08:42):
Not that the leads carry the whole show, but you are responsible for making sure you saythe right lines at the right times and not leaving critical orchestra cues out, not
leaving critical plot points out, even things as...
seems as silly as props that are critical to continue the story.
And so the responsibility of it is something that was a little bit shocking to me and issomething that has been a challenge that I've enjoyed a little bit.
(09:14):
I do get a little anxious every time that I step on stage more so than when I supportingroles or ensemble roles.
Just because I want to make sure that this show does well and I don't want it to be myfault if it doesn't.
Because I forgot something or didn't do something.
(09:34):
So that has been incredibly challenging.
I've been spending a lot of time.
I recorded my lines and so I'm pressing them on my voice memos back and forth on my way toand from work to make sure that I get that time in to remember my lines and songs and
things.
It's really hard to play with a rehearsal track while you're in the car, so that was agood time recording those acapella.
(09:57):
But that, just the volume has been quite a challenge.
mean, character developing a squirrel has also been a little bit, but I do have a veryreliable 11-year-old source who has been a great support in that area.
Speaking of the music, what is the music like specifically for Sandy?
I know that there's all different kinds of artists that have gone into making this music,but what is that for Sandy?
(10:22):
So, yes, super eclectic, love, love that about the show, that it doesn't really fall intoany one genre.
That for Sandy's big number, which is in the second act called Chop to the Top, it waswritten by Lady A, and so it has a distinct country vibe.
Sandy is a squirrel originally from the great state of Texas.
(10:46):
And so she has some country down home roots and has a bit of an accent, which I casuallymaintain throughout the show.
And yeah, it's my cedar.
so yes, the song that is her prominent song does have a bit of a country vibe to it, whichI fully love and support.
(11:10):
Country is one of my favorite gems and my eclectic choices in music.
That is her vibe through songs for her specific songs.
And then, like the rest of them are written by so many different artists.
is, it's like pulling a song genre out of a bag every time that you are presenting a newsong in the musical, which does help keep it really interesting and doesn't really fall
(11:38):
into any one music genre.
so there's really something for everybody, which is kind of awesome.
We love that, because then it brings more people in.
There's something they can all approve, they can connect with.
So how do you get into the mindset of Sandy the Squirrel?
Well, I can honestly say I probably haven't thought as deeply about it as I should.
(12:07):
think more so the personification of Sandy than the actual squirrel mentality, I guess,both in the Broadway presentation and in our presentation.
The animals have been personified.
And so less so about the the mammal well, I guess the male part is important but less soabout becoming a squirrel and more so about her major Character points where she's from
(12:38):
What she enjoys what she's good at science and martial arts being at the top of that I Ama first grade teacher.
So being a person who tries to help support students in STEM, especially women in STEM I
love that part of this role and I think that connecting that piece, that scientific piece,that part that really sort of a little bit of a know-it-all at times and sometimes that
(13:10):
knowledge becomes very valuable.
So trying to find a balance between that as well as the shift in the
feelings of the townspeople and how that's kind of reflected.
So I think that holding onto those two core things as part of her personality, her love ofscience and martial arts, and now feeling like an outsider are what I've based most of
(13:34):
this character development on, as well as a questionable accent.
And the costume, Sandy has such an iconic costume.
She does.
Ours is slightly different.
I do get to wear a really cool space suit that is got patches and buttons on it.
My favorite one is the one that says I'm a figure, a level one figure skater, which I didnot notice.
(13:56):
One of the kids did.
But also I get to wear some amazing cowboy boots with my space suit, which I very muchlove.
And that really does complete the outfit.
surprisingly just a space suit and some cowboy boots and we have a character.
And our final dress rehearsal today, we actually are not doing costumes, but I probably amgoing to put on my cowboy boots because I do feel a little bit different when I'm wearing
(14:26):
them as a character.
So to help kind of keep in that vibe, I may or may not, but also walking in them andmaking sure I don't kick anyone or anything with the end of them is very helpful.
mean, when in doubt, always wear the cowboy boots.
