Reed Sigmund and Harriet Spencer Photo by Glenn Stubbe Photography

Featuring a large cast in colorful costumes designed by David Kay Mickelsen, an elaborate, playful scenic design by Tom Busch including fun animated projections by Craig Gottschalk, it's easy to see why CTC has once again chosen to remount this delightful production, ideal for elementary to middle-school aged children and their grown ups. Aside from a couple of numbers from the 1966 television special, the music by Mel Marvin is not particularly memorable but charmingly sung. The book and lyrics by Timothy Mason are most successful when they are closest to the style of the source material.

One expects a fair amount of padding to create a nearly two-hour production from a half-hour long animated TV special, but director Holt keeps the action at a brisk pace. My kindergarten companion only began to get antsy once, during the Act 1 finale, the Grinch's "I'm One of a Kind" solo number. The audience sing-along to "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" is a fun re-entry to the production at the top of Act 2.

Featuring energetic turns by Autumn Ness as Mama Who and Suzie Juul as Grandma Who, and director Holt as a lived-in Old Max, the success of this production lies on the able shoulders of our Grinch. Sigmund brings specificity to his performance: He uses a wealth of vocal play on every line or vocalization, at turns shrill and piping, other times menacing and low, and flips instantly to make quick strident quips. His Grinch has rubber facial expressions and the longest tongue, which he uses to comedic or dramatic effect. Adelyn Frost and Harriet Spencer share the role of Young Max, and at the performance I saw, Spencer's Young Max was a very game sidekick to Sigmund's Grinch, with a strong singing voice and the ability to literally and figuratively catch everything the Grinch threw at her.

Grinch is a playful, vulnerable child, all id. It is his vulnerability that renders the extreme character's transformation believable. Watching his heart grow three sizes is as touching as that of the miser in another Christmas tradition across town.

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! runs through January 5, 2025, at Children's Theatre Company, 2400 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis MN. For tickets and information, please call 612-874-0400 or visit childrenstheatre.org.