THE GRINCH WHO STOLE CHRISTMAS
By Dr. Seuss
Characters:
Narrator
Grinch
Max, his Dog
Cindy Lou Who
Lou Who
Betty Lou Who
Mayor of Whoville
Assistant to Mayor
Clerk
Shopper
Sue Who
Drew Who
Police Man
Echoe
Whos
SCENE 1: INTRODUCTION TO WHOVILLE - DAY
LOU
(carrying an armload of presents) Got a snoozle
phone for your brother Drew. And a snoozle phone
for your sister Sue.
BETTY LOU
A muncle for your uncle; A fant for your aunt; and
fampa for your cousin Leon. So we just need...
(looks around for Cindy)
CLERK
Sale on aisle three!
SHOPPER
Excuse me.
LOU
Cindy? Cindy Lou?(excusing way through crowd to
get to Cindy Lou) Merry Christmas, Merry
Christmas. Cindy Lou?
CINDY LOU WHO
Dad? (hiding behind an armfull of boxes)
At Rise: Who's come out on stage and mingle
around shopping and chatting. hustle and bustle.
NARRATOR: Annie Bearden
Inside a snow flake like the one on your sleeve
There happened a story you must see to believe
Way up in the mountains in the high range of
Pontoos
Lay the small town of Whoville--the home of the
Whos!
NARRATOR: Nicolas Farmer
Ask any who and they'll have this to say
"there's no place like Whoville around Christmas
Day."
Every window was flocked, every lamppost was
dressed
And the Whoville Band marched in their Christmasy best.
NARRATOR: Kate
Arbor Day was fine and Easter was pleasant and
every St. Fizzes Day they ate a fizz pheasant.
But every Who knew from their 12 toes to their
snout
They loved Christmas the most without a single
Who doubt.
LOU
Yeah?
CINDY LOU WHO
Doesn't this seem a bit much?
LOU
This is what Christmas is all about!
BETTY LOU
Can't you feel it.
SHOPPER
Another minute closer to Christmas! (sound effect bell dongs)
SALES CLERK
For the next five minutes only, 99% off. (people
rush to store)
LOU
Boy, nothings beats Christmas, right?
CINDY LOU WHO
I guess.
1 BETTY LOU
You guess?
CINDY LOU WHO
Well, it's just I look around at you and Mom and
everyone getting all kerbobbled. Doesn't this seem
superfluous!
SUE
And we were like NOOOOOOOO! (stumbles on
the floor and backs up quickly on hands and feed like a crab walk)
LOU
Saw who?
SUE
(Running in interupting) Dad! Dad! We saw him!
DREW
HHe was horrible!
NARRATOR: Camila
Every Who down in Who-ville Liked Christmas a lot
But the Grinch, who lived just north of Who-ville, did
NOT!
BETTY LOU
Who was horrible?
SUE
He was awful!
LOU
Saw who?
LOU
Who was awful?
DREW
We were in the woods looking for a Christmas tree
when out of nowhere....
DREW
It was the GRINCH!!
SUE
Yea and he was like GRRRRRRR!
(crowd screaming and everything comes to a
hault.)
DREW
Yea, and we were like AHHHHHHHH!
MAYOR
Did someone just say, "Grinch"?
LOU
Saw Who?
DREW
(said growling) And he was like EEEEEEEEEE!
LOU
Hello, Mayor May-Who, sir.
MAYOR
(sighs) Lou? I don't need to remind you that this
Christmas marks the one thousandth Whobilation.
(crowd gasps and covers mouths)
SUE
And we were like EEEEEEEKKKK!
BETTY LOU
Saw who?
DREW
(runs across stage with hands clawed up over
head) And he was like AAAAAAAA!
ASSISTANT
Whoville's most important celebration!
MAYOR
And the book of Who-says, uh, very clearly- ''Every
size of Who we can measure knows that
Whobilation is a time we must treasure.'' Now,
Please tell me that your boys were not out in the
woods provoking the one creature within a billion
bilometers of here- who hates Christmas!
