---
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Hello everyone! Welcome to Chicago Children’s Theatre for today’s performance of
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*Leonardo! A Wonderful Show about a Terrible Monster.*
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Please turn off your cellphones and other electronic devices.
---
For information on future performances and our camps and classes, please visit our website at chicagochildrenstheatre.org.
---
Before the show begins, please join us in watching a Land Acknowledgement video.
---
[peaceful music, birds chirping]
---
[construction noises growing louder]
---
[sirens and loud city noises]
---
[noises fade, narrator speaks]
---
---
[gentle guitar strumming]
---
[quirky music playing]
---
## NARRATOR:
Chicago Children’s Theatre presents...
---
A Manual Cinema Production...
---
*Leonardo! A Wonderful Show about a Terrible Monster!*
---
Based on two books by Mo Willems.
---
Book 1:
---
Leonardo was a terrible monster. He just couldn’t scare anyone.
---
-Rawwwrrrr!
---
-D’awwww!
-JUST adorable.
---
## NARRATOR:
He didn’t have 1,642 teeth like Tony.
---
He wasn’t big like Eleanor.
---
And he wasn’t just plain weird, like Hector.
[weird noises]
---
Leonardo tried very hard to be scary...
[roars]
---
But he just wasn’t!
---
He couldn’t scare babies...
---
-RAWR!
-[baby giggles]
---
## NARRATOR:
He couldn’t scare grandmas...
---
-RAWR!
-Oh, aren’t you cute!
---
Oh, look at that little nose. Boop!
---
## NARRATOR:
He couldn’t even scare a little mouse...
---
[quiet squeaking]
---
-I love cheese... Like gouda. And provolone. And brie!
---
Uh ohhh!
---
-Booga Booga Booga!
---
-Awwwww. Mwwah! You’re adorable.
---
-I AM NOT ADORABLE!
-Umm, yes you are.
---
-YOU’RE ADORABLE!
-SO ARE YOOOOOUUU! OKAY BUH-BYE!
---
-Did you see that? Why can’t I scare anybody? Here, look at this...look, look, look. See, look.
---
[quirky music]
I’ve got these scarrrry monster horns... that are kind of small.
---
And, I’ve got these scary monster fangs! Hissss.
---
Huh. That is NOT what I thought my teeth looked like.
---
But at least I’ve got these scarrry monster eyes! Yeah. They are red and mean, and...
---
Oh no! I AM adorable.
---
Awww, this is the worst!
---
Hey, stop. Stop wagging like that, it’s too cute! [sighs]
---
But that doesn’t matter. Looks don’t matter, right? What matters are scaaarrrrrry moves!
---
I’ve been practicing this one for weeks. You’re gonna be so scared...
---
1, 2, 3... BOOGA BOOGA BOOGA!
---
Wait, you know what, I said 1, 2, 3. Let me try again and I won’t count.
---
SKIBBIDY DOP BOP AH-DOOOO!
---
Well, that was just jazz.
One more time, let me try one more time.
---
Gorgle orgle orgle!!!
---
[Thump!]
---
Hey Lily, was anybody scared?
---
## NARRATOR:
Uh, let me check. Hey audience, were you scared?
---
No, they don’t seem to be very scared.
---
-Aw, rats!
---
[menacing laughter offscreen]
---
[menacing music playing]
-Hey, Leonardo! Scare anyone lately?
---
-Um. No.
---
-I knew it! You couldn’t even scare the audience, Leo-NERD-O!
-Haha yeah, Leo-NERDO-O!
---
-[unintelligible]
---
-Sick burn, Fletcher. Yeah, you are a *terrible* monster.
---
-...and by that she means not that you are a monster who IS terrible,
---
but that you’re terrible AT BEING a monster!
---
-Thanks for clarifying, Brad.
-Sure thing, Cynthia.
---
-Yeah, you couldn’t even scare a...a little kitty-cat!
---
-[unintelligible]
---
-Haha, you said it, Fletch! Leo-nerd-o couldn’t even scare a SCAREDY-CAT!
---
[mean laughter, music fades]
---
-I could too scare a scaredy cat!! ...Maybe.
---
Maybe, if it was the most scaredy-cat kid... in the whole world!
---
## NARRATOR:
That’s when Leonardo had an idea!
---
[ding!]
[lo-fi upbeat music playing]
---
-That’s it! I’ll find the most scaredy-cat kid in the whole world... And scare the tuna-salad out of them!
---
RAWRRRR! This is great! I’m so smart. And scary...!
