Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Cast and Creative Announcement

The Old Globe
announces the full cast and creative team for
the LIVE, IN-PERSON RETURN of
Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Directed by Globe Resident Artist James Vásquez and
featuring Andrew Polec as The Grinch

Rehearsals are underway for the 24th annual holiday production

Performances begin November 10 and run to December 31, 2021
with the official opening on Sunday, November 14

PHOTO EDITORS: Photos of the Globe’s Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! can be found here.

SAN DIEGO, CA (October 27, 2021) — The Old Globe announced today its full cast and creative team for the live, in-person return of Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The cast will be led by Andrew Polec as The Grinch. Polec returns to The Old Globe after his stellar performance as Berger in the 2021 summer hit production of Hair, The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical. Resident Artist James Vásquez will once again direct San Diego’s beloved holiday musical. Rehearsals are underway for the 24th annual holiday production, which will run from November 10 to December 31, with the official opening on Sunday, November 14. Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!will play on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe’s Conrad Prebys Theatre Center in San Diego’s Balboa Park. Tickets are now on sale at www.TheOldGlobe.org.

“It’s hard to imagine the holidays in San Diego without the mean, green Grinch, and so we are especially happy to welcome him back to our stage live and in person, after he sheltered in place for 20 long months on Mt. Crumpit,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “That the Grinch will be played for the first time by the extremely gifted Andrew Polec is a special joy. The company that surrounds him includes new faces and returning veterans and is bursting with talent. The 24th annual iteration of this beautiful and moving show will be better than ever.”

The Grinchfeatures a book and lyrics by Timothy Mason and music by Mel Marvin. The original production of Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! was conceived and directed by Jack O’Brien, with additional lyrics by Theodor S. Geisel, additional music by Albert Hague, and original choreography by John DeLuca.

In addition to Polec, principal cast members for Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! include Tommy Martinez as Young Max; John Treacy Egan as Old Max; and, alternating in the role of Cindy-Lou Who, Sophia Adajar (Pink Team) and Leila Manuel (Red Team).

Rounding out the cast of The Grinch are Christopher M. Ramirez as Papa Who, Ariella Kvashny as Mama Who, Larry Raben as Grandpa Who, and Bets Malone as Grandma Who; alternating the role of Annie Who are Dempsey Baker (Red Team) and Juliette Cutugno (Pink Team); alternating the role of Betty-Lou Who are Isabella Pruter (Red Team) and Maya Washington (Pink Team); alternating the role of Boo Who are Benji Katzke (Pink Team) and John Perry Wishchuk (Red Team); and alternating the role of Danny Who are Alexander Dalton (Pink Team) and Ali Nelson (Red Team).

The ensemble consists of Leo Ebanks, Kyrsten Hafso Koppman, Patricia Jewel, Corey Jones, Bibi Mama, and Lance Arthur Smith.

The swings for The Grinch are Arya Bosworth, Jacob Caltrider, Bobby Chiu, Bethany Slomka, and James Vásquez.

This season’s production features Additional Choreography by Bob Richard and Musical Direction by Elan McMahan. The Grinch creative team also includes John Lee Beatty (Scenic Design), Robert Morgan (Costume Design), Pat Collins (Lighting Design), Paul Peterson (Sound Design), Anita Ruth (Orchestrator), Joshua Rosenblum (Vocal Arrangements and Incidental Music), David Krane (Dance Music Arranger), Caparelliotis Casting (Casting), and Jess Slocum (Production Stage Manager).

Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!is a wonderful, whimsical musical based upon the classic Dr. Seuss book. Back for another incredible year, the family favorite features the songs “Santa for a Day,” “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” and “Welcome, Christmas (Fah Who Doraze),” the delightful carol from the popular animated version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Celebrate the holidays as the Old Globe Theatre is once again transformed into the snow-covered Who-ville, right down to the last can of Who-hash.

Last year, due to the pandemic, the Globe’s 23rd annual production of the Grinch was presented by the Globe on KPBS Radio in San Diego as an audio-only production.

Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!will play on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe’s Conrad Prebys Theatre Center in San Diego’s Balboa Park (1363 Old Globe Way). Performances for the seven-week limited engagement run November 10, 2021 – December 31, 2021, with the official press opening Sunday, November 14 at 4:30 p.m. The performance schedule varies; please visit www.TheOldGlobe for a full schedule. Tickets are available online at www.TheOldGlobe.org or by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE (234-5623). Regular ticket prices start at $29, and children (17 years and under) ticket prices start at $19. For additional information about Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, visit www.TheOldGlobe.org.

The Old Globe continues to prioritize the safety of its audiences, artists, and staff. All patrons who attend an event or performance at the Globe will be required to either be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and present proof of vaccination, or provide proof of the negative results of a COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of entering the theatre. For all patrons under the age of 12, whose age does not yet permit vaccination, we recommend taking a COVID-19 PCR or antigen (“rapid”) test before attending the Globe to ensure they are healthy and free of COVID-19. Masks are required at all times while indoors, regardless of testing status or age. This year for Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, all performances will welcome children ages three and up. Children under the age of three (including babes in arms) will not be admitted into the theatre.  Additional details are available here.

Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!is supported in part by production sponsors Elaine and Dave Darwin,Karen and Stuart Tanz, and Qualcomm. Free student matinees and other Grinch Children’s Initiatives are supported in part by The Binford Family,Dee Anne and Michael Canepa,the Peggy and Robert Matthews Foundation, and Random House Children’s Books. Globe Teaching Artists are supported in part by the Ann Davies Fund for Teaching Artists.

Financial support for The Old Globe is provided by The City of San Diego.

The Theodor and Audrey Geisel Fund provides leadership support for The Old Globe’s year-round activities.

Bios and photos of all participants can be found at www.TheOldGlobe.org/Press-Room.

The Tony Award–winning The Old Globe is one of the country’s leading professional not-for-profit regional theatres. Now in its 87th year, the Globe is San Diego’s flagship performing arts institution, and it serves a vibrant community with theatre as a public good. Under the leadership of Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein and the Audrey S. Geisel Managing Director Timothy J. Shields, The Old Globe produces a year-round season of 16 productions of classic, contemporary, and new works on its three Balboa Park stages, including its internationally renowned Shakespeare Festival. More than 250,000 people annually attend Globe productions and participate in the theatre’s artistic and arts engagement programs. Its nationally prominent Arts Engagement Department provides an array of participatory programs that make theatre matter to more people in neighborhoods throughout the region. Humanities programs at the Globe and around the city broaden the community’s understanding of theatre art in all its forms. The Globe also boasts a range of new play development programs with professional and community-based writers, as well as the renowned The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program. Numerous world premieres—such as 2014 Tony Award winner for Best Musical A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Bright Star, The Full Monty, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! —have been developed at The Old Globe and have gone on to highly successful runs on Broadway and at regional theatres across the country.

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