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January 8-March 9, 2025

Best enjoyed by Younger audiences!

Every child is different and may or may not be ready for certain elements of each production—Read more about this show’s age recommendation below!

Click here to read more

Monsters have one job and it’s to be SCARY! “Booga booga booga!” But as hard as he tries, Leonardo can’t scare even a mouse. When the other monsters laugh and make fun of him, Leonardo goes in search of the most scaredy-cat kid in the whole world to try and scare the tuna salad out of him! Nationally acclaimed theatre company Manual Cinema breathes innovative life into this beloved story (and its doubly charming sequel), using hundreds of puppets to magically create a movie before your very eyes. Will Leonardo finally become the scary monster he dreams of being? Or will he discover something even better to be?  

Created by Manual Cinema 
Inspired by the books Leonardo, The Terrible Monster and Sam, The Most Scaredy-Cat Kid in the Whole World by Mo Willems 
Commissioned by The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts with additional commissioning support from Utah Presents
Directed by Sarah Fornace 
Adaptation by Sarah Fornace and Drew Dir 
Music and Lyrics by Ben Kauffman and Kyle Vegter
Storyboards and 2D Puppet Design by Drew Dir
Hand and Rod Puppet Design by Lizi Breit
Devised by Drew Dir, Sarah Forance, and Julia Miller with Leah Casey, Lily Emerson, and Lindsey Noel Whiting


Preshow Adventures

Before all Thursday 7pm and Sunday 5pm performances (excluding previews)

Arrive early to join in on exciting pre-show activities led by CTC Teaching Artists! These activities, inspired by the themes of the upcoming performance, will begin one hour before showtime and are a great way to enhance your experience.


Autograph Night

Following all Friday 7pm performances (excluding previews)

Stay after the show to meet some of the performers you saw, and get your show program autographed!

  • Run time

    45 minutes with no intermission

  • Best enjoyed by

    Younger audiences!

  • Stage

    Cargill Stage

  • Lap Passes

    Available for children 3 years and younger

Audience Guide


At CTC, our mission is to create extraordinary theatre experiences that educate, challenge, and inspire young people and their communities. This Audience Guide is just one of the ways in which we aim to enhance your experience and further your engagement with the shows on stage. It includes a summary, context, fun facts, and activities plus details that can help you decide what’s right for your kids.

VIEW AUDIENCE GUIDE

“We are so thrilled to bring Leonardo! A Wonderful Show about a Terrible Monster to the Twin Cities. The show adapts two books by everyone’s favorite bedtime book author Mo Willems, and it tells an important story about empathy and choosing unexpected friendships. Minneapolis has such a wonderful arts scene and some of the best puppetry in the country! We always love performing here, because the audiences are smart and savvy and seem to love puppet shows! We use paper puppets, fuzzy Muppet-style puppets, live music, and video cameras to bring Mo’s books to life in front of the audience’s eyes. In every Manual Cinema show, we always show the process of making the performance, and I hope that we inspire the future generation to make their own art and tell their own stories! Also, as a parent, I am always excited to bring this show to other parents. There are jokes for all ages, and the songs are jams—I do not mind singing them 100 times.” 

Sarah Fornace, Leonardo! A Wonderful Show about a Terrible Monster Playwright and Director

2024-2025 Season


Now-January 5, 2025

Best for all ages!

UnitedHealth Group Stage

In this CTC holiday favorite, filled with music and Seussian rhymes, everyone’s favorite grouchy, green Grinch plots the greatest heist imaginable—stealing the very thing the joyful Whos love the most!  

LEARN MORE

Buy Tickets

January 8-March 9, 2025

Best for younger audiences!

Cargill Stage

Nationally acclaimed theatre company Manual Cinema breathes innovative life into this beloved story by Mo Willems, using hundreds of puppets to magically create a movie right before your very eyes! 

LEARN MORE

Buy Tickets

February 4-March 9, 2025

Best for all ages!

UnitedHealth Group Stage

Don’t miss this world-premiere musical, featuring dynamic new songs ranging from hip hop and pop to country as Milo learns that real life can sometimes be even more incredible than an imaginary one! 

LEARN MORE

Buy Tickets

April 15-June 15, 2025

Best for all ages! 

