Oct 17
Thu
Frankenstein

Madison, WI

Oct 19
Sat
Leonardo!

Houghton, MI

Oct 20
Sun
Frankenstein

Purchase, NY

Oct 25–Oct 27
Frankenstein

Chicago, IL

Nov 02
Sat
Leonardo!

Des Moines, IA

Leo and Ms Heberdis

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.

Premiered March, 2021

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
Sam at desk
Kerry

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


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