Karl, Charles, Keenan-Bolger and More Cast in Grinch Tour

By Andrew Gans
06 Oct 2008

Stefán Karl
Stefán Karl

Complete casting has been announced for the tour of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical, which will play Baltimore's Hippodrome Theatre Nov. 11-23 and Citi Performing Arts Center's Wang Theatre in Boston Nov. 26-Dec. 28.

Icelandic film and stage actor Stefán Karl — best known for playing Robbie Rotten on Nickelodeon's "LazyTown" — will head the cast as the Christmas-hating Grinch. He will be joined onstage by Walter Charles (Sweeney Todd, La Cage aux Folles) as Old Max and Andrew Keenan-Bolger (Spelling Bee, Ragtime tours) as Young Max with Lexie DeBlasio and Maya Goldman sharing the role of Cindy Lou.

The cast will also feature Aaron Galligan-Stierle as Papa Who, Jackie Piro Donovan as Mama Who, Stuart Zagnit as Grandpa Who, and Rosemary Loar as Grandma Who. Adult ensemble members include Andrew Arrington, Christina Day, Joseph Dellger, Janet Dickinson, Antionette Dipietropolo, Kelli Gautreau, Amy Griffin, Carly Hughes, Krista Kurtzberg, Sarah Katherine Mason, Josephine Rose Roberts, Shane Rhoades, and Jeff Skowron. Child ensemble members include Guy V. Barfield II, Albert Santiago, Kylie Liya Goldstein, Morgan Hecker, Carly Maitlin, Spencer Milford, Hallie Anne Richardson, Emily Sheppard, Terrance Thomas and Janelle Viscomi.

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! — The Musical, according to press notes, is narrated by Max the Dog, who relates "the Grinch's fiendish plan to steal Christmas from the holiday-loving Whos. However, the Grinch soon discovers there's more to Christmas than he bargained for." The show includes the songs "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" and "Welcome, Christmas," which are heard in the animated version of the Seuss classic, which is aired annually on television. Broadway composer Albert Hague (Plain and Fancy, Redhead) penned the music to the TV songs, which had lyrics by Seuss.

The creative team comprises Jack O'Brien (original production conceiver and director), Timothy Mason (book and lyrics), Mel Marvin (composer), Matt August (director), John DeLuca (original choreographer), Bob Richard (co-choreographer), John Lee Beatty (scenic designer), Pat Collins (lighting designer), Robert Morgan (costume designer), Joshua Rosenblum (musical director and vocal arranger), Acme Sound Partners (sound designer), Michael Starobin (orchestrator), David Krane (dance music arranger), Gregory Meeh (special effects designer), Angelina Avallone (makeup designer) and Thomas Augustine (hair/wig designer).

Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical is produced by Running Subway Productions with Shorenstein Hays Nederlander Theaters (SHN), EMI Music Publishing, Michael Speyer & Bernie Abrams, Dancap, Janet Pailet, Spark Productions and Eva Price/Maximum Entertainment and Associate Producer Audrey Geisel.

Tickets, priced $28-$78.00, are available by by calling (410) 547-SEAT (for Baltimore) or (866) 348-9738 (for Boston).