It’s a big weekend for community theater in the Lehigh Valley with three shows opening.

Everyone’s favorite cartoon sponge takes the stage in “The SpongeBob Musical,” Oct. 7-23, Civic Theatre of Allentown’s Nineteenth Street Theatre, 527 N. 19th St., Allentown.

Adapted from Stephen Hillenberg’s hit Nickelodeon animated series “SpongeBob SquarePants,” which premiered in 1999 and was renewed for a 14th season in 2022, the musical follows the show’s characters SpongeBob (Patrick Mertz), Patrick Star (Andrew Mark Schaffer) and Squidward (Jaedon Mughl) as they try to save their home of Bikini Bottom from a volcano.

The musical opened on Broadway in 2017 and received 12 Tony Award nominations, receiving one Tony (scenic design).

The pop music score features songs written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Yolanda Adams, Sara Bareilles, Jonathon Coulton, Alex 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, Brian Eno and David Bowie. It also features familiar songs from the cartoon including the iconic theme song and “Best Day Ever.”

Civic Theatre Artistic Director William Sanders, who is directing the show, says it has hilarious production numbers with choreography by Andrew Stewart and music direction by Nick Conti.

The set will recreate the underwater world of Bikini Bottom, complete with SpongeBob’s pineapple, Squidward’s Easter Island-style home and Patrick’s rock, as well as all the colorful denizens of the sea from floating jellyfish to a school of cult-like sardines.

“This charming and ridiculous show about a simple sponge taking on the world with his friends is sure to warm the hearts and split the sides of everyone who attends,” Sanders says.

“The SpongeBob Musical,” 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7, 8, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22; 2 p.m. Oct. 9, 16, 23. Tickets: www.civictheatre.com; 610-433-8903

Pa. Playhouse “Deathtrap”:

Pennsylvania Playhouse is getting ready for Halloween with the comedy-thriller “Deathtrap,” Oct. 7-23 at the playhouse, 390 Illick’s Mill Road, Bethlehem.

Directed by Kim Carson, the show follows the devious machinations of a writer Sydney Bruhl (Rob Adams). Bruhl, a previously successful playwright, has had a series of flops. When he discovers his student Clifford Anderson (Michael Jasper) has written what he thinks will be a hit play, it seems the rivalry might lead to murder.

The play “Deathtrap” (1978) was written by Ira Levin, author of “Rosemary’s Baby” (1967), “Stepford Wives” (1972) and “The Boys From Brazil” (1976).

The five-person cast includes Bill Joachim (Porter Milgram), Gloria Millheim (Myra Bruhl), Robert Adams (Sidney Bruhl), Michael Jasper (Clifford Anderson) and April Lindenmuth (Helga ten Dorp).

The playhouse will present a benefit performance of “Deathtrap,” 1 p.m. Oct. 15, for Rotary International District 7430 Rotaplast Committee, which helps children worldwide get surgery for cleft palate and other deformities. The event will include Oktoberfest-style food and drinks, raffle and a talkback with cast and crew.

“Deathtrap,” 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22; 3 p.m. Oct. 9, 16, 23. Tickets: wwpaplayhouse.org; 610-865-6665

CKP “All You Need to Know”:

Crowded Kitchen Players presents the original dark comedy, “All You Need to Know,” Oct. 7-23, Loft Theatre, Charles A. Brown Ice House, 56 River St., Sand Island, Bethlehem.

“All You Need to Know,” written and directed by Ara Barlieb, examines how public funding for the arts can be most beneficially spent.

Althea Ruff (Trish Cipoletti) is in the final stages of osteonecrosis, aka “bone death,“ an incurable disease. She and a filmmaker want to to capture the essence of her life and difficulties in her waning days.

She applies for a grant to fund the project. According to her grant application, “the film describes an adult death, through the lens of childhood beliefs and shattered dreams.”

The play shifts between the struggles of the artist and the business-minded arts commission who must award an annual $10 million in grants.

Regional, award-winning filmmaker Vincent Mondillo has created a screening version of Althea’s work-in-progress that will be projected throughout the play.

Barlieb says he was inspired to write the play by an interview he did with Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, author of the 1969 best-seller, “On Death and Dying.” The title of the play is from her comment: “All you need to know is that God never gives you more than you can handle.”

The cast includes David Oswald, Sharon Ferry, Bruce Brown, Phong Tran, Darcel Gibson and David Donato as arts commission members and Pamela Wallace as the filmmaker.

“All You Need to Know,” 8 p.m. Oct, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22; 2 p.m. Oct. 9, 16, 23. Tickets: http://www.ckplayers.com; 610-704-6974

“Curtain Rises” is a column about the theater, stage shows, the actors in them and the directors and artists who make them happen. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com