TAKE ONE

HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS

 HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS

Adapted by. L. Bennett

CAST:
Narrator 1-4
Grinch
Cindy Lou Who
Mayor
Martha
Lou Lou Who
Betty Lou Who
Young Grinch
Young Martha

Young Mayor
Teacher
Clarnella
Rose
Drew Lou Who
Stu Lou Who
Christina
Storekeeper
Police Officer

K2K ADDITIONAL CAST:

Commercial Hosts
Foley Artists (sound effects)

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 HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS

PROLOGUE

Song: “Welcome Christmas”

SCENE 1

Narrator 1: Way up in the mountains was the small town of Whoville.

Narrator 2: The home of the Whos.

Narrator 3: There is no place like Whoville around Christmas Day.

Narrator 4: Every Who down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot…

Narrator 1: But the Grinch who lived just North of Whoville did not.

Narrator 3: It could be that his shoes were too tight or that his head was not screwed on
just right.

Narrator 4: But the most likely reason the Grinch hated the season may have been that
his heart was two sizes too small.

Narrator 2: While the Grinch was in his cave minding his own business, three teenagers
were on their way to his residence. (sfx walking in snow)

Drew Lou Who: They say he lives up here in a big cave!

Stu Lou Who: And only comes down when he is hungry for the taste of…Who flesh!
Christina: Stu! Don’t say that!

Stu Lou Who: You’re scared of the Grinch!

Christina: Am not!

Drew Lou Who: Look…it’s his door!

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 HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS

Narrator 3: Drew and Stu walked up to the door…they inched closer… (sfx steps to the
door)

Christina: Touch it! Touch the door!

Narrator 4: Drew and Stu looked at each other and gulped.

Narrator 1: They inched closer…

Narrator 2: And out popped a scary looking monster! (sfx dog bark)

Narrator 3: They screamed loudly and ran away – tumbling down the mountain!

Grinch: Serves them right! Those Yuletide-loving cheer mongers! So, they want to get
to know me, do they? They want to spend a little quality time with the Grinch.

Narrator 4: The Grinch grabbed his cloak (sfx cloak) and headed for Whoville. (sfx
walking in the snow)

Narrator 1: The Grinch vandalized a vehicle… (sfx scratching a car)

Narrator 2: Burped in the storekeeper’s face… (sfx burp)

Narrator 3: And then he ran and hid. (sfx running)

Storekeeper: Ahhh! My eyes! My face!

Narrator 4: Just as the storekeeper ran away, Drew and Stu came running through.
(sfx running)

Narrator 1: They had icicles all over and looked terrified.

Lou Lou Who: What happened to you guys?

Drew & Stu: It was the Grinch!

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 HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS

Narrator 2: Everyone stopped dead in their tracks.

Mayor Augustus Maywho: Did you just say…THE GRINCH?

Drew & Stu: Yes! The Grinch!

Mayor Augustus Maywho: Lou…I hope you’re not telling me your boys were on Mount
Crumpit...provoking the one creature who hates Christmas!

Lou Lou Who: No, sir. The boys did not see any Grinch…

Narrator 3: So, the Mayor yelled to his town’s folk loudly…

Mayor Augustus Maywho: So, you heard the man! There is no Grinch problem here!

Narrator 4: The Whos sighed in relief and went on about their Christmas business.

Cindy Lou Who: But dad, I don’t understand. Why doesn’t anyone talk about the Grinch?

Lou Lou Who: You see, Cindy…the Grinch is not actually a who…He is more of a What.
And he’s a What that doesn’t like Christmas.

Narrator 1: Later that day, as Cindy was helping her dad sort Christmas gifts…

Narrator 2: Cindy ran into the Grinch for the first time ever.

Cindy Lou Who: You’re the Grinch!

Narrator 3: She was so shocked; she fell into the machine and couldn’t get out. (sfx
falling)

Cindy Lou Who: Help! Help me! Help!

Narrator 4: The Grinch, who heard her cries, got her out.

Cindy Lou Who: Thank you for saving me!

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 HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS

Grinch: Saving you? Is that what you think I was doing? I merely noticed that you
were improperly packaged, my dear. Hold still!

Narrator 1: And he wrapped her up like a gift. (sfx wrapping paper)

Narrator 2: By the time she was able to unwrap herself, he was gone.

Narrator 3: She wondered if he wasn’t that bad after all…

Narrator 4: And decided to learn more about him.

