Review: LEONARDO! A WONDERFUL SHOW ABOUT A TERRIBLE MONSTER at The Kennedy Center

The magic of Chicago-based Manual Cinema made a home in the Kennedy Center's Family Theater from March 28th to April 6th with their show Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster. 

The show, which is targeted toward younger theatergoers, is an adaptation of the books by Mo Willems, beloved children's author. It is presented through the wild machine of storytelling that is Manual Cinema. The stage functions as a studio—lights, cameras, sound equipment, etc.—and this "studio" is used to channel myriad art forms/mediums into one live film of sorts, projected onto a screen. For instance, one overhead projector was used to broadcast illustrated paper puppets, which, of course, evoked the source material. Another was used to cast shadows behind the main "studio" wall to create depth, etc. There were hand puppets, in a familiar form children might recognize from Sesame Street, as well as live actors, voice acting, and music. It is immensely inventive and captivating, and as typical of Manual Cinema, boundary-pushing stuff. 

These mediums were used to tell the story of Leonardo (puppeteered and voiced by Lindsey Noel Whiting), a monster who is terrible at being a monster. He wants more than anything to scare someone, like all the other monsters, but can't quite seem to do it. So, he decides to find the most scaredy-cat kid in the whole world and scare the tuna salad out of him. His search leads him to the library, where the librarian helps him find this kid in a musical number that teaches kids how great a resource their local public library is (important now more than ever). Leonardo's search leads him to Sam (Karly Gesine Bergmann, voiced by Lily Emerson), a young boy afraid of everything. After many failed attempts to scare Sam, Leonardo is finally able to confront him but finds himself urged to instead be nice to him, to comfort him. To the adults in the room, Sam presents as a kid with debilitating anxiety and perhaps as a neurodivergent individual. After seeing how scared and alone Sam feels, Leonardo decides that he may be a terrible monster but that he can be a great friend, and he and Sam become buddies. It's a sweet lesson about being kind to others, maybe even those viewed as weak or different. It also teaches young theatergoers that expectations put on you by others or labels given to you by society (i.e., Monster) may not fit you and are, perhaps, hindering you. This is where the first "book" ends. 

The second part of the show, or "book," follows Kerry (Leah Casey, voiced by Lily Emerson), the second most scaredy-cat kid in the world (on a technicality), and her monster friend, Frankenthaler. Kerry, like Sam, is paralyzed by fear of the world. To make her feel better, Frankenthaler convinces her that they should go get ice cream. At the ice cream shop, Frankenthaler and Kerry run into Sam and Leonardo. Sam and Kerry are terrified of each other and scream their lungs out. Not knowing how to help, Frankenthaler and Leonardo leave the two to their own devices. After they run out of screams to scream, Sam and Kerry find that they're similar in many ways. They also find, however, that they're different in many ways too. Regardless, they are able to bond and forge a new, exciting friendship. This part of the show shows kids that others, who may be different and scary at first, are, in many ways, just like us and potential friends. It also illustrates that it's okay if your friends or close ones are interested in things you aren't, and it's fun to support them regardless. The show ends with the two kids and their monsters all getting along and having a great time. 

The show is a musical and has recorded music accompanying Lily Emerson's vocals and guitar. Emerson is massively entertaining—she voices most of the characters in the show, and to see her speaking to herself in three different voices and then breaking into guitar and song is a real treat and quite impressive. And while Emerson may be the most forward-facing of the company (she literally sits at the front of the stage), the entire company contributes equally. One member may be manipulating paper puppets one moment, then within seconds they are puppetering a hand puppet, and then, in the next moment, performing as one of the children. It is a wonderful human machine/craft/tech machine. 

The aesthetics of the show are a delight as well. Everything feels so tactile—the textures are so discernible and engaging. A particular design choice of note is that of Kerry and Sam's hair. Their wigs seem to be made out of paper or perhaps foam, making them look almost like hand-sewn dolls (think Coraline, or It Takes Two). It all just adds to the dimension and charm of the show. 

The show is short, 45 minutes, but perfect for the intended demographic, and all together a marvel of theatre for young audiences. While Manual Cinema has sadly left the area, you can find information on their other touring performances on their website at manualcinema.com. You can also find information on The Kennedy Center's family programming on their website at kennedy-center.org.