The Grinch is back and he’s meaner than ever! But that shouldn’t discourage you from seeing the Broadway hit musical that reminds us of the true meaning of Christmas. Based on the beloved holiday tale, “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, the musical stars Stefan Karl – the villain of Nickelodeon’s Lazy Town TV series – as the Grinch and features the hit songs “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and “Welcome Christmas” from the original animated series.
The Grinch’s sidekick, Max the Dog, is played by two people. Old Max is played by Bob Lauder (of first national tour of Titanic, A New Musical) who belts out a great rendition of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” while Young Max is played by Seth Bazacas (Seussical/The Cat in the Hat). Through this character, we learn about the scheming Grinch who has a heart that’s two sizes too small and his plan to take Christmas away from the holiday-loving Whos, the residents of Whoville.
As a whole, this playful hour-and-thirty-minute, intermission-free show is perfect for the entire family. Kudos goes to Karl for his fantastic portrayal of the hairy, green Grinch. His performance alone is worth the price of the ticket. His nimbleness on stage reminded me of the animated special and his poses come from the pages of the original book.
The show’s dialogue remains true to the rhyming and tongue-twisting style of Dr. Seuss. The duet between Old and Young Max singing “This Time of Year” and the Grinch’s solo, “One Of a Kind” is something you shouldn’t miss.
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