Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical will be presented at the Straz Center’s Morsani Hall Nov. 12-17. The musical draws on the children’s book, published 67 years ago on Oct. 12, and also on the 1966 animated special, which featured songs such as “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.”
Author Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel has said the Grinch was inspired by his own holiday spirit being overwhelmed by sorrow and cynicism. Here we salute the good doctor by adapting his writing style to tell how he came to create the Grinch.
Theodor Geisel declared
“It’s all rot!”
Most people liked Christmas
But Theo did not.
Commercialization made
Him hopping mad
While his dear wife’s illnesses
Made him feel sad.
“It’s all about money
And my wife had a stroke.
This ‘spirit of Christmas’
Is just a sick joke.”
The mirror was watching
These thoughts fill his head
And decided to show him
To what they had led.
“Your smile’s disappeared
And your mood is quite dour.
Take a look at yourself.
Your expression’s quite sour.”
He stared at the mirror
And was taken aback
Staring straight back at him
Was a woeful sad sack.
“That creature’s not me!
It’s a beast or a witch!
That ugly green face
Could make anyone flinch!”
So off to his typewriter
Theodor went
To capture the creature
And put him in print
The thing was as mean
As old Scrooge was miserly
For a name, he chose Grinch and thought
“That will do nicerly.”
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Is a book for the ages
And Theo felt joy
As he leafed through its pages
The holiday spirit
Once again filled his heart
When the old Grinch appears now
He knows it’s the start
Of another sweet season
The most wonderful time
Theo cast out his Grinch
With the power of rhyme
So don’t let the holidays
Bring your heart down
It’s easy to do
So much bad going ‘round
Dr. Seuss helps us
With the holidays cope
If the Grinch was redeemed
For us there’s still hope.