2 SUE AND DREW
But it was the Grinch!
LOU
No, no, no, no, sir. The boys didn't see any Grinch.
(boys babbling) They just—I think they were out in
the woods playing with matches or defacing public
property or—
MAYOR
(sighs) Oh, well. That's a-- That's a relief. Alright,
you heard the man: there's no Grinch problem
here. (relieved chattering from crowd as they
disperse. Lou Family is left on stage.)
CINDY LOU WHO
Dad, I just don't understand something. Why won't
anyone talk about the Grinch?
LOU
You kids and the Grinch! You see, Cindy, the
Grinch is a Who who always. Actually, not a Who;
he's-he's more of a…
DREW
All you need to know is AHHHHHHHHHH!
CINDY LOU WHO
But why? Why does he hate Christmas so much?
Something must of happened to make him be this
way, right?
SUE
Who cares! He's a freak and no one wants him
around. Why are you so interested anyway?
DREW
Look Sue! She’s turning green!
SUE
Shes turning into one! That would explain why your
not into presents like the rest of Whoville!
DREW
She's been hiding among us all this time! Maybe as
a spy!
SUE
Your real name is Grinchet!
CINDY LOU WHO
A what?
BETTY LOU
Exactly, honey. And he's a What who doesn't like
Christmas.
DREW
Whats a what that doesn't like Christmas?
(The boys and their friends start Chanting "Cindy is
a Grinchet" over and over and exit)
CINDY LOU WHO
(Trying to yell over them) I am not turning green! I
am not a grinchet! I know there is something more
to Christmas than presents and I'll prove it to you!
“Where are You, Christmas”
LOU
Exactly! See honey? You'll understand when your
older. (walks away)
SUE
Whats he talking about?
CINDY LOU WHO
The Grinch. Can you tell me about him? Do you
know why he hates Christmas?
Where are you Christmas
Why can't I find you
Why have you gone away
Where is the laughter
You used to bring me
Why can't I hear music play
My world is changing
I'm rearranging
Does that mean Christmas changes too
3 Where are you Christmas
Do you remember
The one you used to know
I'm not the same one
See what the time's done
Is that why you have let me go
GRINCH (continued)
I'm not talking to you anymore. In fact, I'm going to
whisper so that by the time my voice reverberates
off the walls and gets back to me I won't be
able to hear it!
ECHO
NARRATOR: Cayley
Cindy Lou had some questions in
her curious heart.
Why did the Grinch hate Christmas? Where did it
all start?
With her dad's blabbacorder, she wouldn't give an
inch.
You're an idiot!
GRINCH
(begins to eat an onion) Am I just eating because
I'm bored? Get the stick, Max! Get the
stick. (chuckles) Well, you better go catch
it! (laughs)
SCENE 2: Home of the Grinch
MAX
Bark! (max runs off chasing invisible stick) Bark!
GRINCH
(Grinch and Max Returning to Lair with bags that
say (toxic waste) Whoo! Uck! What's that stench?
It's fantastic!
GRINCH
There's no stick! (laughs. Hears the singing)
Nutcrackers? I can here them all the way down
there. (jumps up) It's their Whobilation—
MAX
Bark
GRINCH
Don't worry, We'll go back for the rest. Of course
when I say ''we,''....I mean ''you.'' (looking
through bags) It's amazing what these Whos can
throw away. Oh, well. One man's toxic sludge is
another man's potpourri.
MAX
Barks
GRINCH
I don't know. It's some kind of soap. (sits in his
chair and grabs a bottle out of the bag and
bites down on it sound effect - glass cruching) Mm.
Excellent year. I'll tell you, Max. I don't know why I
ever leave this place. I've got all the company I
need-right here. (yells) ello! (echoing hello) How
are you? (echoing how are you?) I asked you first.
(echoing I asked you first) Oh, that's really mature,
saying exactly what I say. (echoes) I'm an
idiot! (echos You're an idiot!) (softly) All right, fine.
