Curtains Up Pagosa (CUP) is pleased to announce its fall show will be “How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the Musical”, which will be performed four times on the Pagosa Springs High School stage on the evenings of Nov. 20, 21 and 22, with an afternoon matinee on Nov. 22.
Auditions for this production will be held in the high school band room on Thursday, Sept. 18, and Friday, Sept. 19, from 6 to 9 p.m.
The audition will require candidates to present a 30- to 60-second monologue and 30- to 60-second song. A short dance number will be taught to those auditioning as part of the audition process.
All community members are invited to join this production as the cast will feature both adults and children (who should be at least 8 years old). Past CUP shows have featured performers from ages 7 to 75, thereby demonstrating this is truly community theater.
This well-known tale by Dr. Seuss, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” relates the story of the hateful and bitter Grinch, who despises Christmas and wishes to abolish it in his town of Whoville. While nobody knows why the Grinch detests Christmas so much, his dog Max believes it is because his heart is two sizes too small. As the Grinch becomes more and more annoyed with the town’s Christmas preparations, he devises a plan to steal Christmas in Whoville.
Will he succeed? Or will the citizens of Whoville overcome the Grinch’s monstrous plot? The answer will be revealed when Curtains Up Pagosa brings it alive on stage this November.
Rehearsals for our show will commence the week of Sept. 22 and usually run from 6 to 8 p.m. on weeknights during September and October. Rehearsals may run until 9 p.m. in November as we near the performance dates.
“The Grinch” will be directed by Jeannie Abbas, who recently starred as Miss Honey in CUP’s summer show, “Matilda, the Musical,” and she has also recently performed with Pagosa’s Thingamajig Theater Company. Choreography will be directed by Sophie Martinez, costumes will be designed by Elizabeth Baldwin, and the music will be performed by the Pagosa Springs Community Orchestra under the direction of Anika Borders.
As much of CUP’s essential work is behind the scenes, we also welcome those community members interested in being a crew member, as sets, costumes and backstage work require those specific skills to ensure “The Grinch” is a theatrical success. If interested, drop by one of the audition sessions or send a note to aldwell@verizon.net.
CUP looks forward to presenting a highly entertaining performance of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” this November, featuring a stage and orchestra pit full of talented Pagosa Country performers, with lively audiences cheering us on.
Come audition, act, build, play or applaud us we once again entertain and educate our community.
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