Get ready to go under the sea, Modesto, as Downey students present ‘SpongeBob Musical’
Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? Students at Downey High School will this weekend.
Downey High School will be putting on a production of “SpongeBob Musical” on Nov. 21-23 at the schools’ auditorium.
Evening shows all three days start at 7 p.m. Additionally, there will be a 1:30 p.m. matinee show on Saturday, Nov. 23. Tickets will cost $10 for adults and $8 for students and seniors.
Over 50 students were involved in the production, and the school rented a 20-foot-wide LED wall to add visuals effects. Downey High School theater teacher Chris McPherson said the screen will help with transitions and background drops. The designs were made by Downey art students.
“The LED wall really takes this production to the next level, offering a professional theater experience right here in Modesto,” McPherson said. “Instead of having backdrops flying across the stage, we will have visuals flying across a large screen. It takes us to the next level. It’s what Broadway theaters are going to.”
If the production is successful, district officials said the Career Technical Education Department may be able to use funding from Proposition 28 — state funding dedicated to arts and music education — to purchase the LED wall for other shows across the district in the future.
With over 20 years working with Disney, McPherson said he is excited to inspire his students and the community he grew up with.
“This show has really pushed our students to grow into being well-rounded performers in singing, acting, and dancing,” McPherson said. “We’ve had to challenge ourselves, and I’m incredibly proud of how far they’ve come.”
The musical is based on the 1999 show by Stephen Hillenburg, featuring popular characters such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Patrick Star and Squidward Tentacles.
This story was originally published November 19, 2024 at 11:49 AM.
