Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical

Comments (0) By Margaret Downing Thursday, Dec 2 2010

The classic story of redemption, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical, is coming to the Hobby Center just in time for Thanksgiving. "This is a book, a story that everyone knows," says Bob Lauder, who plays Old Max the Dog in the Theatre Under the Stars production. "The grinch is a sour, unhappy soul who finally understands the true meaning of Christmas - which is all about being with your family." Lauder isn't just vying for laughs from the kids as he jumps around the stage, but as the narrator, he channels the essence of Theodor Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss. "When I talk to the audience, I relax a little bit. Old Max is kind of an echo of Theodor Geisel, Dr. Seuss."

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Lauder points out that many of his lines in the show come straight from the book. As the dog, Lauder isn't the star of the show, but he does get to sing the big song in the show: "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch." He even leads a sing-along later (the audience usually has the first verse nailed, but when they trot out the second, it gets a little iffier, Lauder says). 7:30 p.m. Thursday November 25. Through December 5. The Hobby Center, 800 Bagby. For a full schedule, call 713-558-8887 or visit www.tuts.com. $24 to $94.

To see a video interview with the Grinch (actor Stefan Karl in character and full make-up), click here.

To read an interview with actor Bob Lauder who plays Old Max the Dog, click here.
Tuesdays-Sundays. Starts: Nov. 24. Continues through Dec. 5, 2010