NARRATOR: Noah
The Grinch hated Christmas! The whole Christmas
season!
Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the
reason.
NARRATOR: Julia
It could be, perhaps that his shoes were too tight.
It could be his head wasn't screwed on just right.
NARRATOR: Clarissa
But I think that the most likely reason of all
May have been that his heart was two sizes too
small.
GRINCH
(looking at his heart) Yes! Down a size and a half.
And this time, I'll keep it off.
NARRATOR: Lucas
So, whatever the reason, his heart or his shoes
he stood outside his cave, hating the Whos.
Alphabetically.
4 GRINCH
''Aadvarkian AbakenezerWho.'' I...hate you! Aaron
B. Benson Who, I hate you. Hate, hate, hate. Hate,
hate, hate. Double hate.
Loathe entirely!
CROWD
Huh?! The Grinch? The Grinch? The Grinch?
MAYOR
My, my, my. What an altruistic daughter you have
there, Lou!
SCENE 3. WHOVILLE - DAY
LOU
Singing: Whobilation,
CINDY LOU WHO
Dad?
LOU
Yeah?
CINDY LOU WHO
I've been thinking about the whobilation.
LOU
Uh-huh?
CINDY LOU WHO
And I may do something drastic.
LOU
That's fine, dear. Ask your mother.
CINDY LOU WHO
Where did she go?
Thank you.
MAYOR
Cindy! Let me-uh-quote a verse from The Book of
Who. Thank you. Ah, "the term 'grinchy' shall apply
when Christmas Spirit is in short supply." Now, I
ask you: does that sound like our Holiday
Cheermeister?
CINDY LOU WHO
True, Mr. May-Who. But The book of Who says this
too: ''No matter how different a Who may appear he
will always be welcomed with holiday cheer."
MAYOR
Whoa. Yes, well, th-the Book also says the, uh-''The award cannot go—to the Grinch, because
sometimes things get the lead pipe cinch."
CINDY LOU WHO
You made that up! It doesn't say that.
CROWD
BETTY LOU WHO
Honey! Honey. Hi! Ooh. Look, I just found the
cutest light for my Christmas display. Hurry up,
we're gonna be late. Come on.
Huh?
MAYOR
No, no, no it does.
(crowd applauds)
CINDY LOU WHO
What page?
MAYOR
And now the nominations: for that Who among us
who best typifies the qualities of Who-dom and
Who-dery-the Whoville Holiday Cheermeister!
(cheering) Do I hear a nomination?
CINDY LOU WHO
I nominate the Grinch! (silence)
MAYOR
Uh, oops! Lost my, uh my-my place, but it's-It's in
here!
CINDY LOU WHO
But the Book does say, ''The Cheermeister is the
one who deserves a back slap or a toast. And it
5 CINDY LOU WHO (continued)
goes to the soul at Christmas who needs it most."
And I believe that soul is the Grinch. And if you're
the Whos I hope you are, you will too.
CROWD
She's right! (cheering)
MAYOR
Fine. Fine. Y-you people want to waste a perfectly
good nomination, why, it's up to you. But I am
telling you the Grinch will never come down.
ASSISTANT
And when he doesn't, the Mayor will wear the
crown.
MAYOR
Well, more or less.
SCENE 4. GRINCH'S LAIR - NIGHT
GRINCH
Hello, little girl. How dare you enter the Grinch's
Lair! The impudence! The audacity! The
unmitigated gall! You've called down the thunder,
now get ready-for the boom! Gaze into the face of
fear.
CINDY LOU WHO
Mr. Grinch, my name is Cindy Lou Who.
GRINCH
You see, even now the terror is welling up inside
you.
CINDY LOU WHO
I'm not scared.
GRINCH
Denial is to be expected in the face of pure
evil. (roaring)
CINDY LOU WHO
I don't think so.
(background music of who's celebrating)
GRINCH
(holding his ears screaming) Blast this Christmas
music! It's joyful and triumphant. Must drown them
out! (bangs head with symbols) Not working!
