Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Jujamcyn Theaters drop appeal, show will now play its full engagement

Variety reports that Jujamcyn Theatres will not be appealing against Judge Helen E. Freedman's injunction which forced the theatre group to stop locking out the stagehands for the children's musical Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! .

The news means that Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! can now play out its full schedule through to 6 Jan 2008 without any further interruptions.

The show was closed on 10 Nov 2007 when Local One (Broadway's stagehands union) went on strike. The producers of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! finally persuaded Local One, that since they negotiated a special contract with the union in Aug 2007, (Allowing the show to have up to 15 performances in one week, as opposed to the usual 8), that they should not be included in the current industrial dispute.

Local One agreed to resume work on the show and ordered the removal of the picket line outside St James Theatre on 19 Nov 2007, with the intention for the show to reopen on 21 Nov. However, Jujamcyn Theatres, owners of the St James Theatre, then announced that they were locking the stagehands out of St James Theatre, thus preventing the show from resuming performances.

The producers of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! went to court on Wed 21 Nov 2007, in order to force the Jujamcyn Theatres to allow the show to resume performances. The court agreed with the producers, and Jujamycn were ordered to allow the theatre to reopen.

As a result of the injunction Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! finally resumed on 23 Nov 2007, but there was always the danger that the show may have been forced to close as Jujamcyn Theatres were to appear in court on 27 Nov 2007 to seek to have the injunction lifted.

In Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! � The Musical, a Christmas hating Grinch steals all the Xmas toys and decorations from the Christmas loving Who's family, but as the musical unfolds both the Grinch and the Who's learn the true meaning of Christmas. The show includes two songs from the 1966 Grinch film: 'You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch' and 'Welcome Christmas.'

Patrick Page, who played the grumpy 'Grinch' in last year's production, returns to the role. Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! � The Musical is once again directed by Matt August.

The production also features Rusty Ross, Jan Neuberger, Janet Dickinson, Amy Griffin, Kurt Kelly, Josephine Rose Roberts and Pearl Sun.

Patrick Page's Broadway credits include playing 'Scar' in The Lion King, Brutus in Julius Caesar (2005), Lumiere in The Beauty and the Beast (1994) and The Kentucky Cycle (1993).

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! � The Musical has book and lyrics by Timothy Mason and music by Mel Marvin and and choreographed by John DeLuca.

Set design is by John Lee Beatty, with costumes by Robert Morgan, lighting by Pat Collins and sound by Acme Sound Partners.

The musical has been playing during the Christmas holidays at The Old Globe Theater in San Diego for the last 9 years.

The show is conceived and created by Jack O'Brien, and is based on the 1957 Christmas story by Dr. Seuss of the same name.

The musical is being produced on Broadway by Running Subway Prods.