UnitedHealth Group Stage

Don’t miss the Children’s Theatre Company production of the hit Broadway musical! Sing along with Elsa, Anna, and Olaf, a snowman who melts your heart. You won’t want to let it go! 

LEARN MORE 

Buy Tickets

Children's Theatre Company and Minneapolis Institute of Art building

Plan Your Visit

Children’s Theatre Company is proud to offer information, tips, advice and handy guides so that our patrons’ theatre experiences are as rich, pleasant and convenient as possible. Whether you have been coming to CTC for generations or are a first time audience member, you’ll find everything you need to plan a memorable outing with us.

VISIT THE THEATRe

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Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster

January 8-March 9, 2025

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Select a performance

Wednesday

Jan 8

7:00pm

$15.00 — $25.00

Preview

Thursday

Jan 9

7:00pm

$15.00 — $25.00

Preview

Friday

Jan 10

7:00pm

$15.00 — $25.00

Preview

Saturday

Jan 11

2:00pm

$15.00 — $73.00

Saturday

Jan 11

7:00pm

$15.00 — $63.00

Opening Night

Sunday

Jan 12

2:00pm

$15.00 — $73.00

Sunday

Jan 12

5:00pm

$15.00 — $68.00

Preshow Adventures

Tuesday

Jan 14

7:00pm

$15.00 — $25.00

Thursday

Jan 16

7:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Preshow Adventures

Friday

Jan 17

7:00pm

$15.00 — $63.00

Autograph Night

Saturday

Jan 18

11:00am

$15.00 — $73.00

Saturday

Jan 18

2:00pm

$15.00 — $73.00

Sunday

Jan 19

2:00pm

$15.00 — $73.00

Sunday

Jan 19

5:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Preshow Adventures

Thursday

Jan 23

7:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Preshow Adventures

Friday

Jan 24

7:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Audio Described and ASL Interpreted Performance | Autograph Night

Saturday

Jan 25

11:00am

$15.00 — $58.00

Saturday

Jan 25

2:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Sunday

Jan 26

2:00pm

$15.00 — $68.00

Sunday

Jan 26

5:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Preshow Adventures

Thursday

Jan 30

7:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Preshow Adventures

Friday

Jan 31

7:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Autograph Night

Saturday

Feb 1

11:00am

$15.00 — $58.00

Saturday

Feb 1

2:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Sunday

Feb 2

11:00am

$15.00 — $58.00

Sunday

Feb 2

2:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Thursday

Feb 6

7:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Preshow Adventures

Friday

Feb 7

7:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Autograph Night

Saturday

Feb 8

11:00am

$15.00 — $58.00

Saturday

Feb 8

2:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Sunday

Feb 9

2:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Sunday

Feb 9

5:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Audio Described and ASL Interpreted Performance | Preshow Adventures

Thursday

Feb 13

7:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Preshow Adventures

Friday

Feb 14

7:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Sensory Friendly Performance | Autograph Night

Saturday

Feb 15

11:00am

$15.00 — $58.00

Saturday

Feb 15

2:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Sunday

Feb 16

11:00am

$15.00 — $58.00

Sunday

Feb 16

2:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Thursday

Feb 20

7:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Preshow Adventures

Friday

Feb 21

7:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Autograph Night

Saturday

Feb 22

11:00am

$15.00 — $58.00

Saturday

Feb 22

2:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Sunday

Feb 23

2:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Sunday

Feb 23

5:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Preshow Adventures

Thursday

Feb 27

7:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Preshow Adventures

Friday

Feb 28

7:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Autograph Night

Saturday

Mar 1

11:00am

$15.00 — $58.00

Saturday

Mar 1

2:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Sunday

Mar 2

11:00am

$15.00 — $58.00

Sunday

Mar 2

2:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Thursday

Mar 6

7:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Preshow Adventures

Friday

Mar 7

7:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Sensory Friendly Performance | Autograph Night

Saturday

Mar 8

11:00am

$15.00 — $58.00

Saturday

Mar 8

2:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Sunday

Mar 9

2:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Sunday

Mar 9

5:00pm

$15.00 — $58.00

Preshow Adventures