---
[singing] I’ll look up, down, in and out
And all around
---
For the scarediest scaredy-cat kid
In any town
---
Scared of their own shadow
[screams]
Scared of laundry machines
[screams]
---
I’ll be the most terrible monster
[roar]
That they’ve ever seen
---
[synth drum break]
---
To them I’ll be big
To them I’ll be scary
---
Big nasty teeth
Unsettingly hairy
---
To them I’ll be creepy
To them I’ll be weird
---
Big nasty claws
And a tail to be feared
---
To them I will lurk in the dark
and be scary
---
Leonardo: A True Horror Visionary!
---
[synth drums, crowd cheers]
---
[cameras shutter]
---
[music continues, bullies groan and gasp]
---
I’ll look up, down, in and out
And all around
---
For the scarediest scaredy-cat kid
[scream]
In any town
---
Scared of vibrating cell phones
Scared of lima beans
---
[kids screaming]
I’ll be the most terrible monster
that they’ve ever seen
---
[speaking] Perfect!
---
## NARRATOR:
Leonardo had the perfect plan.
---
-Yeah, the perfect plan!
---
## NARRATOR:
There was just one problem...
---
-Yeah! Just one pro- wait, what problem?
---
## NARRATOR:
Where was he going to find the most scaredy-cat kid in the whole world?
---
-Where was he going to find the most...?
---
Oh yeah, I hadn’t thought of that. Huh.
---
There must be millions of kids in the world.
And only some of them are scaredy-cats... and only ONE of them is the most scaredy-cat kid in the whole world!
---
What are the odds I am going to find THEM?
---
If only there was a place I could go for help...
---
[slide whistle]
-[ominous voice] LIBRARY.
---
-Like a store where they give you knowledge... for free...
---
-[ominous voice] LIBRARY.
---
-A place I could go for... information...
---
-[ominous voice] LIBRARY.
---
-Oh! The Public Library...! Well, OK!
-[ominous voice] LIBRARY.
---
[funky beat playing]
---
## NARRATOR:
[speaking rhythmically] Now puzzle me this. What do you do when you’re looking for a piece of information?
---
You might not even be sure exactly what you’re looking for.
---
We call that a conundrum.
---
And you might be wondering...
---
“Do I have to look for this information all by myself?
---
It seems so hard... and boring... If only there was a...”
---
## ALL
[singing] PLACE YOU COULD GO...
---
## NARRATOR
[speaking] And people who could help you find...
---
## ALL
[singing] INFORMATION...
---
## NARRATOR
[speaking] And especially if you wanted to find the scarediest-cat kid in the whole world so that you could scare the tuna salad out of them!
---
## ALL
[singing]
TUNA SALAD!
---
## NARRATOR
[singing] People, places, colors, and shapes.
Spelling and science, and outer space.
---
Things that have been, and things that never were.
The library has what you’re looking for!
---
## ALL
[singing]
Library! Find it in the library!
---
## NARRATOR
[speaking] Leonardo and the Librarian searched long into the night for the Most Scaredy-Cat Kid in the Whole World...
---
They even went to the Scaredy-Cat Electronic Database.
---
[keyboard clicks]
Who? A kid!
---
What? A scaredy-cat.
---
Where? The WHOLE world.
---
When? Now.
---
Why? To scare the tuna salad out of them... Search!
---
[dial-up screeching]
Leonardo searched until he found the perfect candidate:
---
## ALL
[harmonizing] Sam! The Most Scaredy-Cat Kid in the whole... WORLD!!!
---
[drum break]
---
-Oh. Oh. Oh....
---
AHHHHHHH!!!
---
## NARRATOR:
Sam was scared of EVERYTHING.
---
-AAAAGH!
---
[bark]
EEEK!
---
[sizzles]
AACK!
---
[rings]
WAHH!
---
[whoosh]
OOOO!
---
NUHHH...!
---
-Trick or Treat!
-Huh? AAAAAGH!
---
## NARRATOR:
-Sam was scared of ANYTHING and EVERYTHING.
---
-AAAAAAUUUGHHHHH!
---
[screaming continues]
-Perfect!
---
[kids shouting happily]
---
[creak, ominous riff]
---
-ohhhh...
[quirky music]
---
I am going to scare the tuna salad out of him!
---
[wind blows]
-AHHHH!
---
-Booga Booga Booga! Where did he go? Awww, nuts!
---
[Plop! Leo groans]
---
I... am going to scare... the tuna salad out of him!!
[slam]
---
[school bell rings]
[Sam groans]
---
[muffled] Hey! Booga Booga Booga! Let me out of here!
---
I am going to scare the-
---
[thud]
AAAUUGHH!
---
-Huh?
---
[yawns, lightswitch clicks]
---
-For real this time. I’m gonna scare the tuna salad out of him.
