Lilli Cooper, Sarah Stiles & More to Join Santino Fontana in Broadway-Bound Tootsie Musical

SpongeBob SquarePants star Lilli Cooper and Tony nominee Sarah Stiles are among the newly announced troupe of actors who have boarded the upcoming stage-musical adaptation of the 1982 comedy flick Tootsie. Cooper will play Julie Nichols, the role created on-screen by Jessica Lange, with Stiles as Sandy Lester, played in the movie by Teri Garr. The new tuner will make its world premiere at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre from September 11 through October 14, 2018, with a Great White Way debut scheduled for spring of 2019 at a venue to be announced.

In addition to her turn as Sandy Cheeks in SpongeBob SquarePants, Cooper has been seen on Broadway in Spring Awakening as Martha and in Wicked as Elphaba, a role she also played on the show's national tour. Cooper's off-Broadway credits include the debut production of Spring Awakening as well as The Threepenny Opera; Tick, Tick...Boom! and Sundown, Yellow Moon.

Stiles earned a 2015 Tony nomination for her turn in Hand to God. She has also been seen on Broadway in On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Avenue Q. Stiles' off-Broadway credits include Captain Louie, Vanities, The Road to Qatar and Into the Woods.

The leading trio will be joined by Tony winner Michael McGrath (Nice Work If You Can Get It) as Stan Fields, John Behlmann (Significant Other) as Max Von Horn, Andy Grotelueschen (Fiasco's Into the Woods) as Jeff Slater, Julie Halston (You Can't Take It With You) as Rita Mallory and current Iceman Cometh star Reg Rogers as Ron Carlisle.

Tootsie tells the story of a talented but difficult actor (played by the previously announced Santino Fontana) who struggles to find work until an audacious, desperate stunt lands him the role of a lifetime.

The musical's ensemble will feature Sissy Bell, Barry Busby, Paula Leggett Chase, Britney Coleman, Leslie Donna Flesner, Jenifer Foote, John Arthur Greene, Drew King, Jeff Kready, Harris Milgrim, Adam Monley, Shina Ann Morris, James Moye, Katerina Papacostas, Diana Vaden and Anthony Wayne.

Tootsie features a book by Robert Horn and a score by Tony-winning Band's Visit music maker David Yazbek. Tony-nominated director Scott Ellis, Tony-nominated choreographer Denis Jones and music director Andrea Grody lead the creative team. The design team includes scenic designer David Rockwell, costume designer William Ivey Long, lighting designer Donald Holder and sound designer Brian Ronan.

Broadway casting will be confirmed at a later date. Gear up for Tootsie with a look at the film's original trailer below.