‘Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Musical’: Everything We Know About Holiday Special So Far

The holiday season may not be the same this year with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but there will still be a little bit of joy and spirit, with NBC once again staging a live musical for the holiday season. This year, they’re doubling down on the holiday spirit with their planned event-- “Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch.”

The Musical was announced during Tuesday’s episode of “The Today Show,” and now, fans of the network’s annual events—which have previously included stagings of “The Sound of Music,” “Hairspray” and “The Wiz” --are in for a new treat. Here’s everything we know about the special so far.

Air Date

According to the “Today Show,” the musical special will air on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 8 p.m. EST.

Cast

Matthew Morrison confirmed he would be starring in the special as the infamous Green character who just doesn’t have the Christmas spirit, but according to Deadline, other famous faces from the story already have actors attached to the roles.

The Grinch’s dog Max, who gets unwittingly brought into his owner’s scheme to steal Christmas from the Whos down in Whoville, will be portrayed by two actors, with Booboo Stewart (“Descendants 3”) portraying a younger version of the dog, before Denis O’Hare (“This Is Us,” “American Horror Story”) assumes the role. As for Cindy Lou Who, the young girl who helps the Grinch see things differently, she will be portrayed by a new face, Amelia Minto.

It’s unclear who will be signing the iconic song, “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” though it’s worth noting that Morrison tackled it for the first holiday special that was done on “Glee,” where he sang a modified version for the episode and accompanying album that inserts the Sue Sylvester character (portrayed by Jane Lynch) into the Grinch role.

The Story

Fans likely know the story of Dr. Seuss’ iconic holiday tale by now, as it has been adapted several times, and this version doesn’t seem likely to stray too far from the original material. The story goes that The Grinch, a lonely character, despises everything about Christmas, but unfortunately, the town just below his mountain, Whoville, loves everything about the season. After deciding he can’t simply go through with another holiday, the Grinch decides to disguise himself as Santa and goes to Whoville on Christmas Eve, stealing every present, decoration and item of food for the annual feast, with the hopes that his cruel act will dampen the spirit and keep the holiday from coming. However, the next morning, when the town still has the spirit despite his best schemes, he begins to change his tune and then brings everything back to celebrate with the Whos.

How It Is Adapting For Coronavirus

The musical still being staged is an impressive feat, with the COVID-19 Pandemic still occurring around the world, and seeing various different restrictions in play in different countries and states. However, in a video announcing the musical Morrison explained that the challenges of staging a show were being tackled head-on, as images of the cast rehearsing and all wearing masks played.

“In what has been an extremely challenging year for us all, it is an honor to bring some holiday cheer into viewers’ homes this December,” Morrison said. “My wish is to bring some Who-ville magic to this holiday season and, while the pandemic presents some challenges in bringing a stage production to life, we are excited to present a unique version of this seasonal favorite in a new creative and imaginative way.”