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 HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS

SCENE 2

Narrator 1: She knocked on her neighbour’s door, trying to get some answers.

Cindy Lou Who: I hear you know some things about the Grinch. Where did it all start?
Why did the Grinch hate Christmas? Where did he come from?

Clarnella: He came the way all Who babies come. They drift from the sky in their own
pumbersellas. (sfx wind)

Rose: We were having our annual holiday get together. It was morning before anyone
realized he was out in the cold!

Clarnella: We knew right away that he was special.

Rose: His first Christmas, he ate our Santa plate… (sfx eating)

Clarnella: His first words were Santa…Santa “bye bye” …

Narrator 2: Cindy Lou talked to Martha May Whovier as well.

Cindy Lou Who: What was he like?

Martha May Whovier: I hardly remember him. I didn’t have time to socialize. I was far too
busy with my studies.

Narrator 3: And Cindy even talked to the Mayor.

Mayor Augustus Maywho: I think he had a crush on Martha. And Martha was my
girlfriend. (sfx flashback)

Young Mayor: You don’t have a chance with her! You’re eight years old and you have a
beard!

Young Martha: Christmas is my favourite time of year! I just love the colours. The red…the
green!

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 HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS

Young Grinch: Oh, Martha! Oh, Christmas!

Teacher: Has everyone given their gifts?

Young Grinch: I haven’t! Merry Christmas Martha May.

Teacher: Why do you have a bag on your head?

Young Mayor: Probably because he’s embarrassed by that hideous gift.

Teacher: Mr. Grinch, please take the bag off. (sfx)

Narrator 4: So, he did…

Narrator 1: But everybody laughed because he tried to shave off his beard.

Young Mayor: Look at that hack job!

Young Grinch: Stupid present! Stupid tree! I HATE CHRISTMAS!

Narrator 2: He threw the tree, kicked the gift…(sfx)

Narrator 3: And that was the last time anyone ever saw him.

Narrator 4: Cindy Lou couldn’t help but feel bad for the Grinch.

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 HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS

SCENE 3

Narrator 1: The next day, during the Whobilation, Cindy spoke up in the Grinch’s honor.

Mayor Augustus Maywho: And now, the nominations, for that Who among us who
best displays the qualities of Whodom and Wodery. Do I hear a nomination?

Cindy Lou Who: I nominate the Grinch!

Mayor Augustus Maywho: The Grinch? What an altruistic daughter you have there, Lou!

Lou Lou Who: Thank you! Cindy?

Cindy Lou Who: The book of Who says, “No matter how different a Who may appear, he
will always be welcomed with holiday cheer.”

Mayor Augustus Maywho: Yes, the book also says…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! What page?

Mayor Augustus Maywho: I lost my place. But it’s in here! (sfx page turning)

Cindy Lou Who: But the book does say: “The cheer-meister is the one who deserves
a back slap or a toast. “And it goes to the soul at Christmas who needs it most.” And I
believe that soul is the Grinch.

Storekeeper: She’s right!

Mayor Augustus Maywho: Fine. If you people want to waste a perfectly good nomination,
that’s up to you. I’m telling you, he’ll never come down.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

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 HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS

SCENE 4

Narrator 2: So, Cindy went up to the mountain to convince him herself.

Cindy Lou Who: Grinch?

Grinch: How dare you enter the Grinch’s lair! The impudence! The audacity!

Cindy Lou Who: My name is Cindy Lou Who.

Grinch: Even now the terror is welling up inside you!

Cindy Lou Who: I’m not scared.

Grinch: Doubt? Another unmistakable sign of the heebie-jeebies! Now you’re

doomed!
Run for your life!! Danger! Danger!
Cindy Lou Who: Maybe you need a time-out.

Grinch: Didn’t see that comin’.

Cindy Lou Who: Mr. Grinch, I came to invite you to be holiday cheer meister.

Grinch: That’s a good one.

Cindy Lou Who: I know you hate Christmas. But you have to accept the award!
Please!

Grinch: Award? I won?

Cindy Lou Who: Yep. And Martha Mary will be there.

Grinch: She will?

Cindy Lou Who: Yes, so will you come?

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Grinch: Let me check my schedule. 4:00, wallow in self-pity. 4:30, stare into the abyss.
5:00, solve world hunger. 5:30, jazzercise. 6:30, dinner with me. I can’t cancel that
again.

Cindy Lou Who: GRINCH!!!!

