CAST

SpongeBob SquarePants: Liam Beckett
Patrick: Aaron Swan
Sandy Cheeks: Izzy Pawlanta
Squidward: Michelle Halgren
Plankton: Emerson Dibean
Karen the Computer: Bryna Adams
Mr. Krabs: Jon Bair
Pearl: Olivia Evansen
Patchy: John Roy Vogl
Perch Perkins: Xander Dilley
Mayor: Erin Hoard
Mrs. Puff: Emily Perry
Larry the Lobster: Jay Bell
Old Man Jenkins: Garrett Ramsey

Ensemble, the Citizens of Bikini Bottom: Chloe Sutberry, Ella Hanses, Nicole Shivley, Tiffany Barron, Keira Moffatt, Clay Ramsey, Sara Pohl, Kailey Meyer, and Leon Miller

CREW

Director: Antonius Watkins
Assistant Director: Amber Miller
Choreography: Mary Green
Choreography Assistant: Izzy Pawlanta
Stage Manager & Props: Laurie Reeves
Sound: Logan Reeves, Jeremy Hoard
Lights: Garrett Ramsey, Roy Vogl
Lead Costumes: Shelly Pung
Makeup & Hair: Julie Watkins, Amber Miller, Erin Hoard
Set Construction and Decoration: Clay Ramsey, Amber Miller, Antonius Watkins, and Emily Perry
Box Office: Laurie Thelen
Publicity: Mary Teachout
Website: Kelly Sandula-Gruner | Gruner Graphics

KAREN THE COMPUTER | Bryna Adams is excited to return to the PCP stage as Karen in The SpongeBob Musical. Previously, Bryna was a summer theater member and participated in PCP community productions. She is also an active Irish dancer with Hubbardston Irish Dance Troupe. By day, Bryna works as an elementary special education teacher. Aside from acting, dancing, and teaching, Bryna enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and pets. She would like to thank the directors, cast, and crew for their endless encouragement throughout this nautical adventure!

MR. KRABS | Jonathan Bair is thrilled to be back on the PCP stage, this time diving deep into Bikini Bottom. Jonathan accepted the role of Mr. Krabs strictly because the the director promised payment in cash, though he is still waiting to see the color of any money. Previous credits include “Hidden Money: The Art of the Tax Loophole”, “The Chum Bucket Review (Closed by the Health Inspector)”, and a brief, dramatic stint in “The Secret Recipe Defense League.” Jonathan would like to thank the cast, the crew, and most importantly the audience members who paid full price for their tickets. Remember, no refunds and please buy some concessions while you’re enjoying the show! Agagagagaga!

SPONGEBOB | Liam Beckett: I’m heavily invested in the arts. I’ve played roles such as Dimitri in Anastasia, Marius in Les Miserables, and many more. I play lots of different instruments like guitar, piano, and drums as well as vocals. This is my first time with PCP in one of their fall musicals and I’m very excited for this opportunity. Playing SpongeBob has been a tremendously rewarding experience and I’m so proud of myself and the whole cast for making this show what it is. 

PLANKTON | This is Emerson Dibean’s 11th production with the Civic Players, having most recently portrayed Warner Huntington III in Legally Blonde: The Musical. He has performed with the Civic Players since 2015’s Oliver!, and has also been in productions at Portland High School and HCAT in Greenville. Outside of theater, Emerson is a computer science student at LCC and he enjoys watching movies, playing video games, and singing in multiple choirs at St. Pat’s. He is grateful for the Summer Theater and High School Drama programs for helping him to develop his stage talent, and for the Civic Players for giving him a place to continue and foster his favorite hobby. He would like to thank Antonius and Amber for being such amazing directors, and he’d like to thank his family, especially his parents, for being such a strong support system.

PEARL | Olivia Evensen is a creative and passionate person who loves singing, performing, and expressing herself through music. She also enjoys playing volleyball and being part of a team. Olivia is especially excited to be playing the role of Pearl and getting the opportunity to grow as a performer. She is always looking for ways to grow, try new things, and become the best version of herself. She loves making memories, connecting with others, and bringing positive energy wherever she goes.

SQUIDWARD | Michelle Halgren made her Portland Civic Players debut earlier this year as Dr. Van Helsing in Dracula, a Comedy of Terrors and is thrilled to return to the stage as Squidward in their production of The SpongeBob Musical. Many years ago, Michelle was a high school “theater kid” who briefly studied technical theater at Michigan State University before pivoting to the profession of a technical accounting analyst. As a retiree, she re-connected with the craft as a scenic artistry and costuming volunteer for Holt High School’s stage productions (most notably, Sweeney Todd, Cinderella, and the upcoming Clue) and was introduced to PCP by the parent of a student. Michelle is grateful for the continued support of her husband, Rob, daughters, Katrina and Caroline, and her girlfriends, the “Women of Fire”.

