“Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” is a classic book and play that resurfaces each year after Halloween decorations are packed away. Children’s Theatre Company revived the production this holiday season with a new narrative running from Nov. 4 to Jan. 4, told by the Grinch’s one and only furry friend, Max the dog.
Children’s Theatre Co., located adjacent to the Minneapolis Institute of Art, designed this one-hour-and-50-minute production for an audience of all ages. Through its visually stunning sets and iconic green menace of a main character, this show’s fresh spin made my heart grow three sizes.
The musical opens with Old Max, played by Dean Holt, packing up a box outside of the Grinch’s cave on Mount Crumpit. Immediately, Max reminisces about his shenanigans with the Grinch, who is played by Reed Sigmund, during their time together.
The dog’s nostalgia for his Christmases spent with the Grinch shows that the CTC production wanted the calloused creature to have some limited redemptive qualities.
This musical dives into the inner mechanisms of the Grinch’s mind and, more importantly, why he hates Christmas. The audience learns that his shoes fit just fine and his head is probably on right; rather, he hates the capitalist push that Whoville places on Christmas.
This theme crops up again and again, with the Whos’ obnoxious toys, loud celebrations and over-the-top cheerfulness that is simply too much for a grouchy old Grinch to handle. I felt empathetic for the Grinch after seeing how overwhelming the holiday season was for him.
With cheerful songs sung by the ensemble and bright costumes, this production guides the audience through the Grinch’s journey in Whoville with Young Max. He meets all the Whos and encounters the endearing Cindy-Lou Who, played by Chloe Sorensen.
Sorensen’s tenderness toward the Grinch and her impressive vocal capabilities left me captivated by her ability to express kindness toward a character who was very much opposite to her own, an attitude of generosity and connection that CTC pushes for its audiences. Her seasoned talent, despite her young age, left me captivated.
The scenery, props and costumes all come from the original CTC production of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” in 1994. Despite their age, I was awed by the way they captured the childlike wonder of Christmas that we often lose as adults.
The Grinch’s combination of Sigmund’s physical humor for the kids and zippy one-liners for the adults made the play appeal to all ages. He even made a “6 7” joke, which kids responded to with roaring laughter, and adults responded to by shaking their heads. Sigmund’s mocking tone and flamboyant gestures kept me on the edge of my seat, waiting to hear what insult he would cook up next.
Sigmund’s crowd work is the highlight of this musical. Interactive moments in the second act, where kids caught foam balls and footballs thrown by the Grinch, effectively broke up the performance. The Grinch weaves in and out of the rows, picking on some of the audience members.
From the moment I walked in the door, I felt the holiday spirit at “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” This musical effectively shows that Christmas is a time for everyone, even the Grinch, to celebrate community and the spirit of giving.
“Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” will play from Nov. 4 to Jan. 4 at the Minnesota Children’s Theatre Co.
Grace Woelfel can be reached at woel8456@stthomas.edu.
