Theater review: Fear not, for ‘Leonardo!’ is one adorable monster movie
“Leonardo!” is a theater piece, but it’s also something like attending the taping of a TV show.
Before becoming a successful writer and illustrator of children’s books, Mo Willems lived on “Sesame Street.” He won Emmys for his writing there, later saying that a puppet could make even a mediocre script seem pretty funny.
After finding the kids’ book bestseller lists with such series as “The Pigeon” and “Elephant and Piggie,” Willems is sort of back where he started, with puppets, video and simple animation — and a far-from-mediocre script.
Leah Casey, Karly Gesine Bergmann and Kevin Michael Wesson in the Minnesota premiere of “Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster,” created by Manual Cinema, which will run from Jan. 8 – March 9, 2025 at Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis. (Glen Stubbe / Children’s Theatre Company)Those are the elements within “Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster.” It’s a creation of Manual Cinema, a Chicago group that’s a combination of theater company and video production team. The troupe has taken two of Willems’ books, “Leonardo, the Terrible Monster” and “Sam, the Most Scaredy-Cat Kid in the Whole World”, and adapted them into a totally delightful 45 minutes of theater that’s currently bringing ample warmth to Children’s Theatre Company’s street-level space.
Yes, “Leonardo!” is a theater piece, but it’s also something like attending the taping of a TV show. Manual Cinema uses video cameras, old-fashioned overhead projectors, puppets, paper and some very clever synth-pop-style songs to tell this story, projecting the finished product onto a screen above the stage while the audience is in on the magic trick.
So, if the story doesn’t engage you, you can always admire the artistry of these combination actors/animators/puppeteers as they glide from one onstage station to the next, executing pinpoint timing as they swoop beneath the camera’s gaze and pull a puppet, prop or set piece into view and give voice to a character.
It’s one of those rare works for young children that has enough witty wordplay with adult-level references to make the grownups laugh out loud. And its music and message are so tenderly delivered as to provide needed comfort to those of any age.
The theme of “Leonardo!” feels like a timely one: Fear. Fresh from a starring role in our latest election campaigns, it’s the raison d’etre of the furry green monster, Leonardo, who feels a failure because he doesn’t seem to be able to frighten anyone. He’s mocked and bullied by other monsters, but launches a quest to find a kid predisposed to trepidation and terrify them.
The child he finds is Sam, who seems to have the requisite fear factor, but may offer Leonardo greater rewards than just the adrenaline rush of alarming someone. In the story’s second half, we meet another child, Kerry, who has the same perpetual unease as Sam and we get to watch the two gradually open up to a new friendship.
Aiding the story immeasurably are the songs of Ben Kauffman and Kyle Vegter. They’re delivered by the guitar-strumming, buoyant-voiced Lily Emerson, who provides narration and the voices of multiple characters. The music is invariably catchy, the words wonderfully whimsical. Meanwhile, Kevin Michael Wesson makes Leonardo a particularly endearing puppet. And our two human protagonists inspire sympathy when the fear-filled faces of Karly Gesine Bergmann and Leah Casey occupy most of the screen.Under the detail-driven direction of co-adaptor Sarah Fornace, “Leonardo!” hits the mark marvelously if you’re seeking the ideal theatrical outing for a child under 8 and a parent or grandparent. All should exit smiling.
Rob Hubbard can be reached at wordhub@yahoo.com.
Lily Emerson, Karly Gesine Bergmann, Kevin Michael Wesson and Leah Casey in the Minnesota premiere of “Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster,” created by Manual Cinema, which will run from Jan. 8 – March 9, 2025 at Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis. (Glen Stubbe / Children’s Theatre Company)Manual Cinema’s ‘Leonardo!’When: Through March 9
Where: Children’s Theatre Company, 2400 Third Ave. S., Mpls.
Tickets: $68-$20, available at 612-874-0400 or childrenstheatre.org
Capsule: An imaginative, warm and very fun adult-child bonding opportunity.
EXCLUSIVE Charlotte Crosby prepares to welcome her second child, and opens up about her 'hard' pregnancy and why partner Jake Ankers was left 'devastated' by the gender reveal
Read more >> : Cick here
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The blaze to the actor's longtime residence off Pacific Coast Highway comes more than two years after he died at the age of 82 on December 8, 2023.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Sam Thompson has opened up to best pal Pete Wicks about his shock split from former Made In Chelsea co-star Zara McDermott after five years
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
EXC: MailOnline can reveal that Maura is set to add to her vast empire as it can be revealed she will return to the US as host of the American version of the Love Island spin-off show, Aftersun.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Aubrey Plaza’s husband, Jeff Baena, and more celebrities who Hollywood lost and mourned in 2025
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were heavily criticised by a Hollywood celeb after their appearance in LA.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Follow Mail Sport's live blog for the latest score, and game-by-game updates as Nick Kyrgios and Novak Djokovic get their Australian Open campaigns underway.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Kat Dennings recently opened up about appearing in the beloved HBO series Sex and the City as a teenager.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
BTS's Jungkook once took a flight that an ARMY was the stewardess for and she had nothing but praise for the maknae angel.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Wildfires have killed at least 24 people in Los Angeles
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Twitter (X), Inc. was an American social media company based in San Francisco, California, which operated and was named for its flagship social media network prior to its rebrand as X. In addition to Twitter, the company previously operated the Vine short video app and Periscope livestreaming service
Twitter (X) is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 619 million monthly active users worldwide. One of the most exciting features of Twitter (X) is the ability to see what topics are trending in real-time. Twitter trends are a fascinating way to stay up to date on what people are talking about on the platform, and they can also be a valuable tool for businesses and individuals to stay relevant and informed. In this article, we will discuss Twitter (X) trends, how they work, and how you can use them to your advantage.
What are Twitter (X) Worldwide Trends?
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends are a list of topics that are currently being talked about on the platform and also world. The topics on this list change in real-time and are based on the volume of tweets using a particular hashtag or keyword. Twitter (X) Worldwide trends can be localized to a Worldwide country or region or can be global, depending on the topic's popularity.
How Do Twitter (X) Worldwide Trends Work?
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends are generated by an algorithm that analyzes the volume of tweets using a particular hashtag or keyword. When the algorithm detects a sudden increase in tweets using a specific hashtag or keyword, it considers that topic to be trending.
Once a topic is identified as trending, it is added to the list of Twitter (X) Worldwide trends. The topics on this list are ranked based on their popularity, with the most popular topics appearing at the top of the list.
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends can be filtered by location or category, allowing users to see what topics are trending in their area or in a particular industry. Additionally, users can click on a trending topic to see all of the tweets using that hashtag or keyword.