ENSEMBLE | Ella Hanses plays the part of one of the electric skates, as well as a bikini bottom resident! She is currently a junior at Portland high school and this is her 5th production with the Civic Players, where she’s been a part of summer theatre and Route 66, but it’s her first musical with them! She’s also been involved in musical theatre at Portland high school for 3 years with her most recent performance in Les Mis! Outside of theatre Ella is proud to be a part of the PHS marching band as a member of the colorguard!

THE MAYOR | Erin Hoard grew up in Portland, a proud alum of the Summer Theater program. She returned to the theater in 2021 for the PCP production of “1776”. Erin has also been in “Shrek”, “Art of Dining”, “Guys and Dolls”, and “Murder On the Orient Express”. She was assistant director for “Shrek” and made her directing debut in 2024 with Disney’s “Descendants”, followed by “It Happened On Route 66”. Erin is currently a doctoral student at Grand Valley State University and is the Director of Nursing at Sheridan Community Hospital. In her spare time, she enjoys scrapbooking, crafting and spending time with her family. Erin lives in Carson City with her husband, Jeremy, 2 dogs and cat.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR | Amber Miller is super excited to be the Assistant Director for this production! This is her first time taking up a director position for a show and is super proud of how talented and hard-working this cast is! Amber is from Freeport, MI. She caught the theater bug in high school and went on to graduate from GVSU with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Theater. Since then, she has performed with various theater companies around the greater Grand Rapids area and has performed in over 29 different shows. This is her 9th show working with the Portland Civic Players. When she is not rehearsing for a show, she enjoys singing, art, embroidery, reading, hanging out with her fiancé Aaron and their pet budgies, going to Renaissance Faires, and playing DND with her friends.

ENSEMBLE | Keira Moffatt is playing the role of an Electric Skate and a Bikini Bottom Resident! She is 17 years old and currently a senior at Portland High School. She was in PCP’s summer theater program for about 6 years prior to this but this will be her first musical. She’s super excited to be a part of this show and is thankful to have gotten the opportunity to meet and work with this cast. She plans to continue participating in PCP shows and is excited to see what the future will bring.

SANDY CHEEKS | Izzy Pawlanta is thrilled to be back on the PCP stage for SpongeBob the Musical! This is her favorite musical and TV show! She’s had a blast playing Sandy as well as choreographing a few of the dance numbers. Izzy is a sophomore Theatre student at LCC. You may have recently seen her in The Meta Plays (LCC), Dracula: a Comedy of Terrors (PCP), or in Legally Blonde (PCP). She would like to thank her friends and family for coming to see all her performances, her kitty for being so cute, and her boyfriend Sam for teaching her Taekwondo and endlessly loving supporting her. Izzy hopes you enjoy the performance and chop to the top!

ENSEMBLE | Sara Pohl is a familiar face around this theater and was bitten by the theater bug the year she found Summer Theater at the age of 11. Since then she has participated in dance, theater and directing in Portalnd and at WMU. She has built her life and family in Portland and is in her 27th year of teaching at Portland schools. All of this came together when she and her family moved into their current house, becoming the third PCP family to live there after Jeff and Nita Massy and Bob Walters. She would like to thank Antonius for the opportunity to let her inner sardine shine!

COSTUMER | Shelly Pung is thrilled to be back with the PCP this season — especially to dive into the undersea world of SpongeBob the Musical — and is lucky to work alongside an excellent costume crew. Over the last 15 years she has been involved with Summer Theater and she’s stitched her way through spring plays, and fall musicals. As lead costumer she has dressed everyone from the suspects aboard Murder on the Orient Express to the tear-away dresses of Guys and Dolls. Her favorites: Shrek the Musical and Disney’s Descendants. For her, nothing beats the moment she watches a character truly come alive when talented actors step into their costumes.

STAGE MANAGER/PROPS | Laurie Reeves has been with the Portland Civic Players for almost 10 years and is excited to be a part of this production. Laurie started her theatre career at Summer Theatre and participated in the High School Drama program, and took a break until she came to the Portland Civic Players in 2017. She has been involved with every show since as either an actor, stage manager, prop master, or director. She has been a member of the Civic Players board for over 5 years and considers this theatre her home away from home. She has had the opportunity to work on shows with her children, Tyler and Logan, and is grateful that she has the opportunity to work with Logan again. In her spare time, Laurie participates in CrossFit, Scrapbooks, reads, and takes adventures with her children. 

