After stuffing myself with a fat plate of Thanksgiving leftovers, I made my way over to Theater Wit for the Who’s Holiday! opening show. The show kicks off with a grand entrance of a much older Cindy Lou Who in a dinky trailer home. Cindy gets comfortable with the crowd and even offers a famous Chicago drink as she takes you back in time. She retells the childhood story of her and the Grinch, and also shares the untold stories of her adult life with R-rated commentary and endless rhyme.
After her introduction and drinks are poured, Cindy shares her plans for hosting a Christmas party that evening with some famous Dr. Seuss friends. As her friends flake out on her party, she takes you back in time with her life’s stories. Cindy’s monologue carries you beyond her childhood as you journey through her memories of her bizarre relationship with the Grinch, her struggles with her family, and her adjustment to a not-so cheery lifestyle. Her life story takes a turn for the worst when cops are called, and she finds herself behind bars. Something none of our inner-child selves could have imagined.
Who’s Holiday! directed by Christopher Pazdernik is now in its third outing and continues to draw in large crowds. The comedy by Matthew Lombardo is bawdy and full of holiday and Grinch themed references. Many people in the crowd were filled with laughter and enjoyed the twists and turns of Cindy’s life story.
The show has just one actress, Veronica Garza who plays the 40-year-old Cindy Lou Who. Garza does an outstanding job playing Cindy and never misses a beat. She is captivating, hilarious and has fun engaging with the crowd. She brings the character to life with unclassy mannerisms and a trailer park twang in her speech. She captures her emotions as they rollercoaster through eagerness, sadness, and Christmas cheer. Trailer park Cindy feels like your long lost childhood friend, someone you can totally let loose with.
Despite having a rough life and a few more years under her belt, Cindy still has amazing hair. The wig, makeup and costume design were all on point. Her blonde hair is fabulous and is pinned up with Christmas colored bows that match her red dress. She also has beautiful makeup that aligned with the holiday theme. Not to mention the eye-catching sparkly Crocs and ruffled white ankle socks.
The first thing I noticed when entering the theater was the decked-out trailer home covered in Christmas decor. It looked like an old 70s shack on wheels with red, green, and white accents along with twinkling lights and tinsel garland. The set was perfect for the show. It was cozy and gave an intimate look into Cindy’s trailer park life.
Something that totally shocked me was the music. A Christmas show isn’t complete without a few Christmas songs, and I have to say this Cindy Lou Who delivered. In one of her songs, she breaks out into a hilarious rap about her parents’ disapproval of their “Green Son-in-Law”. It was an impressive performance with a smooth holiday flow. Later on, Cindy wowed the crowd with a beautiful performance of a sad song of her past traumas. After each song she sang, the crowd filled the air with clapping, cheering, and even snapping.
Following this show, I will probably never look at The Grinch Story the same. However, I did enjoy a good laugh and holiday cheer. If you’re looking for some raunchy comedy, a Christmas-themed cocktail and love the Grinch, I recommend checking out Who’s Holiday. Just make sure to leave the kids at home. The show is playing at Theater Wit located in the Lakeview Neighborhood at 1229 W Belmont Ave. Showtimes continue from November 25-December 30th, at 7 p.m. The show runs for about 60 minutes with no intermission. Tickets are $39-$48. Purchase tickets at theaterwit.org or call the Theater Wit box office, (773) 975-8150.