Grinch: All right! You’ve convinced me.

Narrator 4: He got all dressed up for his big award.

Narrator 1: And headed down to Whoville.

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 HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS

SCENE 5

Narrator 2: When he finally made it, the town was shocked.

Grinch: I believe I’m here to accept an award of some kind.

Mayor Augustus Maywho: Don’t you worry, you’ll get your award. But first, a little
family reunion and holiday cheer.

Narrator 3: He reunited with his caregivers, sat in the chair of cheer, judged the
pudding cook-off, joined in the Christmas conga, and beat everyone in the sack race.

Narrator 4: Finally, it was the moment for his award.

Mayor Augustus Maywho: Before your award, we have a gift for you.

Narrator 1: He opened the present and took out a shaver.

Mayor Augustus Maywho: The gift of a Christmas shave!

Narrator 2: Deep inside, the Grinch was fuming.

Mayor Augustus Maywho: And Martha May, please become Mrs. Augustus May-Who!
You’ll receive a new car! What do you say, Martha?

Martha May: Uh…uh…these gifts are quite dazzling…

Grinch: You want to know what happens to your gifts? They all come to me. In your
garbage. The whole Christmas season is stupid, stupid, stupid!!!

Narrator 3: He set the town Christmas tree on fire. (sfx)

Narrator 4: And the whole town scurried about, screaming. (sfx)

Narrator 1: While the Grinch got away, returning quickly to his lonely cave.

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 HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS

Mayor Augustus Maywho: Lou, I’m disappointed in you. You and your family.

Lou Lou Who: I’m sorry, Mayor.

Cindy: I just wanted everybody to be together for Christmas.

Narrator 2: The Whos put up a new Christmas tree and redecorated to prepare for
Christmas.

Grinch: I must stop this Christmas from coming!

Narrator 3: Then the Grinch got a wonderful, awful idea. He knew just what to do.

Narrator 4: He made a Santa Claus hat and coat. (sfx)

Narrator 1: While all the Whos were all dreaming sweet dreams without care,

Narrator 2: Mr. Grinch went to each and every house and stole their gifts.

Narrator 3: When Christmas morning came, the Whos were distraught.

Drew Lou Who: What happened to all our gifts?

Stu Lou Who: Where’d they go?

Mayor Augustus Maywho: Well, I wonder who could have done this. Invite the Grinch,
destroy Christmas. Cindy, I hope you’re very proud of what you’ve done.

Lou Lou Who: If she isn’t, I am. I’m glad he took our presents.

Mayor Augustus Maywho: Glad? You’re glad that he wrecked Christmas? Is that what I’m
hearing?

Lou Lou Who: It isn’t about the gifts. That’s what Cindy’s been trying to tell everyone. I
don’t need anything more for Christmas than this right here: My family.

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 HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS

Storekeeper: Exactly! Christmas is about family! And friends!

Betty Lou Who: That’s right. Merry Christmas everyone.

Narrator 4: The Whos started singing Christmas carols…(sfx)

Narrator 1: And the Grinch heard it all.

Grinch: Joy without presents? I didn’t ruin Christmas after all.

Narrator 2: Then the Grinch thought of something…he hadn’t before.

Grinch: Maybe…Christmas…doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps

means a little bit more. Help me! I’m…feeling!

Narrator 3: The Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day.

Cindy Lou Who: Hi Mr. Grinch!

Grinch: What are you doing here?

Cindy: I came to see you! No one should be alone on Christmas.

Narrator 4: They both travelled down to Whoville.

Grinch: Merry Christmas one and all!!!

Narrator 1: But a police officer immediately stopped the Grinch.

Police Officer: What do we have here?

Grinch: You got me, officer. I did it. I’m the Grinch who stole Christmas.

Police Officer: Well, you admitted it. That’s all we need. Everything is accounted for.

Martha May: And I have to tell you something, Mayor. I’m afraid I need to give you
back your ring. Sorry…but my heart belongs to someone else.

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Narrator 2: She looked right at the Grinch.

Martha May: Your cheek is so….

Grinch: I know…hairy?

Martha May: No.

Grinch: Greasy?

Martha May: No. Warm.

Narrator 3: The Grinch’s smile was so big, it nearly hit her in the face.

Narrator 4: And from that point forward, the Grinch lived in Whoville with the rest of the
Whos, absolutely loving the Christmas holiday.

Song: “Where Are You Christmas?”

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