Leonardo

Leonardo is running at the Seattle Children's Theatre through October 17, the final stretch of its run at the Charlotte Martin Theatre. It's a production by Manual Cinema, the Chicago-based visual arts company, and it's built from Mo Willems' books Leonardo, The Terrible Monster and Sam, The Most Scaredy-Cat Kid in the Whole World. The story follows Leonardo, a green monster who isn't scary at all, and his unlikely friendship with Sam, the biggest scaredy-cat kid in the world.

What makes this one worth seeing is how it's put together. The artists create every frame live on stage: the story is projected onto a screen hanging above the stage, built in real time with cameras, hand-held puppets, paper cut-outs, and props. Hundreds of illustrated paper puppets and furry monsters bring the whole thing to life, so you're watching the show be made as much as you're watching the story unfold. It's a cinematic approach to a stage play, and it's all happening right in front of you.

Behind the scenes, the music, lyrics, and sound are by Mo Willems, and the production was co-devised and directed by Drew Dir, Sarah Fornace, and Ben Kauffman. Narrator Lily Emerson handles a lot of the heavy lifting: she voices and operates the monsters, sings the musical numbers, and plays guitar throughout. It runs about 45 minutes with no intermission and is recommended for ages 3 and up, so it's a good length for younger kids who might struggle with a full evening.

Leonardo is part of the Seattle Children's Theatre's 26/27 season, which they've framed as a collection of stories that journey across worlds, generations, and imaginations, all connected by a shared search for belonging. Tickets start at $26 when you buy online, and the show runs through October 17 at the Charlotte Martin Theatre, 201 Thomas Street.