---
I mean, monster under the bed? This is classic! Ha ha ha!
---
## NARRATOR:
So, Leonardo snuck up on the poor, unsuspecting boy... and the monster gave it all he had!
[spooky music crescendoes]
---
-GrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAWWWWWWWWWW. RAWR! RAWR! RAWR RAWR RAWR RAWR RAWR!
---
BLAGGLE BLAGGLE... RAWR! RAWR! RAWR RAWR RAWRRRR...!
---
[panting]
---
[sad music, Sam cries]
---
I....DID IT! I did it! I finally scared the tuna salad out of somebody! High-five me, somebody high-five me! I did it!
---
-No, you didn’t!
---
-I didn’t? Then why are you crying?
---
-I’m crying because....I’m crying because...
---
[frantic off-key strumming]
Briveldy Friveldy BROTHER Wackada Rackada FIXIT
Prinkeldy Trinkeldy TOE Weebly Sneebly FRIENDS
---
Rumbledy Bumbledy TUMMY
Grackledy Spackledy Garbledoo Farbeldoo COCKATOO!
---
-Uh. What did you say?
---
[sad guitar strums]
-[singing] Why... I... am crying!
---
My mean big brother stole my action figure...
---
And then he broke it... He broke it on purpose...
---
And it was my favorite toy and I tried to fix it...
But I couldn’t...
---
and I got so mad! And I got so mad!
---
I kicked the table and I stubbed my toe...
---
On the same foot that I hurt when I accidentally slipped in the bathtub...
---
After I got soap in my eyes
Trying to wash out the bird poop
---
That my brother’s cockatoo
Pooped on my head...
---
And I have no friends...
---
And my tummy hurts...!
And my tummy hurts...!
---
[speaking] That’s why....
[silence]
---
-Oh...
---
[menacing music and laughter]
---
-Wow, Leonardo. You couldn’t even scare The Most Scaredy-Cat Kid in the Whole World?
---
-We knew you were a terrible monster, but we didn’t know you were *that* terrible, Leonardo!
---
-[unintelligible]
---
-That’s right, Fletcher! We’re going to tell everyone about this.
---
-Haha, I’m gonna tell my sister, and the mailman, and my mom’s friend Jodie...!
[mean laughter]
---
[melancholy music]
---
## NARRATOR:
That’s when Leonardo made a very big decision.
---
-Uh... Rough day?
-Yeah.
---
-There, there.
-What are you doing?
---
-I’m comforting you.
-Yeah, but... But... aren’t you a monster?
---
-Yeah, well. I’m a pretty terrible monster...
---
-You’re not TERRIBLE terrible, but... actually, yeah, you are pretty terrible at being a monster.
---
-Yeah, and if I can’t be a terrible MONSTER...
---
then maybe I can be... a... wonderful friend?
---
-A wonderful friend?
---
-A wonderful friend??
-A wonderful friend???
---
-[unintelligible]?!?!
-Yeah! Maybe I could be.
---
[lo-fi upbeat music]
---
Leonardo! A Wonderful Show about a Wonderful Friend
---
Teethy... Tall... Frightening... and Famous...
My masterful monsterly dreams always seem on... hiatus
---
Thoughtful... Warm.... Tender... Supporting...
[roars]
---
Being a good friend, it might be much more on brand for me
---
[music continues]
---
I don’t have to be flashy and creepy and weird
Or a horror visionary that’s feared
---
Maybe I could be friendly and noble and nice
Maybe being a wonderful friend will suffice
---
I get to decide...
To be a terrible monster or a wonderful friend
---
You could be a terrible monster
but why not be a wonderful friend?
---
[high-five]
---
## NARRATOR:
But that didn’t mean that Leonardo wouldn’t try to scare his friend every now and then...
---
-Booga Booga Booga Booga!
-Huh?
---
-Oogly boogly boogly! Ha ha!
-Hahaha.
---
-1, 2, 3... Booga Booga Booga Booga!
[record scratch]
---
-Please scream.
---
Aha! I did it! I scared the audience! Somebody high-five me! Someone high-five me!
---
[gasps] Somebody high-fived me!
---
-Hey, Leo!
-Yeah?
---
-Let’s play!
---
[menacing music and laughter]
-Well well well, look who’s got a new wonderful friend!
---
-Looks like the start of a beautiful new relationship to me!!
---
-[unintelligible]
---
-Yeah, good one, Fletcher!
---
-That looks kind of nice, actually.
-Yeah, I wish I had a wonderful friend.
---
-Aren’t... we wonderful friends?
-[unintelligible]
---
-Fletcher’s right. Our relationship is based on a more transactional...
