for his performance in the Broadway run, Gavin Lee won a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. In the 2019–20 North American tour of the musical, Squidward was played by Cody Cooley. Although he was skeptical about the idea of a SpongeBob musical at first, Cooley is impressed when he watched the Broadway run. When Cooley watched the Broadway run with his friends, they commented that Cooley would be fit for Squidward because Cooley was considered grouchy. Cooley himself said that he relate to Squidward's pessimism and sarcastic personality. Cooley had applied twice for the role before being called for audition and given the role. After being cast, Cooley rewatched the first three seasons of SpongeBob'' to study Squidward's character. Cooley said that Squidward's tap number is his favorite part of the show. Prior to getting the role, Cooley already had tap-dancing experience. During the rehearsal in New York City, Cooley learned how to tap with the two extra tap shoes and practiced it usually twice a day to build up stamina. Cooley considered stamina important for the tap number because the extra legs weighs 25 pounds, he must dance for at least seven minutes and the number ends with a kickline. He also learned how to play clarinet for the part where Squidward plays it at the end of the show. Notes References Fictional artists Television characters introduced in 1999 Animated characters introduced in 1999 Fictional musicians Fictional octopuses Fictional sculptors Fictional undersea characters Fictional waiting staff Comedy film characters Male characters in animated series SpongeBob SquarePants characters Fictional anthropomorphic characters Fictional bullies Male characters in television