(Cindy begins climbing up to the Grinch’s lair)
NARRATOR: Joey
The whipperwinds whipped high above the Who
town.
A trip or a slip You'd slide all the way down.
NARRATOR: Rhead
But this girl had a mission. She knew what to do.
She'd invite the Grinch herself that brave Cindy
Lou.
CINDY LOU WHO
Mr. Grinch? (knocks) Mr. Grinch? Hello? Excuse
me.
GRINCH
Doubt? Another unmistakable sign of the heebiejeebies! Now you're doomed! (screaming
and shrieking) Run for your life before I kill again!
I'm a psycho! (growling) Danger! Danger!
CINDY LOU WHO
Um, maybe you need a time-out. (giggles)
GRINCH
(turns to crowd) Kids today. So desensitized by
movies and television. (yells) What do you want?
CINDY LOU WHO
Mr. Grinch? I came to invite you to be Holiday
Cheermeister.
GRINCH
Un, "holiday Whoobie-what-y"?
CINDY LOU WHO
(laughs) Cheermeister.
6 GRINCH
Huh? "Cheermeister--Celebrate with friends.''
(laughing) That's a good one.
CINDY LOU WHO
I guess. So if you come-
CINDY LOU WHO
I know you hate Christmas but what if it's all just a
misunderstanding?
GRINCH
A town-full of losers! I like it. Was anyone
emotionally shattered? Come on, a minute ago I
couldn't shut you up! Details! Details!
GRINCH
(turning away) Don't care.
CINDY LOU WHO
Well, the Mayor wasn't too happy.
CINDY LOU WHO
(following the grinch) I mean, I myself am having
some yuletide doubts. But maybe if you can reunite
with the Whos and be a part of Christmas-
GRINCH
(mock sad) Oh, that’’s too bad!
GRINCH
"Maybe if you can reunite with the Whos and be a
part of Christmas" GROW UP!
CINDY LOU WHO
Then maybe it'll be all right for me, too!
GRINCH
I'm sorry. Your session is over. Please make
another appointment with the receptionist on the
way out!
CINDY LOU WHO
Please, please. You have to accept the award.
GRINCH
(gasps) Award? You never mentioned an award.
CINDY LOU WHO
Yeah, with a trophy and everything!
GRINCH
And I won?
CINDY LOU WHO
You won!
GRINCH
That means there were losers.
CINDY LOU WHO
So, will you come?
GRINCH
Oh, all right. I don't know if it's that adorable
twinkle in your eye or that noncomformist streak
that reminds me of a younger, less hairy me.
But you've convinced me. Who knows? This
Whobilation could change my entire outlook on life!
CINDY LOU WHO
Really?
GRINCH
Ummmm. No! (pulls trap door and she disapears
giggling and screaming. Watching her skip home)
The nerve of those Whos, inviting me down there
on such short notice. Even if I wanted to go, my
schedule wouldn't allow it! "4:00, wallow in self-pity.
4:30, stare into the abyss. 5:00, solve world
hunger... Tell no one. 5:30, Jazzercise. 6:30, dinner
with me.'' I can't cancel that again.7:00, wrestle with
my self-loathing.'' I'm booked. Of course, if Iumped
the loathing to 9:00, I could still be done in
time to lay in bed, stare at the ceiling and slip
slowly into madness. But what would I wear? If I
can't find something nice to wear I'm not going! All
right. I'll swing by for a minute, and allow them to
envy me, grab a handful of popcorn shrimp and
blow out of there. But what if it's a cruel prank?
How dare they? All right, I'll go. But I'll be
fashionably late. No. Yes. No. Yes-- No! (sucks in
breath) Definitely not! All right. I've made my
7 GRINCH (Continued)
decision. I'm going, and that's that. Ah. Had my
fingers crossed. Maybe I should flip a coin!
SCENE 5. WHOVILLE - NIGHT
CROWD
(gasps)
GRINCH
Hot crowd. Hot crowd. I believe I'm here to accept
an award of some kind? And the child mentioned a
check?
