Leonardo is a terrible monster. He tries so hard to be scary, but he just...isn't. Then Leonardo finds Sam, the most scaredy-cat kid in the world. Will Leonardo finally get to scare the tuna salad out of someone? Or will it be the start of an unlikely friendship? The plot thickens when Leonardo and Sam meet Kerry and Frankenthaler, and even scaredier-cat and her monster friend. Kerry and Sam need to make a big decision: Will they just be scaredy cats or can they become friends?
Direct from NYC and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival comes Leonardo! the Chicago premiere of Manual Cinema's super fun new all-ages show which features hundreds of illustrated puppets, fuzzy Muppet-style puppets, hilarious actors on live cameras, and a live music soundtrack that brings the popular books from Mo Willems to life in a show the entire family will enjoy.
I attended the opening weekend of this show, unsure of what to expect, but with the reputation Chicago Children's Theatre has for sharing quality performances with families, I did not hesitate to accept the invitation. As always, the lobby area was set up in an inviting way to engage families with activities such as coloring and shadow puppetry before and after the show. The Shadow Puppets were definitely our favorite to try, especially post-show after we just had a chance to see just how much you can do with them!
Walking into the theatre we were surprised to see a change to the usual wide arc seating arrangement and instead the seats were configured in a traditional theatre style with the seats on risers. This is because the nature of this unique performance, with the use of a large screen, makes being close to the performers less necessary BUT we did choose seats in the first row and loved being able to watch how each scene was navigated by the artists.
I personally can't recommend this show enough as it is probably one of the most unique and fun "children's" performances we have attended in a long while. Manual Cinema is now on my "must watch" list to see what else they come up with in the future too! There are a few more chances to see this show - the weekend of October 1 & 2 and October 8 & 9. Keep reading for more info to help you prepare for your own visit.
New York Times raved Leonardo! is "more like seeing a movie than attending a play...just one of this interactive production's charms," using "paper cutouts, fuzzy puppets, an energetic cast and funny songs to tell a story that is seamlessly projected onto a huge screen hanging over the stage."
In 2018 the Chicago-based Manual Cinema was named by the Chicago Tribune as "Chicago Theater Artists of the Year" and their national profile jumped again in 2021 with their shadow puppet animation sequences in the critically acclaimed horror film Candyman, produced by Jordan Peele. Manual Cinema is a multimedia artist collective known for its mind-bending fusion of shadow puppetry, video projections, DIY Cinema, green screen techniques, original music, and immersive sound.
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Leonardo! is inspired by the popular Mo Willems books, "Leonardo, The Terrible Monster" and "Sam, the Most Scaredy-Cat Kid in the Whole World" and will be at Chicago Children's Theatre on Saturdays and Sundays from September 10 until October 16, 2022.
ACCESSIBLE WEEKEND
- A sensory-friendly performance will be held at 11:30 on October 8 and October 9
- Also, Saturday, October 8 the 9:30 performance will be ASL interpreted and include Open Captions.
- Sunday, October 9 the 9:30 performance will have Open Captions.
This show is ideal for ages 3 and up and will delight audiences whether or not they have read the books but there are also plenty of easter eggs to delight Mo Willems fans! Tickets start at $25, but discounts are available through their seasonal subscription packages, or for school, party and scouting groups. Just contact boxoffice@chicagochildrenstheatre.org or call (312) 374-8835 for information.
IMPORTANT REMINDER: Chicago Children's Theatre is a "No Shushing" theatre and as many performances encourage interaction from the audience members. This is a space that was created with families first - there is ample space in the lobby to explore or relax, or even take a break if being inside the theatre is just too much at the moment. (Don't worry, monitors allow you to still see what is happening on stage from the lobby!) It is requested that audience members refrain from texting, or taking videos & photos during the performances and may be invited to step into the lobby if it disrupts the performers or audience members.
Chicago Children's Theatre (aka The Station) is housed in the former 12th District Chicago PD Station, located at 100 S Racine Ave in the West Loop neighborhood.
