Back in October Broadway Black reported that John Legend and T.I were developing music for the new musical, The Spongebob Musical and now it’s found it’s cast.

The SpongeBob Musical cast will star Ethan Slater as SpongeBob SquarePants, Gavin Lee as Squidward,  Nick Blaemire as Plankton,  Lilli Cooper as Sandy Cheeks, Carlos Lopez as Mr. Krabs,and  Danny Skinner as Patrick. The Spongebob Musical is co-conceived and directed by Tina Landau (Head Of Passes), book by Kyle Jarrow, orchestrations, arrangements & music supervision by Tom Kitt with choreography by Christopher Gattelli.

In addition to Legend and T.I, Grammy Award winning gospel singer Yolanda Adams is attached to have new music for the project as well.

A legendary roster of Grammy Award winners. A visionary director and Tony Award®-winning design team. One of the world’s most beloved and unforgettable characters. Turn them all loose on Broadway and what do you get?

THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL!

Acclaimed Steppenwolf director Tina Landau and the groundbreaking designers behind Fun Home, Hedwig, and Spring Awakening have brilliantly reimagined Bikini Bottom for the Broadway stage, bringing the spirit of SpongeBob to life with humanity, heart, and pure theatricality. With an original score from some of the biggest names in pop and rock, THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL explodes with energy.

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 THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL, where the power of optimism really can save the world!

The SpongeBob Musical will begin performances on Tuesday, June 7 at Broadway In Chicago’s Oriental Theatre (24 West Randolph Street, Chicago, IL). This is a limited engagement through Sunday, July 3, 2016. Are ya ready kids?

The post Lilli Cooper And More Set For The Spongebob Musical in Chicago appeared first on Broadway Black.

Proving that “age ain’t nothing but a number,” Gotta Dance tells the true story of a group of professional dancers who, in 2007, were tasked with getting a New Jersey basketball team’s senior citizen dance troupe performance-ready for their center court hip-hop debut. The tale proves that through an unlikely art form and a few cool moves, generation gaps can be crossed and friendships are formed.

Andre De Shields. Photo: Lia Chang

According to Broadway In Chicago;

This Broadway-bound musical brings together an all-star creative team that includes original music by the legendary Marvin Hamlisch (an Emmy, Grammy, Tony and Oscar winner), Tony Award-nominee Matthew Sklar (The Wedding Singer), lyrics by Tony Award-nominee Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde), a book by Tony Award-nominee Chad Beguelin (Aladdin), Tony Award-winner Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone), and direction and choreography by Tony Award-winner Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots). Gotta Dance is a heartwarming and hilarious story of triumph and joy that is sure to make you dance in the aisles.

The musical will begin performances on Dec. 13, 2015 at Chicago’s Bank of America Theatre, where it will run until Jan. 10, 2016. Broadway dates and venue are still TBD.  Tickets for groups are on sale now by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710. Individual tickets will be available soon. If you are in Chicago, this is the perfect chance to see the musical before it takes NYC by storm.

The post Lillias White & Andre De Shields Star In Broadway-Bound Gotta Dance appeared first on Broadway Black.