(Crowd cheering)
CINDY LOU WHO
MAYOR
Well, it's time for our Holiday Cheermeister of the
Year Award!
(Crowd cheering)
MAYOR
Congratulations, Mr. Grinch! (Gasping) Oh, He isn't
here! What? He didn't show? Oh! Who could have
predicted this?
ASSISTANT
That's right! A man for who Christmas comes, not
once a year, but every minute of every day. A
handsome, noble man. A man who's had his tonsils
removed twice.
MAYOR
That's an interesting story. You see, what
happened was- (rumbling)
GRINCH
Hello, Whos.
No, I didn't.
GRINCH
All right, then. Give me the award. Come on, while
I'm young!
MAYOR
And now it's time for the moment we've all been
waiting for.
GRINCH
Ah, yes! My award. (whispers) Write the check.
MAYOR
There is no check.
GRINCH
Are you sure? Because I really thought I heard
someone mention a check.
MAYOR
I said, there's no check. But before we present the
award, each who-kid gets to tell you was gift they
want for Christmas.
CINDY LOU WHO
He made it!
LOU
Cindy, wha-wha-BETTY LOU WHO
Honey!
CROWD
(lots of gasping)
GRINCH
(This makes him boil!) Of course they are. That's
what it's all about, isn't it? (laughing) That's what it's
always been about! Gifts! Gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts.
You wanna know what happens to your gifts? I find
them all in your garbage. You see what I'm saying?
In your garbage!
CROWD
(chattering)
GRINCH
Lu8 GRINCH
This whole Christmas season is...stupid, stupid,
stupid! (Grinch does something to cause havac and
leaves.)
MAYOR
Lou? I'm hurt, Lou. I'm hurt, and I don't hurt easily.
But you and your-your family-- I'm so—so
disappointed. Can't we get back to Christmas the
way it should be? Grinch-less? Merry Christmas!
CROWD
(cheering)
CINDY LOU WHO
I just wanted everybody to be together for
Christmas.
GRINCH
And they'll feast, feast, feast, feast! They'll eat their
Who-pudding and rare Who roast beast!
But there's something I just cannot stand in the
least.
Oh, no. I'm speaking in rhyme! Aah!!! Blast you,
Whos! (sobbing)
NARRATOR: Liam
And the more the Grinch thought about what
Christmas would bring, the more the Grinch
thought—
GRINCH
I must stop this whole thing. Why, for year after
year I've put up with it now!
I must stop this Christmas from coming! But how?
(gasps) I mean, in what way? Aah!
MAX
SCENE 6. GRINCH'S LAIR - NIGHT
Whines
GRINCH
(bells jingling) I quite enjoyed that. I hope I get
another invite soon. Hee-hee-hee-hee! Ha-ha-haha! (overhearing celebration from
whoville) Suffering snorkelblatz! They're
relentless! (over hearing from whoville)
GRINCH
Wrong-o! If you're not going to help me, then you
might as well-- (gets ready to kick the dog. Max
cowers)
NARRATOR: Lyndsey
Yes, the Grinch knew tomorrow all the Who girls
and boys
Would wake bright and early and rush for their toys.
GRINCH
And then, oh, the noise! Oh, the noise, noise,
noise, noise!
They'll bang on tong-tinglers. They'll blow their flooflounders.
They'll crash on jang-jinjglers and bounce on bongbounders!
NARRATOR: Leilani
Then Whos young and old would side down to a
feast and they'll feast and they'll feast.
NARRATOR: Allie
Then he got an idea. An awful idea. The Grinch got
a wonderful awful idea.
GRINCH
I know just what to do.
NARRATOR: Annie Nelson
The Grinch laughed in his throat
GRINCH
Ha!
NARRATOR: Cadell
What if he had a Santy Claus hat and a coat. And
he chuckled and clucked at this great Grinchy trick.
GRINCH
If I have a coat and a hat, I'll look just like St. Nick.
