Summer Musical Theatre Experience

The 20th Annual High School Summer Musical Theatre Experience presents The SpongeBob Musical!

The Summer Musical Theatre Experience (SMTE) provides the opportunity for local area high school students to work hands-on with some of the highest recognized local theatre professionals at the Nathan H. Wilson Center for the Arts.

For more information, contact the SMTE hotline at (904) 646-2347 or email smte@fscj.edu

he Florida State College at Jacksonville High School Summer Musical Theatre Experience is celebrating its 20^th year providing theatre opportunities to 7^th-12^th graders in the First Coast area. This summer, more than 70 student performers and technicians will train with professional theatre artists in preparation for our production of The SpongeBob Musical!

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea and is set to became the hottest star on the Wilson Center Stage? Why, it's SpongeBob SquarePants! And now he’s ready to ride the wave to our theatre to entertain and delight audiences in this brilliant, bright, hilarious and brand-new musical.

Performances: July 24 – August 2, 2026

Where: Florida State College at Jacksonville, South Campus
FSCJ Nathan H. Wilson Center for the Arts
11901 Beach Boulevard

Jacksonville, FL 32246

How to participate:

Performers

Auditions: April 25 & 26, 2026 at 2pm.

For current 7^th – 12^th grade students interested in acting, singing and dancing. No previous musical theatre experience is necessary. Attend only one audition date.
Auditions consist of:
- Vocal: prepare 16 bars from a musical. Select a song that is upbeat and shows your range; students are welcome to select songs from The SpongeBob Musical. No a cappella or recorded music, accompanist will be provided.
- Dance: come dressed to dance – tennis shoes and jazz shoes are acceptable.
Callbacks are May 2, 2026, by invitation only.
Audition Announcement
Performer Application
Information for performers and parents
Available Roles
Meet the Directors

Technicians

Applications: applications due May 7, 2026

For current 8^th – 12^th grade students interested in set construction,
costumes, lights, props, makeup, painting and sound
Technician Application
Information for technicians and parents
Meet the Designers

About the show:

Plunge into this stunning all-singing, all-dancing, dynamic stage show! When the citizens of Bikini Bottom discover that a volcano will soon erupt and destroy their humble home, SpongeBob and his friends must come together to save the fate of their undersea world. With lives hanging in the balance and all hope lost, a most unexpected hero rises up. The power of optimism really can save the world!

The SpongeBob Musical is based on the beloved animated series created by Stephen Hillenburg and features a book by Kyle Jarrow, with original songs by Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Alexander Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Flaming Lips, Lady A, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T’s, They Might Be Giants and T.I., and songs by David Bowie, Tom Kenny and Andy Paley. Additional lyrics are by Jonathan Coulton, with additional music by Tom Kitt. The musical production was conceived by Tina Landau.

An exciting new musical featuring irresistible characters and magical music, this deep-sea pearl of a show is set to make a splash with audiences young and old. The future is bright, the future is bold, the future is The SpongeBob Musical.

History:

Since its launch on July 17, 1999, SpongeBob SquarePants has reigned as the number one kids’ animated series on TV, while generating a universe of beloved characters, pop culture catchphrases and memes, theatrical releases, consumer products, a Tony award-winning Broadway musical and a global fan base. SpongeBob SquarePants is the most widely distributed property in Viacom International Media Networks history, seen in more than 170 countries, translated in 30+ languages, and averaging more than 140 million total viewers every quarter.

SpongeBob SquarePants is created by Stephen Hillenburg and produced by Nickelodeon in Burbank, Calif. The character-driven cartoon chronicles the nautical and sometimes nonsensical adventures of SpongeBob, an incurably optimist and earnest sea sponge, and his undersea friends. The Broadway production of The SpongeBob Musical earned its place on 2017’s “Best of Broadway” lists including Broadway.com, BuzzFeed, The Chicago Tribune, The Daily Beast, Deadline, ET Online, Forbes, Time Out New York and Variety. The SpongeBob Musical was named Best Musical by the Drama Desk Awards and Outer Critics Circle and earned 12 Tony Award nominations – the most nominated musical of the 2017-2018 theatre season – winning for Best Scenic Design of a Musical

If you have any questions, please call the SMTE Hotline at (904) 646-2347