Q&A with Dean Holt, Director of Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

A Message from Dean

“I love this time of year: the excitement of the first snow, traditional songs, holiday specials that spark particular memories from my childhood, and the taste and smells of foods that, for whatever reason, only come at this time of year. This show speaks of Christmases past, present, and future, and, to me, that idea carries much of the heart of the piece.

We have these strong sense memories attached to our past—people, places, things—both vivid and fuzzy but give us that warm sense of nostalgia. We allow those memories and feelings to carry us into our present, using them to build new moments with family and friends, celebrating “in the now” what we cherish from the past. All of this helps shape our exciting anticipation for Christmas, our future that will unfold as this holiday magic continues from child to adult. Throughout all of this, though, is the idea of coming together. These individual, magical moments are only magnified when we come together as family, friends, and community. Within this is our Grinch, perhaps we all know one, an isolated individual who feels alone, without community, disconnected. Through the actions of one curious little Who, Cindy-Lou, The Grinch can finally grasp what the Whos have known all along: the holiday isn’t about presents or food but about being together.”

CTC: Tell us a little bit about your personal history with Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

DH: This show was part of my inaugural season at CTC more than 30 years ago. I was just out of college and was fortunate to be in the room as this show was conceived and created, charting a path that would become a holiday tradition for so many families. I have visited Whoville many times since, each time finding something new to explore and appreciate. I have loved seeing the way the show has grown, adapted, and found new life with each production. I have so many personal memories tied to this show and the people I have shared the stage with, and I look forward to many more to come as this show keeps evolving and enjoying the tradition it has become.

CTC: This is your directorial debut. Have you always wanted to direct? Does it make you think about the show differently?

DH: Yes, I am thrilled to have this opportunity, and it is something that I’ve long been interested in. As a member of CTC’s Core Acting Company, I have enjoyed the collaborative environment of bringing our shows to the stage, playing a strong role in creating and shaping the work that we do. Taking what I’ve learned onstage to guide the production is very exciting and I think allows me the ability to access moments as a director and a performer. It doesn’t make me think differently necessarily, but I do think it allows me to look deeper into each character’s perspective and use that to craft the overall vision of the show, giving focus and clarity to the story being told.

In this year’s production, I appreciate having the trust in crafting that vision for the show from beginning to end. I also love seeing how that vision expands as we work together in the room with new voices and new ideas. The work is truly never done.

CTC: What personal touches are you excited to bring to the show as Director? What will it mean for the story of Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! now that Old Max is now making the directorial decisions?

DH: I am most excited to build on the success we have found in previous versions, allowing those moments and memories to play a part as we journey through our “present, and future, and past.” This show is ultimately a story of heart and Who-manity, it is about community and belonging, and mostly the connection we have with one another. That is what I’m excited to explore, and having Old Max access this memory, to tell this story feels like the perfect way to capture that connection.

CTC: What do you enjoy most about revisiting this show?

DH: I always love coming back to a production, it is a great gift to get a “do-over”. It allows us to sharpen moments, strengthen the story and make sure we are doing all we can to create a magical night together in the theatre. I love seeing familiar faces and meeting new ones, and I love seeing how new ideas help illuminate this story and seeing how the story feels different based on the world we are living in at the moment.

CTC: Why do you think Minnesota audiences have so much affection for this production?

DH: I think our audience loves this production because it allows them to access the story in a different way. They’ve read the book, seen the cartoon and the movies and now they have an incredibly intimate way to see the world and characters come alive right in front of them. I think they enjoy the immediacy that theater brings and the way they can participate in something both familiar and surprising. They trust CTC to give them the opportunity to jump into a world feet first as a family and not only share in that experience, but carry it with them as they walk out the door.

CTC: What Grinch character do you identify the most with and why?

DH: I can find myself in all the characters of Whoville, partly because they reflect pieces of all of us, but also because of the time I’ve spent exploring so many different perspectives in this show. I love to play Old Max, having the ability to relive and remember this story, to pull it from the wind and share it with the audience is very rewarding. I am a nostalgic and sentimental person, so getting to draw on that idea of merging past and present is very close to my heart.

CTC: Why do you think the Grinch and his story are evergreen (no pun intended) in our culture and our hearts?

DH: I think this story lives on because of its simplicity, it is understood and aspirational. We can see ourselves in these characters and this world, whether we are Grinches or Whos. It serves as a reminder of what our time together really means, regardless of which holiday you celebrate. The idea of coming together and being together as the ultimate goal. The show talks about “present and future and past” and the significance of these moments “as long as we have we”. I think these phrases are a big part of the story having the impact it does. They allow us to access our visions of the past and use them to create new traditions and memories as we move towards our futures, all the while acknowledging and embracing the time we are sharing in this exact moment together.