What has been a highlight of your time on this production?
(14:48):
Well, I think being cast was a bit of a highlight and a bit of a surprise.
But I have returned to the stage with several friends that I have met through bothBloomfield Players and through other local community theater that I've been a part of.
And I've done work out of St.
Dunstan's and Stagecrafters as well.
(15:09):
So there's a lot of overlap as I've discovered in my time in returning to the stage.
I took quite a hiatus.
hiatus, goodness, I took quite a hiatus between high school and an adult in communitytheater.
so getting back into that groove has gotten me the opportunity to be a part of severaldifferent community theater groups.
(15:34):
One of the favorite highlights is that, always, is that I get to do some stage work withmy daughter.
She is not currently on stage.
We have done
three musicals together in the last two years, I believe.
And it has been quite my favorite part, but this year, because of a difficult travelsoftball schedule, she was not able to join the production, but is joining us backstage on
(16:03):
tech.
And so, still getting to share those moments, getting to be near her and learning somemore about theater, that's really both what...
I still continue to love about theater is making, she enjoys this, I promise.
Having her come and be a part of it with me, it's built some amazing traditions.
(16:24):
One of our favorite being Midnight Tacos and really has helped us kind of find a thingtogether, even if it's not the same as it was previously.
So that is always the highlight when I get to do shows with her and kind of build our ownfamily traditions.
Awesome.
Two more questions, promise, and then I'll let you go.
(16:45):
No, you're okay.
What themes of SpongeBob the Musical resonate the most with you?
Well, I think that the one we kind of already touched on was the kind of subterfuge ofdiscrimination, right?
Maybe less racism than just general discrimination against a particular character forbeing different than someone else.
(17:12):
And I think that is a theme that resonates across from adults to children.
And I do think it's one of the most important things that
comes out of the show, especially in our current climate and the way that people arereacting in our real world to people who appear to be different than one another.
(17:33):
And I think that this particular theme doesn't necessarily beat you over the head with it,but it does make you think as you start to look at things as simple as what are the lines
is that she has lungs and it's
It's so small, so simple, but so many of our hangups about other people or people when weare experiencing prejudice or discrimination, it can be about one thing.
(18:03):
One physical difference, one invisible difference, one disability, one anything.
And it could be something very simple.
And to be able to find a way to work through things that are
maybe not comfortable for us in ways that really do help bond together as a community.
(18:27):
And I think that that's kind of an important part of the show.
You know, I think that also probably answers the next question too of what do you hopeaudiences walk away from with this musical?
it's that this because it's really that sounds like that is the universal message thatSpongeBob the musicals kind of giving is let's not hate each other just because we can,
(18:49):
you know?
just, you know, be kind to people, not just because they're different.
I think the other theme that I really like that is more SpongeBob's part of the characterdevelopment is that when we can't find the thing that we are good at, or we don't always
know what we are good at, part of finding yourself and having friends that support you tohelp you find yourself.
(19:15):
And those people who are truly your friends,
are people that even after a rough patch, you can come back to and find a way through andthose people will help support you in your endeavors to find yourself.
And I think that that's another important theme because we don't always, I don't always,even as an adult know who I am or what I want to be and finding people you can rely on,
(19:40):
finding people that you can trust that help support the most authentic version ofyourself.
I think is another really important theme throughout the show and is something that I feellike speaks particularly to those littles that I love both at home and at school as is
(20:02):
finding a good friend and what does it mean to be a good friend because I will tell youmiddle school is fraught with
yeah.
about being a friend and what that means and who is your friend and who's not your friend.
And so that one I hope resonates a little bit more with my daughter.
(20:26):
Well, perfect.
Danielle, thank you so much for your time.
I appreciate it.
I'm so, so excited to get to do this.
I really, really appreciate it.
So SpongeBob the Musical runs from March 7th through the 16th at Bloomfield Players, soget your tickets now, we'll see you there!
Thank you so much.
Have a wonderful afternoon.
Thanks, you too.
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