Fat boy should be finishing up
anytime now. Talk about a recluse. He only comes
9 GRINCH (Continued)
out once a year, and he never catches any flak for
it! Probably lives up there to avoid the taxes.
Oopsie. Forgot about the reindeer.
NARRATOR: Camila
Did that stop the old Grinch? No! The Grinch simply
said—
GRINCH
If I can't find a reindeer-- I'll make one instead. Oh,
Max!
NARRATOR: Cayley
So he called his dog Max--and he took some red
thread and tied a big horn on top of his head.
YOU’RE A MEAN ONE MR. GRINCH
You’re a mean one Mr. Grinch
You really are a heel.
You're as cuddly as a cactus,
And as charming as an eel,
Mr. Grinch!
You're a bad banana,
With a greasy black peel!
You're a monster, Mr. Grinch!
Your heart's an empty hole.
Your brain is full of spiders.
You've got garlic in your soul,
Mr. Grinch!
I wouldn't touch you
With a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole!
You're a vile one, Mr. Grinch!
You have termites in your smile.
You have all the tender sweetness
Of a seasick crocodile,
Mr. Grinch!
Given the choice between the two of you,
I'd take the seasick crocodile!
You're a foul one, Mr. Grinch!
You're a nasty, wasty skunk!
Your heart is full of unwashed socks.
Your soul is full of gunk,
Mr. Grinch!
The three words that best describe you
Are as follows, and I quote,
"Stink, stank, stunk!"
You're a rotter, Mr. Grinch!
You're the king of sinful sots!
Your heart's a dead tomato,
Splotched with moldy, purple spots,
Mr. Grinch!
Your soul is an apalling dump-heap,
Overflowing with the most disgraceful
assortment of deplorable rubbish imaginable,
Mangled-up in tangled-up knots!
You nauseate me, Mr. Grinch!
With a nauseous super naus!
You're a crooked jerky jockey,
And you drive a crooked hoss,
Mr. Grinch!
You're a three-decker sauerkraut
and toadstool sandwich,
With arsenic sauce!
GRINCH
All right. You're a reindeer. Oh wait something is
missing. (puts on red nose) There! Now(starts the
sled) That feels good. (laughs) Here goes nothing
hot dog! (laughs) Wow! This is nuts! On rasher! On
Thrasher! On Vomit and Blitzkrieg! AAHH! We're
going to die! We're going to die! I'm going to throw
up and then I'm going to die. Mommy, tell it to stop!
(laughing) Whew! Ha! Almost lost my cool there.
SCENE 7. LOU'S HOUSE - NIGHT
NARRATOR: Kate
All their windows were dark. Quiet snow filled the
air.
All the Whos were all dreaming sweet dreams
without care—
when he came to the first little house on the square.
GRINCH
Welcome to Whoville, Max. Come on, Max. It's our
first stop.
NARRATOR: Noah
The old Grinchy Claus hummed and hissed
and he climbed to the roof, empty bags in his fist.
10 NARRATOR: Lucas
He'd slide down the chimney, a rather tight pinch.
But if Santa could do it, then so could the Grinch.
He got stuck only once, for a moment or two.
GRINCH
Blasted water weight! Goes right to my hips.
(grunts) Ow! Gee!
NARRATOR: Allie
He cleaned out that ice box as quick as a flash.
Why, that Grinch, he even took their last can of
Who-hash.
NARRATOR: Lyndsey
Then he stuffed all the food up the chimney with
glee.
NARRATOR: Julia
Then he stuck his head out of the fire place flue.
GRINCH
And now--
GRINCH
Shh! A little more stealth, please.
NARRATOR: Clarissa
(whispering) Where the little Who stockings all
hung in a row.
GRINCH
These stockings—
NARRATOR: Clarissa
NARRATOR: Lyndsey
Grinned the Grinch-GRINCH
I'll stuff up the tree.
NARRATOR: Cadell
And the Grinch grabbed the tree, and he started to
shove
when he heard a small sound like the coo of a
dove.
