Former Glee star Matthew Morrison will star in NBC’s stage production of Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Musical! , which will air on December 9. This will usher in a week when live theater will be honored with two television specials. Just one day after the premiere of The Grinch Musical! , Tina Fey will helm a special for the network titled One Night Only: The Best of Broadway .
The stage production, which will air from the Troubadour Theatre in London, features Matthew, Denis O’Hare of Big Little Lies as old Max, Booboo Stewart from Descendants 3 as young Max, and newcomer Amelia Minto of The Lost Girls as Cindy-Lou Who.
“Dr. Seuss is an indelible part of all of our lives and we’re thrilled to bring a production of The Grinch Musical! to our audience,” said Doug Vaughan, Executive Vice President, Special Programs, NBC Entertainment. “This is a perfect addition to our annual holiday program traditions and a telecast the entire family will enjoy.”
In a press release regarding the event, Matthew shared his wish for those watching the adaptation of the beloved cartoon.
“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,” said the actor. “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.”
Matthew is a veteran of several live theater productions. He made his Broadway debut in Footloose , This was followed by the role of Link Larkin in Hairspray . Matthew also appeared in the plays Finding Neverland, The Light in the Piazza , for which he received a Tony nomination, and 10 Million Miles , where he was honored with a Drama Desk Nomination, according to the release.
The beloved character of the Grinch was brought to life by Theodor Seuss Geisel otherwise known as Dr. Seuss, who originated the grumpy Mount Crumpit resident with a heart two sizes too small in his 1957 animated classic, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The reclusive Grinch plotted from his cave to steal Christmas from the Whos in Who-ville. He dressed as Santa Claus on Christmas Eve and added antlers to his dog Max, who was disguised as a reindeer, to travel to the small town to steal the Whos’ gifts and decorations. Even without all the decorations and gifts, the Whos still displayed love and kindness toward one another and this positively changed the Grinch’s attitude toward Christmas.
