The holiday classic Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! has returned to the Children’s Theatre Company for its 12th run, and will be marked by opening night on Sunday, Nov 9. The show will run through Jan 5, 2024. Get your tickets here.
Batya Rose Green Hofkin, Brody Breen, Junia Morrow, and Liam Beck-O’Sullivan are four performers in this year’s production.
Hear from these four young actors on their history with theater, their relationship with the Children’s Theater Company (CTC), and their experience performing in a classic Christmas musical coming from Jewish backgrounds.
Batya Rose Green Hofkin
Sixth grader Batya Rose Green Hofkin is Cindy-Lou Who in this year’s production of Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Her excitement about the role is infectious.
“I am beyond excited about my role in Children’s Theater. For me, it’s a chance of a lifetime,” Green Hofkin said.
Green Hofkin shared about the moment she found out that she had been cast as Cindy-Lou Who.
“We were driving to school, and the casting director called my mom and put me on speaker. And the casting director said, ‘How would you like to be Cindy-Lou in How the Grinch Stole Christmas at Children’s Theatre?’ And I, I shrieked. That’s what I did, I shrieked.”
Green Hofkin’s passion for the arts is evident, as she is involved in acting, singing, dancing, and more.
“I’ve always been interested in acting, theater, and singing. It’s always been my greatest passions,” she said.
Beyond the stage, Green Hofkin still projects creativity in her interests. “I like to do fashion designing, and I like to animate and build things,” she said enthusiastically.
In school, Green Hofkin enjoys both academia and sports: “I really love math and language arts…and honestly, I think I’m just as into sports as I am arts. I love baseball, I love soccer, and ping pong,” she said, showcasing a well-rounded character.
Although the original play is largely rooted in Christmas traditions, Green Hofkin shared her appreciation for the inclusive spirit of the production: “It’s definitely a Christmas play, but this year [the director] also made it hugely just about the heartfelt message, how somebody can warm another’s heart by just caring, and that everyone can be kind no matter what.”
In the production, Green Hofkin not only brings her character to life but also finds a second family among the cast and crew.
“Honestly, the community and the environment are kind of family outside of family. I also have my best friends at Children’s Theatre, who are also very much family.”
As for her future in theater, Green Hofkin remains joyfully present in the moment.
“I’m just going to give this my all and stay in the present with it and not give up.”
Brody Breen
Tenth-grader Brody Breen joins this year’s production of How the Grinch Stole Christmas as part of the Who Ensemble. He shared the moment that sparked his interest in theater:
“I saw the touring production of Wicked, and during the show I was like, this is what I want to do,” Brody said, “I kept doing more and more theater camps, and then eventually I auditioned for a small Shakespeare theater in St. Paul called Shakespearean Youth Theater.”
His theater resume is impressively varied, demonstrating a deep engagement with both musicals and plays. When asked about his preference, Breen’s love for musicals is evident.
“There’s something so magical about everyone singing together that you don’t get in a play,” he said.
Breen shared about the audition process: “The audition itself was just a short snippet of a song, a short dance, and then a little bit of improv before we started singing,” he said.
“Then I got offered the part and I was super, super excited.”
Breen’s favorite aspect of being involved in such productions is the creative environment and collaborating with other talented individuals.
“It’s so fun to be in that room and see how the director’s mind works on the spot, and to see how all the creative team pulls everything together,” he said.
Breen shared about how this production has been a learning experience for him.
“One of the things I’ve learned is this has moved a lot faster than any full production that I’ve been in,” he said. “Even in the first rehearsal we started learning music right away, and so that at first was a little bit of a learning curve, but it ended up being a moment of growth.”
Despite being a Jewish performer in a Christmas-themed show, Breen shared about the inclusive nature of the production.
“What’s cool about it is that the director encourages all of us to bring in a little piece of our own traditions and our own stories to the show.”
“There’s something to the fact that I’ll spend almost every single night of Hanukkah in Whoville,” he said with a laugh.
Looking ahead, Breen is committed to pursuing a career in professional theater.
“I really want to go professional in theater. I want to go to school for theater and get my BFA. And then from there, obviously Broadway,” he said of his dream aspirations.
Liam Beck-O’Sullvan
Liam Beck-O’Sullivan, an 11th-grader, joins CTC’s cast as part of the Who Ensemble and the understudy of Danny Who. His journey in theater began with familial inspiration.
“I first got into acting after watching my older brother perform in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Right then, I knew I wanted to try it too,” he said.
His early experiences at a small community theater in Lakeville laid the foundation for his budding career, which has now seen him perform for three consecutive years in the seasonal favorite, How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Beck-O’Sullivan has been involved with the Children’s Theatre Company even before appearing in any productions.
“When I was younger, I loved watching their shows because it felt like you were transported into a completely different world, and being able to perform on their stage has been a dream come true,” he said.
What stands out most for Beck-O’Sullivan about being involved in theater is the camaraderie and bonds.
“My favorite part about theater is the people,” he said. “Everyone is so kind, and you end up making friends that truly feel like family. This production has been just like that, and I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of it.”
Reflecting sentiments similar to his cast-mates, Beck-O’Sullivan shared that inclusivity is at the forefront of the production.
“Children’s Theatre Company does a great job of decorating our green room for both Hanukkah and Christmas, which makes it feel very inclusive.”
Outside of theater, Beck-O’Sullivan shared his other hobbies: “I love playing guitar and going thrifting with friends,” he said.
As he looks to the future, Beck-O’Sullivan reflects on his journey in theater.
“Before I graduate high school, I’m trying to soak up as much time in the theater as possible because, while I don’t have any big plans for theater in the near future, it will always hold a special place in my life,” he said.
“Being part of theater has shaped me in so many ways, helping me grow and find confidence. I’m incredibly grateful for every person I’ve had the chance to work with and each of them has influenced me in ways I’ll never forget.”
Junia Morrow
Junia Morrow, a high school senior, is excited to join the cast of How the Grinch Stole Christmas as part of the Who Ensemble, and as understudy to Betty-Lou Who.
“I’ve been dancing all my life and that has always been the core of my love for theater,” Junia explains. Her entry into theater was a natural progression, “I come from a very theatrical family of performers who have done it in high school and later pursued it in college as well.”
Morrow touched on her history with CTC.
“My first project for them was when I was a swing in the world premiere of An American Tail. I had never worked with such driven, passionate, and kind people,” she said. This experience made CTC feel like a second family to her. “It was such a transformational moment for me as becoming an artist. I’ve been coming to CTC shows my entire life, and there is a sense of magic that the casts and crews bring to life on the stage.”
Outside of theater, Junia channels her artistic talents into photography, owning a business that focuses on headshots and theater photography.
“It’s really cool to see another element of theater from a different side. It’s such a wonderful art form,” she said.
Similarly to her castmates, Morrow’s favorite aspect of working in theater is the community.
“I love the community of people that we all create when we are all focusing on the main goal of the show. The cast and crew becomes a family, and this production in particular is getting closer and closer which makes it so much more fun to come into work and bring this Seuss story to life!”
Looking to the future, Morrow aims to continue her theatrical pursuits, currently auditioning for Musical Theater BFA programs across the country.
“It’s a scary thing jumping face first into a new world of theater, but Children’s Theater Company has taught me many skills as not just an artist, but as a human that I will bring into my next theater endeavors,” she said.
