The generation that grew up with SpongeBob SquarePants will portray the iconic cartoon characters in the Cowboy Theatre Company’s upcoming production of “The SpongeBob Musical.”

Tonight, middle school theater students will preview the show, which officially opens on Saturday night at 7 p.m. and is followed by a matinee show on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Three more shows the following weekend will close out the musical.

According to senior Sage Priest, who plays SpongeBob, at least 17 high schools in Texas are doing the musical due to the recent availability of the show’s licensing. To Priest’s knowledge, they are the only gender non-conforming actor cast in the lead role. However, this has not come without its struggles.

“The music is written for a tenor man, and unfortunately, I was not blessed with a low smokey alto voice,” Priest said. “[Adjusting the music to my range] was difficult; I felt like such a burden. I really had to take a step back and think about how [I was] cast for a reason. I’m here for a reason. I’ve been doing a lot better these past few months, gaining confidence as everything starts to get flushed out. I’m really, really happy with the final product.”

To buy tickets for “The SpongeBob Musical,” visit CHS theater’s website.

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