Whether you like the Grinch or not, be sure to witness this remarkable version of Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!  The Musical.  It is a humorous and dazzling way to spend 85 minutes taking in the holiday spirit with the family.

By sticking to Dr Seuss’ imaginative vision, the beloved book springs to life onstage in a vibrant and thrilling way.  Past film adaptations have been overdone and bogged down with side stories and imagined history, but not this musical.  As an avid fan of the book and the famous 1966 animated TV special, I was thrilled to see this musical firmly faithful to Seuss’ literary vision.  Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!  The Musical expands parts of Seuss’ vision that already exists in the book for a heartwarming and interactive experience about the value of love and camaraderie.

With steadfast direction by co-directors Matt August and Bob Richard while Richard also navigates the musical’s energetic choreography, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical continues live and in person at Boch Center Wang Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts through Monday, December 23.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

From the reflective perspective of Evan Blackwell as Old Max and Chamberlin Little as Young Max who both play their parts to perfection as Narrator and character respectively, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas The Musical is a musical comedy about a Grinch who claims to hate Christmas and feels he must stop Christmas from coming…but how?

Greeting the audience with a white wreath on a red Who populated backdrop, this cheerful and interactive musical is the perfect length at 85 minutes with no intermission and brings to life the book in a way the padded film adaptations never did.  Featuring a number of catchy and heartfelt numbers weaved through its rhyming dialogue, enhancing this tale into a musical is hardly a stretch because the Whos love to sing.

Boasting three dimensional illustrated moving set pieces directly from the book, John Lee Beatty’s innovative set design include an enchanting illustrated three dimensional tree lit with glowing white and red bulbs, the Grinch’s illustrated snow covered cave and the drawn fireplace mantel with colored stockings.  It also offers glimpses of the animated classic in red and gold bulbs hanging across the ceiling adding bursts of color. 

Craig Stelzenmuller’s playful lighting often follows the action and brings sparkle to an already bright and cheerful set design.  Blue and green lights flash, glitter and move along like its own character in this wonderful tale as it also creates brief and foreboding shadows as the Grinch makes his grand entrance. 

Boasting piled high hairdos, Sarah Smith’s festive, textured and Seuss-centric costumes in red, pink, white and green form wild shapes accessorized with oversized bows, bowties and elf shoes.  However, the Grinch’s vivid green and furry costume with exacting makeup is ideal right down to his long and slender fingers. 

Occasionally frightful but more often comical with his deep and versatile baritone voice, Matt Forbes is excellent as the cool and temperamental Grinch sharing gripping and amusing scenes with Little as Max as well as endearing ones with Trinity Vittoria De Vito as angelic Cindy Lou Who.  De Vito’s chiming vocals and captivating demeanor impressively deliver the gentle and touching ballad, Santa for a Day as she interacts with Forbes with blind adoration.  Little as Young Max is devoted and lovable with an expectant grin to the Grinch’s perturbed scowl and dastardly smirk as they join together for I Hate Christmas Eve with the Whos and in a playful rendition of This Time of Year with Blackwell as Old Max.

Delivering the famous tunes you already know like Blackwell’s amazing rendition of You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch and Welcome Christmas, Mel Marvin also builds on famous excerpts from the book for original songs such as the warm Who Likes Christmas, thunderous I Hate Christmas Eve, and wild Whatamawho where the Grinch famously exclaims, ‘Oh, the noise, noise noise noise!’ 

With sing-along opportunities and thrilling special effects as Blackwell shares this classic children’s tale, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!  The Musical holds its own to the book and the famous 1966 animated TV special live onstage reflecting on all the themes of the book such as materialism, bullying, and greed with a beautiful message and holiday treat fitting for the entire family.

Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical continues live and in person at Boch Center Wang Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts through Monday, December 23.  Click here for more information and for tickets.