---
## NARRATOR:
Hey, monsters? Sorry, but we gotta keep this moving.
---
-Sorry, Lily.
---
## NARRATOR:
That’s alright.
---
-I thought we WERE wonderful friends...
-No, I think we’re just a bunch of mean monsters...
---
-Oh....
---
## NARRATOR:
Book 2.
[thunderous steps]
---
[slurp]
-Ahhh.
---
In the Scaredy-Cat Electronic Data Base, or "SCERD", Sam was the most Scaredy-Cat Kid in the Whole World.
---
But Kerry was the SECOND most Scaredy-Cat Kid in the Whole World. On a technicality.
---
[thunder]
-Eeeek!
---
Kerry was scared of ANYTHING and EVERYTHING.
---
Eeek
---
Ahhh!
---
Scared!
---
Ooooh!
---
Uhhhh uh-uh!
---
Uh, ohhhhh!
---
[shudders]
---
[whirring]
Eeeeeeeek!!!
---
## NARRATOR:
Being the second most scaredy-cat kid in the whole world was... a lot!
---
-Ohhhh.
---
[spooky music]
---
-[silly voice] Boogety boogety boo!
---
## NARRATOR:
Frankenthaler was the second most terrible monster in the world.
---
-Heyyy.
[sniffling]
---
-Hey, Kerry.
-Oh, hi, Frankenthaler.
---
-Did I scare you this time?
-Yes.... um, absolutely.... I was terrified.
---
-Kerry, why are you crying?
-I am crying because... Because my...
---
[frantic off-key strumming]
Skrunkety Bunkety SISTER Jiggly Priggely LIZARD
Flodey Splodey FAVORITE Shoopin Whoopin DRESS
---
Trockeru Mockelru MEENA Bacharach Scrackenack NO SNACK Blooferink Dooferink FRIENDS
…and my tummy hurts!
---
-Not sure I caught all that.
---
-[singing] Why... I... am crying!
---
My big mean sister took the last piece of my jigsaw puzzle
---
and fed it to, fed it to her lizard. Her lizard!!
---
Then when I tried to play with my chemistry kit
---
[boom!]
I messed it up and everything exploded all over my favorite shirt
---
That I was going to wear for picture day
[camera clicks]
So then my mom made me wear this stupid dress.
---
This stupid dress!
---
And then Sherman and Meena
Laughed at me at school
---
So I hid in the bathroom and missed my snack time. No snacks!
---
I was hungry the rest of the day
---
And when I got home my sister had eaten all the cookies. Every last cookie!!
---
And I have no friends!!
And my tummy hurts!!!
---
[music fades]
-[speaking] That’s why.
---
-Uhhh, that sounds like a lot.
-Yeah.
---
-Want some ice cream?
-Yes!
---
-Well, then, sounds like we are going to the ice cream shop!
---
-Shop? Scary! Um. Actually...nevermind.
---
-No take backs!!. I’m gonna get mint chocolate chip... no... cookies & cream...
---
[melancholy music]
---
[bell rings]
Or maybe I'll get one of those fancy flavors like salted caramel rosemary lemon... or artisan rum raisin brulee...
---
I know! I want... vanilla!
-Me too.
---
## NARRATOR:
But then, Kerry made a particularly scary discovery!
---
[slurping]
-Huh!
---
[anxious music]
-Buh... guh... duh...
---
-Don’t worry Sam. That is just Frankenthaler. She’s nice.
---
-Don’t worry Kerry. That is just Leonardo. He’s nice.
---
## BOTH:
I’m not scared of that monster... I’m scared of that kid!
---
-EEEEEK!!!
-AAAAHH!!!!
---
-Scared!!
---
-So scared!!!
---
-I’m screaming!!
---
-I’m screaming too!!!
---
## BOTH:
We’re both screaming!!!
---
[screaming continues]
-Hi Frankenthaler.
---
-Hi Leo.
-I didn’t know you were friends with a scaredy cat?
---
-Yup. I used to be the monster in her closet but then we realized we both loved puzzles.
---
-Are you thinking what I’m thinking?
-Probably! If only they would just..
---
-Stop screaming!
-Exactly!
---
## NARRATOR:
Something had to be done.
---
## BOTH:
What?!
---
## NARRATOR:
I SAID: SOMETHING HAD TO BE DONE!
---
-I DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT LADY IS TALKING ABOUT. BUT SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE!
---
[screaming continues]
-Sam! Sam Sam Sammy! Sam!
---
[screaming continues]
-Alright Kerry, like we practiced, deep breath...
---
[Kerry stops screaming momentarily, then continues screaming]
---
## NARRATOR:
So the monsters made a very big decision...
