Local Alum Brings Magic To The Stage This Holiday Season

MINNEAPOLIS (WJON News) -- A local college alumnus is helping bring a classic holiday tale to life this winter. Dean Holt graduated from St. John's University in 1994 and has been a mainstay at the Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis ever since. Holt is directing and starring as "Old Max" in CTC's latest production of "Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas."

It is the 13th time CTC has put on the Grinch, and the 4th year in a row. Holt says the show has a rich tradition:

"It goes back over 30 years, and we've told it many times in those years, so each time we come back, it has things that get added and developed and sort of minded for more depth and detail, and so I think the story has gotten stronger and richer as we've gone along."

Holt says their production pulls more from the original animated classic than the movies, and the audience interaction makes the story come to life. He says his inaugural season with CTC was watching the Grinch get put together for the first time, and he has come back nine times to take a part in it over the years.

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Holt says the story touches people in a deep way:

"The music, the sound, that first snowfall we have, there's so much that goes into the holidays, and we present that on stage as well, and so when people come in with that sense of anticipation and excitement, and they get met with joy and laughter but also these emotional moments, it's very satisfying and I think they leave hopefully having their heart grown three sizes larger too and that community spirit can go out into their world as well."

Holt says the CTC production is live, fun, and in your face, and a holiday tradition that can't be beat.  Children's Theatre Company's production of "Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas" runs from November 4th to January 4th, and tickets are on sale now.

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