SOUND | Logan Reeves recently graduated from Western Michigan University with a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Design, with a focus in Sound. She has been involved in theatre for nine years and has worked on productions including Beauty and the Beast, Shrek, 1776, Clue, Cats, and Much Ado About Nothing. Outside of theatre, she enjoys going to the beach, reading thriller novels, doing diamond art, watching movies, and spending time with friends. She is excited to work with her mom on another show.

ENSEMBLE | Meet Bikini Bottom Resident, Nicole Shivley! Nicole has attended several shows by the Portland Civic Players. She has even ushered a few of our past shows and manned the concessions stand. In the 10th grade, Nicole planned to audition for her school’s play and convinced herself, in that way teenagers do, that she wasn’t good enough to try out. Fifteen years later, she is going to make her on-stage debut as a proud member of the ensemble. Nicole moved to Portland in 2019 and lives with Travis, her loving husband of seven years, and their crazy but adorable dog, Duncan. They can be seen frequently walking the paths or through downtown. Nicole is also a dedicated patron of the Portland Library and many of the small businesses in town. She loves to read, write, dance, garden, craft, and is a huge sports fan. (Go Green! Go Lions!)

PATRICK STAR | Aaron Swan is ecstatic to be playing his childhood favorite cartoon character Patrick Star in PCP’s The SpongeBob Musical. He was born and raised in Stanton, but has decided to settle down in Portland and found his place in the PCP family as Lord Farquaad in Shrek (2022). He’s been on stage in a more musical capacity since high school and has done quite a few shows with Portland, the most recent being Legally Blonde as Professor Callahan. He likes hanging out with his friends and going on adventures with his fianceé Amber and would like to thank her, his friends, and family for always supporting him and sticking around for him.

Special Thanks!

The cast and crew would like to thank the following individuals and organizations for their support throughout this production:

PFCU

Flexfab

Wieber Lumber

Culp Chiropractic

Purus Masonry Restoration

ESI Heating and Cooling

Mid-Michigan Floor Coverings

Guilford’s Seamless Gutters

Sierra Homes

Duff, Chadwick and Assoc.

Gruner Graphics, LLC

Madarang Hoort & Associates Law Offices | Daniel K. Templin, of Counsel

Portland Community Orchestra

Content and Effects Warning

No warnings listed for this production — just have fun!

Meet our Sponsors

The Portland Civic Players would like to say a special thank you to this season’s sponsors.  We could not provide what we do to the community without them.  Their sponsorship and support of the arts in our community is essential for us to continue to provide quality, affordable entertainment.

Would you like to be a sponsor for our season?  Check out all the details here!

In Memoriam

It is with grateful hearts and warm affection we remember that little group of talented men and women who had a dream of performing live theatre in Portland over 60 years ago. We also remember those who helped keep the dream alive. Because of their dedication to that dream, we pause for a moment to think of those who worked so hard to establish a firm foundation that has lasted to this very day.

Listed here (in alphabetical order) are those who have passed. They represent steadfast devotion to the Portland Civic Players in every way. We truly hope that all have been remembered here. 

Richard & Betty Anesi 

Dale Barnard Denise (Frye) Bandfield 

Tom & Marilyn Bandfield

Rex Bennett 

Ruth Callihan

Tom & Marie Cook

William & Anne Eddy 

Olive Fitzpatrick 

George & Pearle Frye 

Shirley Habegger

William J. & Louise Hill 

Winfield & Lora Hubbell 

Mel & Fram Huhn 

Vada Hummel 

Tom & Pauline Jordan

Alvin & Catherine Kelly 

William & Jennie Koster

Dr. Martin J. Kozachik 

Alan Lazette

Barbara W. Longstreth 

Herb & Verena Miller 

Cree Peake 

David and Ruth Ann Peake

Lillian Phillips 

Brenda Pung 

Chris Rainey 

Adam Reeves 

Floyd Rice, Jr. 

Joe & Caroline (Snooks) Rich 

Donald Rogers 

Margaret Schrauben

Marilyn Shaw

Bob & Laurita Showerman 

Laban & Marge Smith 

Tony & Catherine Snitgen

Mary Lou Tannery

Richard & Sydell Teachout 

Particia Thelen 

Tommy & Martha (Bea) Thompson 

Marvin & Mary Thrasher 

Jerry Tiemann 

Jim Trierweiler

Willa Utterback

Sally VanPoperin

Don Webert 

David & Brenda Whitaker