They left!
---
[screaming stops, both panting]
---
-Leonardo?...
---
-Frankenthaler?...
---
-Figure it out!
-Good luck!
---
## NARRATOR:
Sam had no idea what to do.
---
Kerry had no idea what to do.
---
So they had that in common.
---
That’s when Sam and Kerry made a very big decision.
---
-Umm...What decision?
---
[record scratch]
-Yeah, what decision?
---
## NARRATOR:
Oh, well, you see, this is the point in the story where you two decide to become friends.
---
-Friends?
-Huh?
---
## NARRATOR:
Well, think about it. You’re both scaredy-cats... and you both like ice cream, right?
---
I bet you have a lot of other things in common too. Umm. Like... like...
---
Hey, audience! What are some things you like doing with your friends?
---
I could really use any ideas of what these two might have in common...something you like, or something you like doing, with friends. You can shout them out.
---
[the audience gives suggestions of things they like]
---
Thanks, audience! OK, Sam and Kerry, how about [audience suggestion #1]? Do you have that in common?
---
[Sam and Kerry discuss.]
---
[They decide that they do have that in common.]
---
Well, what about [audience suggestion #2]?
---
[Sam and Kerry discuss.]
---
[They decide that they do have that in common.]
---
Great! You both have things in common!
---
-Oh, wait. I got this! Sam, do you like science experiments?
---
-No thank you. Too many smelly things and explosions!
---
Oh. Uh. Do you like Cat-Man?
---
-What’s a Cat-Man?
-Oh...
---
## NARRATOR:
Well, that’s alright. Friends have some things in common, but not everything!
---
-Huh?
-Wait. What??
---
[synthy mid-tempo music]
---
## NARRATOR:
[singing] Kerry and Sam. Sam and Kerry.
It can be scary to make a friend.
---
But if you try, you might just find
You’re scared of similar things.
---
[screaming]
---
And the feelings you have aren’t all so bad,
When another kid has them too
[screaming]
---
And you might be surprised by what you find
Someone a little bit like you!
---
Kerry and Sam. Sam and Kerry.
[blech!]
---
It can get hairy when making friends.
---
[playing daintily]
Sometimes they get you, sometimes they really don’t.
---
[loud rock chord]
But differences just make us stronger...
---
And the feelings you had aren’t all just bad
When another kid has them too!
---
And you might be surprised by what you find
---
Nervous but caring
Not bad at sharing
---
Someone who sees you
Knows what you’re going through
---
-Brain Freeze!!
---
-We could get matching tattoos!
-No!
---
## NARRATOR:
They might be
A little bit like you.
[mid-tempo music continues]
---
[silence]
---
[speaking] So Sam made a very big decision… and so did Kerry…
---
-...There's just this need to overdeliver, ya know. And it’s not just coming from one monster, it’s like all of monster society...
---
-Exactly... toxic monster culture.
-You know what I mean? Hey- where did those kids go?
---
-Good question!
---
-Sam?
-Kerry?
---
-Sam?
-Kerry?
---
## NARRATOR:
The two scaredy-cats were gone!
---
-Sam!!
-Kerry?
---
[menacing music]
-Sam?
-Kerry?
---
[The monsters scream, menacing music grows louder]
---
## KIDS:
SURPRISE!!!
---
## MONSTERS:
WAAAAHHHHH!
---
## NARRATOR:
The two scaredy cats had been replaced... by two wonderful friends!
---
Of course, Leonardo and Frankenthaler were surprised...
---
-I’ve never been so scared in my entire life!
-That was so scary!
---
## NARRATOR:
...They were also DELIGHTED!
---
-That was so cool!
-I loved it!
---
-Wait, wait, wait! Let’s do it again. You come scare the tuna salad out of me!
---
[quirky upbeat music playing]
---
-Dance party!
---
Whoah, everybody's here!
---
## NARRATOR:
[singing] Feeling scary, feeling scared
Feelings can stack up into the air
---
Until they’re teethy, tall, and weird
Still they’re nothing to be feared
---
You get to decide
To be a terrible monster or a wonderful friend
---
You could be a terrible monster but why not be a wonderful friend
---
Ok, let’s all sing that last part together:
“You can be a terrible monster,
or a wonderful friend;
You can be a terrible monster,
why not be a wonderful friend!”
---
## EVERYONE:
You can be a terrible monster
Or a wonderful friend
You can be a terrible monster
Why not be a wonderful friend?
---
[music fades]
One more thing!
---
One... two... three... Booga booga booga!
---
Still got it! Lenardo: Terrible Monster and Wonderful friend!
---
[quirky music continues]
---
---
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