Review: HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! THE MUSICAL is Stealing Our Hearts at Broadway Sacramento

It came after Christmas, bringing with it good cheer. It even brought Whos and Max the Reindeer. A trailer it pulled, full of sets and bright dresses. Whoville, wrapped presents, and sky-high coiffed tresses. A makeup designer and green fur hairdresser, the Grinch couldn’t wait to sing out and impress her! In true Grinchy fashion, he didn’t take pity on any of the kiddos in our River City. He plotted and schemed and watched his greed grow until the curtain came up on Broadway Sacramento. Yes, my friends, you’ve read that right! Tonight, and the next night, and a night after that, How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical will steal your hearts in two seconds flat.

As a child growing up, I waited breathlessly all year for certain shows to come on television. Before DVDs, VCRs, and streaming, we had one chance every 365 days to see the classics. One of those was the animated 1966 version of Dr. Seuss’ “How The Grinch Stole Christmas.” My enjoyment of this musical stems, in large part, from the nostalgia I experienced. The two best songs of the show come from that original cartoon: “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and “Welcome, Christmas,” which I finally had the idea to Google the lyrics for. “Fah who foraze! Dah who doraze!” the Whos sing enthusiastically, as if it makes perfect sense to anyone who hears their Christmas tidings. I can appreciate that it’s all part of the holiday charm, but the Grinch, who can hear the Whos all the way from his mountaintop, cannot. That is, until he is confronted by young Cindy Lou Who as he is stripping every house in Whoville of their Christmas trimmings.

 My night’s Cindy Lou Who was adorably played by Aerina DeBoer, whose bubbly optimism and infectious joy could believably make the Grinch’s heart grow exponentially (which it does visibly, much to the audience’s delight). The story is narrated by Old Max the dog, a James Earl Jones in canine form. W. Scott Stewart has the honor of playing that role, and I don’t think anyone could do it better. His rendition of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” is deliciously reminiscent of Thurl Ravenscroft’s version in the animated special. What about the Grinch himself? Joshua Woodie is Grinchiness personified. Naughty, self-absorbed, engaging, and utterly hilarious, Woodie uses everything in Santa’s sack to get laughs and interaction from a very appreciative crowd.

How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical is an entertaining reimagining of a beloved classic, with effects to enthrall the whole family and nostalgia galore. It plays at Broadway Sacramento through December 31st. Tickets may be purchased online at BroadwaySacramento.com, by phone at (916) 557-1999, or at the Box Office at 1419 H Street in Sacramento.

Photo credit: Jeremy Daniel

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