BWW Reviews: HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS – THE MUSICAL: An Early Christmas Gift for Your Family

Your heart will grow three sizes with the spirit of Christmas as the Grinch steals your imagination in this fanciful, musical adaption of How the Grinch Stole Christmas!  The pages of the beloved children's tale come to life immersing the audience into the world of Whoville and the magic of Dr. Seuss.  Geared for children and featuring audience participation, this playful hour-and-thirty-minute intermission free show is perfect for the family.

In case you've never read the Seuss classic, Grinch is the tale of a bitter, cat-like creature who tries to ruin Christmas for all the residents of Whoville.  Along with his faithful dog Max, the Grinch departs on an escapade of burglary but is surprised to learn he cannot steal the Who's Christmas spirit by stealing their presents. 

The musical is at its best when it remains true to the original work.  The show's dialogue maintains the rhyming and tongue-twisting style of Dr. Seuss allowing it to perfectly blend with passages from the original story.  The featured songs from the animated adaption, "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" and "Welcome Christmas" are the highlights of the score.  From the original music I especially enjoyed the duet between Old and Young Max, "This Time of Year," and the Grinch's solo, "One Of a Kind", but the rest of the music is often dull.

However, the song "It's The Thought That Counts" was particularly troubling to me.  The number features the adults of Whoville chasing Christmas sales and coveting new store items.  Even though they do stop to mention "but it is the thought that counts," the acknowledgement does not feel genuine given the rest of the song's lyrics and staging.  Sure, the song is a comment on modern society (as is Dr. Seuss's whole book), but I have never thought of the Who's as that materialistic making the song feel out of place and not in the spirit of the original work.

The unique set is a tribute to Dr. Seuss's original illustrations with most pieces having the feeling they were quickly drawn on a paper backstage.  The set concept is a wonderful balance between simplicity and the impressive staging we expect from quality touring shows giving Grinch-The Musical a fresh feeling and a style unlike any other.  I also enjoyed the black outline detail of all the props to keep with the illustrated feel and the special effect of the Grinch flying down the mountain in his sleigh is quite convincing.

Stefan Karl is absolutely fantastic in the role of the hairy, green Grinch as he tackles the daunting challenge of bringing to life a character with so many preconceptions.  His performance truly steals the show.  His nimbleness as he lurks around the stage reminded me of the animated special and his stylistic posing is reminiscent of the pages of the original book.  Even as he stays true to the character he still is able to make the Grinch his own through mannerisms and vocal inflections that provide depth.   

A native of Iceland, Karl started playing the Grinch as a seasonal role in 2007 and did his first national tour in 2008.  However, your children will know Karl best as Robbie Rotten from Nickelodeon's TV show, "Lazy Town." 

The other standout performance was Brooke Boyd as Cindy-Lou Who, the child who melts the heart of the Grinch.  The actress has a lot of acting and vocal talent for such a young age and charisma which shines like a beacon from the stage. 

The show is narrated by an elder version of the Grinch's dog, Max.  Old Max is played by Bob Lauder (first national tour of Titanic, A New Musical) who delivers a great rendition of "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch."  Young Max is played by Seth Bazacas (Seussical (The Cat in the Hat)) who also provides a spunky portrayal of the young dog.

Grinch-The Musical made its debut in 1994 with the Minneapolis Children's Theatre Company.  In 1998 the show opened at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre and has run every Christmas since.  The Grinch stole Broadway box office attendance records for two consecutive years during its limited holiday engagements at the Hilton (2006) and the St. James (2007) theatres. 

Grinch-The Musical runs through Dec 5, 2010 at the Hobby Center.  Tickets (starting at $24) are available on-line at www.TUTS.com, by phone at 713-558-TUTS (8887), outside the Houston area at 888-558-3882, or in person at the TUTS Box Office (800 Bagby at Walker, Mon-Fri 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat-Sun 11 a.m.-4 p.m.)  An audio described performance is available Sunday, December 5 at 2 p.m. and open captioning Sunday, December 5 at 7:30 p.m. 

Photo Credit: Paul Kolnik

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