Leonardo and Sam* The Film!
*THE TERRIBLE MONSTER AND THE MOST SCAREDY-CAT KID IN THE WHOLE WORLD, RESPECTIVELY
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 his chance to scare the tuna salad out of an unsuspecting human? Or will it be the start of an unlikely friendship? The plot thickens when this pair meets Kerry and Frankenthaler, an even scaredier-cat and her monster friend. Kerry and Sam will need to make a big decision: will they be friends or will they be controlled by their fears?
Adapted from the beloved children’s books by Mo Willems, and realized through mind-bending puppetry, DIY cinema, music, and an original score by critically-acclaimed multimedia artists Manual Cinema, Leonardo & Sam tells the story of a monster who longs to be scary and the big decisions about identity and empathy that we all must make.
Leonardo & Sam received its world premier streaming via the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in March, 2021.
Inspired by the Books Leonardo, The Terrible Monster & Sam, The Most Scaredy-Cat Kid in the Whole World by Mo Willems
Directed by Sarah Fornace
Run time is 45 minutes.
For ages 5 and up. There are some loud sounds, flashing lights, and furry monster puppets in this show!
Mo Willems is an author, illustrator, animator, playwright, and the inaugural Kennedy Center Education Artist-in-Residence, where he collaborates in creating fun new stuff involving classical music, opera, comedy concerts, dance, painting, and digital works with the National Symphony Orchestra, Ben Folds, Yo-Yo Ma, and others.
Willems is best known for his #1 New York Times bestselling picture books, which have been awarded three Caldecott Honors (Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Knuffle Bunny, Knuffle Bunny Too), two Theodor Geisel Medals, and five Geisel Honors (The Elephant & Piggie series).
Mo’s art has been exhibited around the world, including major solo retrospectives at the High Museum (Atlanta) and the New-York Historical Society (NYC). Over the last decade, Willems has become the most produced playwright of Theater for Young Audiences in America, having written or co-written four musicals based on his books.
He began his career as a writer and animator on PBS’ Sesame Street, where he garnered six Emmy Awards (writing). Other television work includes two series on Cartoon Network: Sheep in the Big City (creator + head writer) and Codename: Kids Next Door (head writer). Mo is creating new TV projects for HBOMax, where his live action comedy special Don’t Let the Pigeon Do Storytime! currently streams.
His papers reside at Yale University’s Beinecke Library.
Images by Manual Cinema, Characters © Mo Willems
Credits
Created by Manual Cinema
Inspired by the Books Leonardo, The Terrible Monster & Sam, The Most Scaredy-Cat Kid in the Whole World by Mo Willems
Directed by Sarah Fornace
Adaptation by Sarah Fornace and Drew Dir with Ben Kauffman
Storyboards Drew Dir
Original Score & Sound Design Ben Kauffman and Kyle Vegter
Dramaturgy by Megan Alrutz
CAST
Lily Emerson (Emily, Narrator, Character Voices, Vocals)
Lindsey Noel Whiting (Giacometti)
Samuel Taylor (Fiore, Assistant Giacometti Puppeteer)
PUPPETEERS
Lizi Breit
Drew Dir
Sarah Fornace
Julia Miller
MUSIC
Ben Kauffman (Keys, Guitar)
Kyle Vegter (Keys)
DESIGN
Paper Puppet Design by Drew Dir
Giacometti Puppet Design by Lizi Breit
Set Design & Fiore Puppet by Julia Miller
Lighting Design by Andrew J. Morgan
Costume Design by Maddy Lowe
Props Design by Lizi Breit, Julia Miller
POST PRODUCTION
Sound Recording by Ben Kauffman, Charlie Malave, Kyle Vegter
Video Editing by Drew Dir, Sarah Fornace