He grinned—
CINDY LOU WHO
GRINCH
Are the first thing to go.
Excuse me.
GRINCH
Eee!
(GRINCH THROWS PRESENTS AND SUCH TO
MAX WHO BAGS THEM)
NARRATOR: Joey
Then he slunk to the ice box.
GRINCH
Slunk? Eee.
NARRATOR: Joey
He eyed the Whos' feast. He took the Whopudding. He took the roast beast.
NARRATOR: Liam
The Grinch had been caught by this tiny Who
daughter
Who'd got out of bed for a cup of cold water.
CINDY LOU WHO
Santa Claus? What are you doing with our tree?
NARRATOR: Leilani
But you know, that old Grinch was so smart and so
slick,
He thought up a lie and he thought it up quick.
GRINCH
Hike!
GRINCH
Why, my sweet little tot.
11 NARRATOR: Rachel
The fake Santa Claus lied.
GRINCH
There's a light on this tree that won't light on one
side. (breaks the ligth) So I'm taking it home to my
workshop, my dear. (laughing)
CINDY LOU WHO
(giggling)
GRINCH
(laughing) I'll fix it up there and I'll bring it back
here.
CINDY LOU WHO
Santa, what's Christmas really about?
GRINCH
Vengeance! Errrr I mean...presents...I suppose.
CINDY LOU WHO
I was afraid of that.
NARRATOR: Quincey
And his fib fooled the child. Then he patted her
head,
and he got her a drink and he sent her to bed.
CINDY LOU WHO
(pauses looking down at the ground) Santa?
GRINCH
What?
CINDY LOU WHO
"If you see the Grinch, could you give him this for
me( reaches into pocket and pulls out an onion
with a note reading To: Grinch, Love: CindyLou)
I've been wishing for his heart. They say it got hurt.
I know he's mean and hairy and smelly. But I
think he's actually kind of—sweet.
(Grinch looks at present, shrugs shoulders, puts in
pocket.)
GRINCH
Sweet? You think he's sweet?
CINDY LOU WHO
Merry Christmas, Santa.
GRINCH
Eee!
NARRATOR: Chanel
And when Cindy Lou went up with her cup.
GRINCH
(touched by cindy) Nice kid. (face changes to evil)
Bad judge of character.
NARRATOR: Rhead
He went to the chimney and stuff the tree up. And
the last thing he took was the log for their fire.
On their walls he left nothing but some hooks and
some wire.
NARRATOR: Annie Nelson
And the one speck of food that he'd left
in the house
Was a crumb that was even too small for a mouse.
NARRATOR: Annie Bearden
Then he slithered and slunk, with a smile most
unpleasant
Around each Who home, and he took every
present.
Three thousand feet up, up the side of Mt. Crumpit,
He rode withhis load to the tiptop to dump it.
GRINCH
Yah! Whoa! We did it! We did it! We did it! That
wasn't so bad, was it, Max? They'll be waking up
now. And I know just what they will do. All those
Whos down in Whoville will all cry Boo-hoo
SCENE 8. WHOVILLE - DAY
(Whos running around talking about thier stuff
being stolen)
POLICEMAN
What an embarrassment! I've been robbed! Mayor
May-Who? Oh, dear.
12 CROWD
MAYOR
Well, I wonder who could've done this. Tell you
people one thing: Invite the Grinch, destroy
Christmas. Invite the Grinch, destroy Christmas!
But did anyone listen to me?
ASSISTANT
I did.
MAYOR
No! You choose to listen to a little not-to-be-takenseriously girl who hasn't even grown into her nose
yet. Cindy, I hope you're very proud of what you've
done.
LOU
If she isn't, I am. I'm glad he took our presents.
MAYOR
What?
Merry Christmas!
MAYOR
Oh, give me a break.
CROWD
Merry Christmas!
SCENE 9. GRINCH'S LAIR - DAY
GRINCH
Now for the final note in my symphony of down
right nasty not-niceness! The crescendo of my
odious opus! Yes! (grunting) Oh, the wailing and
gnashing of teeth. The bellowing of the bitterly
bummed out! It'll be like music to my ears! (faint
singing)
LOU
I-- Well, I-- I'm glad.
