Clearly I have a weakness for excellent musicals geared toward children, and combine that with Dr. Suess? and CHRISTMAS? Safe to say I bought my ticket in advance. This production of Dr. Suess' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! has been running at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre for twelve successive years, and apparently despite the recession it is continuing as their biggest sell of the year. Balboa Park is gorgeously decorated for Christmas and the newly renovated Plaza in front of The Globe is complete with a Suess- inspired Christmas tree. The stage is set with pieces that look like the iconic drawings just suddenly popped into 3-D.
By far my favorite part of this Christmas tradition (confession: this is the second time I've seen it) is watching the audience full of young families decked out in their holiday finest (bows, poofy dresses, and mini suits) watch the Grinch and the Whos as the story unfolds. They have no reservations about answering the little Whos on stage or shrieking in fear at the terrifying Grinch (played this year by Jeffrey Skowron). My favorite moment happened at the end, after the snow fell out over the audience, when the Whos (and newly Christmas-converted nice guy Grinch) sing their chorus of "Who likes Christmas?" and the little boy in front of me raised his hand as high as he possibly could whispering, "Me! Me!"
Me too, kid. Me too.
