Insider Beat: Lexis Trechak spreads holiday cheer with 'Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical'

For Lexis Trechak, stepping back into the whimsical world of Whoville feels like a homecoming. After a year-long recovery from an ACL and meniscus injury, the committed performer is reclaiming her role as Betty Lou Who in "Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical" at the State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick. 

"I was so excited, because this year I had an injury, which pretty much took me out of performing for the whole year," Trechak shared. "I really needed that ... I'm very grateful to be here and to be back in Whoville."

Returning to the stage after such a significant injury wasn't easy, but Trechak approached the challenge with determination. Having performed the role of Betty previously, she was already familiar with the choreography, which allowed her to prepare during her months of physical therapy. 

"I knew exactly what choreography I was going to be doing ... so I feel like for the most part, I really didn't have to adjust anything," she explained. "During the rehearsal process, I had to tweak one thing, but aside from that I was pretty good."

Betty, who is the mother of Cindy Lou Who in the live-action, Jim Carrey, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" adaptation, takes on a different role in this musical. Here, they're one of the lively children of Whoville — and a cousin to Cindy.

Trechak's portrayal captures Betty's playful, childlike energy, which shines in her favorite scenes. One of them being a pivotal moment involving the ensemble.

"I think the show, overall, is just so magical. The end, I think, is my favorite, when the Grinch finally is able to say the word Christmas and realize everything that happened, and the only person that can get to him is Cindy Lou," she shared. "And we have a beautiful set. We have just a beautiful production team, and in that moment, it starts snowing on stage. That's one of my favorite moments."

Trechak's connection to Dr. Seuss runs deep — not just from growing up with classics like "Green Eggs and Ham" and "The Cat in the Hat", but from her very first performance as a child. In "Seussical", she took on the role of the Elephant Bird, sharing the stage with her father, who played Horton. It's truly a unique, full-circle moment.

Betty is just one of many standout roles Trechak has performed, but she admits this production carries a deep personal connection and marks a milestone for her. 

"It's given me a lot of firsts. This is my first national tour I've ever done. This is the first show that I booked since doing this career professionally. And now here I am with another first, my first show back since tearing my ACL," she said. "So this show is very special to me, and will always have a very special place in my heart."

The production's charm extends beyond the story, with its vibrant costumes, intricate sets and lively cast. Trechak marvels at the incredible level of detail poured into every aspect of the show that brings Whoville to life. 

In her eyes, everything from the set pieces to the costumes is a wonder. It has been hard for her to pick out the best costume, but Betty's stands out. As she described, she adorns a beautiful pink puffy dress, decorated with polka dots.

But, when it came to her favorite number, that was an easy choice. "Whatchamawho" brings with it a chaotic scene, bursting with energy.

"(It's) the Grinch's nightmare about all these kids playing with toys," she said. "I get to go on a scooter ... there's a couple scooters that are flying around stage, there's someone who's in a blow-up raspberry ... we have kazoos! It's an awesome number ... It’s like playtime on stage."

But, even with all the elaborate costumes and musical numbers, the show is made special by its enduring message about the true meaning of Christmas. At its core, the story reveals that even a "big, tall, scary green man" can be touched by the kindness of two little girls, which makes for a truly "beautiful story," perfect for the holiday season.

Above all else, Trechak hopes audiences leave the theater feeling uplifted.

"I want people to come see this show, and for 90 minutes just to escape from whatever they're going through and just enjoy Christmas for the time that they're in the theater, celebrating it with us," she said.

As she wraps up her second run performing in "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical", Trechak is anticipating her next big breakthroughs. A dancer at heart, she dreams of performing in "A Chorus Line" and other dance-heavy productions. 

"(A) bucket list show of mine is 'A Chorus Line', would love to do that one. But I really do love most musicals, and I love auditioning for shows that I've never heard of because the choreography is usually the best when I don't even know the show and I'm surprised, but I'm excited to see what's next."

Reflecting on her resilient journey, she shared her gratitude for being back where she belongs.

"I'm just happy to be on stage and to be a part of this again," she said. "I think it's so cool to be able to live in a holiday world for the three months that we're on tour and to bring back that Christmas magic that you felt as a kid. I think that that is the best part of it."