How Grinch Stole Christmas Tickets

Dr. Seuss' classic Christmas story How the Grinch Stole Christmas, has been an absolute holiday essential among children and grownup alike, featuring hit favorites Welcome, Christmas and You're a Mean One, Grinch. In this beautiful heart-warming tale, the Grinch discovers the true Christmas spirit, its celebration and festivities, by learning how much more there is to it than just presents. Max the dog, his only companion, narrates as the scheming mean Grinch, whose heart is famously 'two sizes too small', plots to take away Christmas from the always-too-happy, cheerful and bouncing lot of Whoville known as the Whos. With Timothy Mason's book and lyrics, Mel Marvin's original score, and John DeLuca's choreography, the seasonal musical adaption has been an essential part of holiday celebration since its debut in 1994. How the Grinch Stole Christmas tickets are a delightful must-have among parents and children.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas centers on the grouchy, bitter, cave-dwelling Mr. Grinch whose heart is just 'two sizes too small', and he lives with his unloved dog Max, on the high steep Mount Crumpit close to Whoville. The latter is home to the warm-hearted, merry family of Whos. From atop his mountain, the Grinch can hear all the noise from Whoville, where people are excited over Christmas festivities, annoying him endlessly. To put an end to all their chirpiness, Mr. Grinch ploys to slip into their town and take away all their dinners, presents, and decorations as a way of stopping Christmas from happening. Only his little plan backfires, so that he learns a lesson that changes him forever with a much bigger heart.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas musical was debuted at the Children Theatre Company's main stage in Minneapolis, after being exclusively adapted from Dr Suess' book. This original production was staged again in 1995 as well as 1998, both times being performed before sold-out houses. It was then played at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre, where it has been staged every Christmas season since 1998. This initial production, directed by Jack O'Brien, featured tracks from the TV special that comprised of music by Albert Hague with lyrics by Seuss. In the Christmas season of 2007, three more songs were added to the production and its subsequent Broadway staging including This Time of the Year, Fah Who Doraze and It Is the Thought That Counts. These were also made part of the television animation.

The musical was next staged at Broadway by James Sanna's Running Subway, where it was directed by Matt August and conceived and created by Jack O'Brien. The production first opened at Foxwoods theatre in November 2006 as a Christmas season special, closing in following January. This production has been noted for marking the first musical on Broadway that ran twelve performances in a week, in addition to which, it topped all grosses at the Broadway's Box Office, finally crossing over Wicked's hundred weeks' consecutive top-grossing. These initial Broadway productions featured Patrick Page as The Grinch, John Cullum as Old Max, Rusty Ross as Young Max, Nicole Bocchi and Caroline London as Cindy Lou Who, and Jan Neubergeras Grandma Who.

In 2008, a brief tour took off during Christmas season, which began in Baltimore's Hippodrome in November and ended in Boston's Citi Performance Art Center Wang Theatre. This show was directed by Matt August alongside original choreographer John DeLuca with co-choreographer Bob Richard. The cast comprised of Stefan Karl as Grinch, Andrew Keenan-Bolger playing Young Max, and Walter Charles portraying Old Max. In 2009, the musical was performed at California's Pantages Theatre where it between November and December. Starting in 2010, a North American tour produced the show across Omaha, Tempe, Toronto, Houston and Dallas, a year after which it was performed over Pittsburgh, Providence, St. Louis, San Francisco and Atlanta, featuring cast Stefan Karl, Bob Lauder, Seth Bazacas, Brance Cornelius and Serena Brook. The performance has now become a traditional holiday favorite in many of these regions, with hits like Santa For a Day, and One of a Kind. Watch this bedtime story come to life with this season's How the Grinch Stole Christmas tickets.