This 25-Year-Old Jewish Guy Plays SpongeBob on Broadway

NEW YORK ( JTA ) — There’s a new star on Broadway and his name is — wait for it — SpongeBob SquarePants. “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical” opened earlier this month to rapturous reviews. And no one collected higher praise than the title character, played by Ethan Slater, a graduate of Ramah summer camps. For those unfamiliar with Nickelodeon’s long-running animated kids’ show, SpongeBob is — spoiler alert! — a sea sponge who lives in a pineapple in the undersea community of Bikini Bottom. An eternal optimist, he’s a cook at the Krusty Krab (Eugene Krabs, proprietor), has a host of friends including a starfish (Patrick Star), a squirrel (Sandy Cheeks) and a squid (Squidward Q. Tentacles). Also in town: the less-than-virtuous Plankton (real name Sheldon). “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Music