Family Fun Fest – Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster

Chicago’s acclaimed Manual Cinema brings to life the experience of reading celebrated author-illustrator Mo Willems’ Leonardo, The Terrible Monster!, about a monster who tries so hard to be scary, but just…isn’t. With hundreds of illustrated paper puppets, book pages, two-dimensional props, furry monster puppets, and music, Manual Cinema re-creates the storybook experience in the company’s truly unique and wonderfully creative multi-media performance approach.

LOBBY ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS @ 12 PM | DOORS @ 12:30 PM | SHOW @ 1 PM

Running time: 45 minutes, no intermission. Performed by three puppeteer/actors and one live musician/narrator.

For ages 3 and up. There are some loud sounds, flashing lights, and furry monster puppets in this show!

Family Fun Fest – The Silhouettes – LOVE Happens

People posing so that their silhouettes spell "love".

Golden Buzzer winners on America’s Got Talent– The Champions, The Silhouettes is the premier live shadowdance company worldwide. Spreading messages of hope and inspiration, LOVE Happens is an entertaining, family-friendly shadowdance story filled with the types of love that fill our world. Everything from the love of friendship, family, a pet, to romantic love, the love of a child, love of music, the painful side of love, love of life – even the love of chocolate!  An emotional journey of laughter, tears and goosebumps that will bring LOVE to your heart.

LOBBY ACTIVITIES @ 2 PM | DOORS @ 1:30 PM | SHOW @ 3 PM | Post Show Q&A with cast.

Family Fun Fest – Blue Barrel Show by !BAM! Percussion

The art of comedy-percussion! From beginning to end, the Blue Barrel Show, with uniquely talented master musicians, will electrify the audience with its powerful rhythms and its deliriously funny sketches. The BAM characters, who look like they walked straight out of a mad cartoon, speak a unique language: BAMspeech, spoken only by them, but understood by everyone from 3 to 83 years old.

For twenty years, BAM Percussion has performed in over 30 countries making everybody laugh and feel good in their own language. Look out though – as the pulsating energy is contagious!!

This fun, family friendly performance mixed with humor and a whole lot of booming will leave the audience with only one wish…MORE!!! A guaranteed good time for all ages!

LOBBY ACTIVITIES @ 2:00PM | DOORS @ 2:30PM | SHOW @ 3:00PM

MU Students can receive up to one (1) free ticket with a valid MU ID. MU discounts are NOT available online and must be made in-person or by calling any box office location. Advanced ticket reservations are strongly encouraged. MU discount tickets are subject to availability on the day of the event.

Family Fun Fest – Zooom by Australia’s Patch Theatre

A young woman sitting on a bed with a box of toys in front of her.

Combining old school whimsy with state-of-the-art technology, Zooom is an enchanting story of a child alone in her bedroom, unable to sleep and curious to understand. Inspired by iconic children’s’ book Harold and The Purple Crayon, this magical production from Australia’s Patch Theatre channels the same notion, that of children making sense of their world through art. The show is driven by the power of ‘child logic’, combined with the magic of science. Using original music, lasers and projections, the performance invites the audience to actively participate in a truly immersive journey.

We encourage all audience members to bring a “piece of dark” to the theatre, to be exchanged for a light in the foyer. You can find more information about this here: https://www.patchtheatre.org.au/activities/a-piece-of-dark

MU Students will receive up to one (1) free ticket with a valid MU ID at a box office location. Advanced ticket reservations are strongly encouraged. MU Student discount tickets are subject to availability at the door.

LOBBY ACTIVITIES @ 12 PM | DOORS @ 12:30 PM | SHOW @ 1 PM