NEW YORK (AFP) - David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper and John Legend are among top musicians composing a score for SpongeBob The Musical.

Chicago's Oriental Theatre announced that English rock icon Bowie is leading an array of composers for the musical based on the cartoon character, which will premiere on June 7 next year.

Other musicians who will contribute material include American bands The Flaming Lips and They Might Be Giants,as well as members of hard rock band Aerosmith.

The musical is adapted from SpongeBob SquarePants, the animated series about a talking human-like sponge that has won a wide following among children and adults and children since its debut in 1999.

SpongeBob The Musical is the second current stage project by Bowie, who had been relatively quiet for a decade before he issued his 2013 album, The Next Day. He also wrote the music for Lazarus, which premieres in November at New York Theatre Workshop.

Lazarus is based on the cult-classic sci-fi novel The Man Who Fell Earth, about an alien who arrives in search of water and becomes enamored of alcohol and television.

Bowie starred in the 1976 film of the novel but did not write the music amid contractual disputes.