James Schultz as THE GRINCH, Aerina DeBoer as Cindy-Lou Who and the Touring Company of Dr. Seuss’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! The Musical. Photo by Jeremy Daniel

Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical was originally commissioned by and produced at The Children’s Theater Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a theater recognized as North America’s flagship theatre for young people and families. The Grinch made his debut on the CTC stage in November of 1994, after special arrangements had been made with the Dr. Seuss estate to exclusively adapt and perform the book. The original production was an enormous success and was remounted again in 1995 and 1998 playing to sold-out houses every time.

The director and choreographer of CTC’s production, Matthew Howe, said, “We’re trying to emulate what Dr. Seuss gave us in his book, to capture the true spirit of his story.” Howe worked with the actors to develop a rich understanding of the characters. “The script allows for a very full exploration of the Whos, the Grinch, Max and their relationships.”

San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre, one of the most critically acclaimed regional theaters in the country, launched its own production of The Grinch in November 1998. It has played to critical acclaim and sold-out houses there for the past eight years.

In bringing this show to Broadway, the New York producers had to overcome several problems. One was the size of the Hilton Theatre – much larger than the Old Globe. Everything needed to be adjusted to fit in a much larger space. Another problem was keeping the show as close to the story as possible. “Everyone on the creative and production team is very intent on keeping the tale true to the heart and spirit of the original work just as the Seuss Estate wishes. Dr. Seuss wrote a story about the Grinch’s realization of the true meaning of the holidays and that is what we want to tell in the theatre,” said Kathryn Schwarz of Running Subway Productions, the producers of the New York show. When Ted Geisel died, his widow became the head of Dr. Seuss Enterprises and it is very important to her that the integrity of her husband’s work be preserved.

The stage production is different from the book and animated movie in that it is narrated by Max the Dog, but it does include the songs “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch” and “Welcome Christmas,” which were created specifically for the animated TV show.

Article reprinted courtesy of Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical | Crossroads Live North America.

DETAILS
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical
Dec 3-7, 2025 • Buell Theatre
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