NARRATOR: Noah
Then the Grinch heard a sound rising over the
snow.
It started in low, then it started to grow.
MAYOR
He's glad. You're glad. You're glad everything is-is
gone. You're glad that the Grinch virtually wrecked-No, no, no, not wrecked-- pulverized Christmas. Is
that what I'm hearing from you, Lou?
Huh? Huh?
LOU
You can't hurt Christmas, Mr. Mayor because it isn't
about the-the gifts or the contests or the fancy
lights. That-that's
what Cindy's been trying to tell everyone. And me.
She's been trying to tell me… including the Grinch.
MAYOR
What is wrong with you? This is a child.
LOU
She's my child. And she happens to be right, by the
way. I don't need anything more for Christmas than
what is right here. Merry Christmas everybody!
GRINCH
NARRATOR: Annie Bearden
But the sound wasn't sad. Why, this sounded
merry. But it was merry. Very.
Every Who down in Whoville, the tall and the
small, were singing without any presents at all.
He hadn't stopped Christmas from coming. It came.
GRINCH
Somehow or other, it came just the same!
NARRATOR: Allie
And the Grinch, with his Grinch feet ice-cold in the
snow stood puzzling and puzzling.
GRINCH
How could it be so? It came without ribbons! It
came without tags!
13 GRINCH (Continued)
It came without packages, boxes or bags!
NARRATOR: Kate
And he puzzled and puzzled—till his puzzler was
sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something—he hadn't
before.
GRINCH
Maybe Christmas—
NARRATOR: Kate
He thought—
GRINCH
Doesn't come from a store.
Maybe Christmas—perhaps--means a quite a bit
more. Aah! Oh! Aah! Aah! (shuddering and
groaning) Max! Help me! I'm--feeling!
(Max cocks his head to the side and whines )
NARRATOR: Cayley
And what happened then--Well, in Whoville they
say
that the Grinch's small heart...grew 3 sizes that
day.
GRINCH
(sobbing) What's happening to me? I'm
all--toasty inside. And I'm leaking. Oh Max. I love
ya! (crying)
(Max comes up and licks him in the face)
GRINCH
All right, that's enough. Knock it off. Beat it! Get out
of here! One step at a time. Huh? Let’s go bring
back Christmas! (to Whos)
Merry Christmas, one and all!
CROWD
Merry Christmas, oh!?
POLICEMAN
All right. What do we have here?
GRINCH
You got me, Officer! I did it! I'm the Grinch that
stole Christmas. And I'm--sorry.
CROWD
Awww...
GRINCH
Aren't you going to cuff me? Put me in a choke
hold? Blind me with pepper spray?
MAYOR
You heard him, Officer. He admitted it. I'd go with
the pepper spray.
POLICEMAN
Yes, I heard him, all right. He said he was sorry.
Besides, it looks like everything is all here and
accounted for.
MAYOR
Help me out here, people?
GRINCH
(laughs while saying) Hmm? No hard feelings?
Cheer up, dude. It's Christmas.
CINDY LOU WHO
Merry Christmas, Mr. Grinch. (touches cheek) Your
cheek's so-GRINCH
I know. Hairy?
CINDY LOU WHO
No.
GRINCH
Greasy? Stinky? Do I have a zit?
CINDY LOU WHO
No. Warm.
NARRATOR: Joey
So he brought back the toys and the food for the
feast.
And he—he himself, the Grinch--carved the roast
beast.
14 GRINCH
Yeah!
“Where are You, Christmas”
Christmas is here
Everywhere, oh
Christmas is here
If you care, oh
If there is love in your heart and your mind
You will feel like Christmas all the time
I feel you Christmas
I know I've found you
You never fade away
The joy of Christmas
Stays here inside us
Fills each and every heart with love
Where are you Christmas
Fills your heart with love
THE END 15