Joey Votto Lends His Voice to Children's Theatre of Cincinnati Production of The SpongeBob Musical

The Cincinnati Reds’ first baseman will make a splash at The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s (TCT) upcoming production of The SpongeBob Musical: Youth Edition this October.

While Votto will not be appearing on stage at the Taft Theatre, where the musical will be performed, he is lending his voice as the show’s famed French narrator — a perfect role for the Toronto-born man and fluent French speaker. As the narrator, Votto will introduce the audience to the world of Bikini Bottom and its eccentric residents, including SpongeBob SquarePants, as well as his neighbor, Squidward; best friend, Patrick; and boss, Mr. Krabs.

Votto’s inclusion marks the first time a Cincinnati Reds player has been featured in a TCT production.

“We are so thankful to Joey Votto and his team for being a part of the 23-24 TCT Season,” TCT Managing Director and CEO Kim Kern said in a press release. “Our audiences will enjoy hearing a Cincinnati icon bring this character to life.”

Featuring music ranging from Cyndi Lauper to T.I. to Lady A, The SpongeBob Musical is a 60-minute musical adaptation of the hit Nickelodeon series created by Stephen Hillenburg. In the musical, the citizens of Bikini Bottom discover a volcano will soon erupt and destroy their homes. To save their undersea homes, SpongeBob and his friends must band together to stop this natural disaster.

The SpongeBob Musical runs on Saturdays and Sundays between Oct. 14-22, with one 7 p.m. show on Friday, Oct. 20. Tickets for the show are on sale now and start at $10.

Taft Theatre, 317 E. Fifth St., Downtown. Learn more about the show and TCT here: thechildrenstheatre.com .