Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! opened to mostly positive audience reaction in Milwaukee, only 12 years after the grumpy green fellow first appeared on Broadway. The Grinch has had a somewhat checkered career, coming out only at Christmas in various parts of the country. It opened on Broadway in 2006 at the Foxwoods Theater (now renamed the Lyric), where it made enough of an impression to make an appearance the following year at the St. James Theater. However, due to a Local One stagehand strike that year, the show ended up playing only 11 performances.
Like Christmas itself, The Grinch seems to surface every holiday season, appearing on limited tours just as the snow begins to fall. This year, Milwaukee audiences got their turn to be dazzled by the fantastical Who costumes, the magical stagecraft that causes it to snow indoors, and the spirited Whos who never forget the true meaning of Christmas.
For better or worse, the title character is present almost the whole time. He sings a bunch of forgettable tunes while obsessing about spoiling the Whos’ holiday festivities. Phillip Huffman makes about as good a Grinch as anyone could wish, snarling and sniping and accompanied in crime by his little dog, Max (Jared Starkey). (As miserable as the Grinch is to watch, one can’t help but feel sorry for the eager, adventurous and friendly Max.)
The story begins with a new character, “Old Max,” far fatter and grayer than his younger self, who reminisces about his days spent at the top of a nearby mountain, where the Grinch made his home. As Old Max, W. Scott Steward is as warm and lovable as Burl Ives. Plus, he gets to sing the best song in the show, “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.” If this sounds like something right out of the 1966 Chuck Jones animated TV special, you’d be right. The other musical highlight is sung by tot-sized Cindy-Lou Who (Fiona Quinn in some performances, alternating with Lily Tamburo). Her sweet, heartbreaking “Santa for a Day” even gets under the hairy green hide of the hideous Grinch. In fact, it’s the genuine innocence of Cindy-Lou that opens the Grinch’s heart (“it grew three sizes that day,” according to the late Dr. Seuss).
One wishes to report that holiday spirit bubbled over with joyful abandon during the performance. But in truth, most adults (sans children) could save a lot of money by watching the animated, 30-minute version. Stretching the story to 90 minutes—with only the slim Dr. Seuss volume for material—leads to some kiddies wiggling in the seats. With ticket prices going far above what most kids’ allowances can afford, the younger generation deserves a show far better than The Grinch.
