Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster
Oct 3, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Academy of Music Theatre
Get swept into a whirlwind of imagination as Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster brings Mo Willems’ books to life with vibrant puppets, colorful visuals, and playful storytelling. This inventive production by Manual Cinema invites you to see the world through a childlike lens where creativity knows no bounds.
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 this pair meets Kerry and Frankenthaler, an 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?
Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster uses hundreds of illustrated paper puppets, book pages, two-dimensional props, furry monster puppets, and songs to bring Mo Willems’ books to life. Manual Cinema wanted to re-create the experience of holding one of Mo’s book pages, which are big, bold, colorful, and full of visual rhythm, with a playful use of scale. Like all Manual Cinema productions, you’re invited to watch the big screen like a traditional movie, or to watch the artists below as they create the story in real time. (There is no wrong way to watch the show!)
SHOW DETAILS
Run time is 45 minutes.
For ages 3 and up.
There are some loud sounds, flashing lights, and furry monster puppets in this show!
Ticket prices: $12 for children ($16.24 after fees) and $20 for adults ($25.16 after fees). Card to Culture tickets available. Contact the box office at boxoffice@aomtheatre.com or by calling 413-584-9032.