We asked the creative team:
What Inspired Your Honey & Leon Design?
I’m a big fan of Disney and how all their stories are entertaining for the whole family, so they were a big influence on my approach to the comedy in the musical. We also looked at videos of chihuahuas and mutts to help us shape the physical language for Honey and Leon. We spent time having the actors do different activities as dogs (and their owners) to explore how we as humans would portray our leading pups! We also have the inside scoop since many of our creative team members are dog owners!
I tried to honor the spirit of the original book by Alan Cumming and Grant Shaffer with my adaptation. I was also inspired by the humor of Saturday morning cartoons I used to watch as a kid (like Looney Tunes), and the emotional depth of Pixar films.
All the wonderful dogs I’ve had in my life, especially the mini-dachshunds I grew up with, Lily and Charles.
When creating this show, I used my roommate’s dog, Barnaby as inspiration. We’ve gotten very close over time. In scenes with Honey and Leon I think about Barnaby and how I might interact with him.
My own love of traveling and my dogs growing up along with the many dogs I take care of in NYC.
I went to the Dallas Children’s Theater as a kid and I still remember how magical every show was. I make sure I play my part in making this show as spectacular for these kids as the shows of my childhood were for me. You never know where there might be young performers in the audience and all they need is one show to inspire them!
I focused on making everything look as inviting as possible. This is to make the world Honey and Leon explore both welcoming and exciting. Whether this means using bright and fun colors or simply making an ice cream cone a little bigger than normal, these choices should pull our characters and our audience into the big, beautiful world!
The spirit of adventure!
Kids’ toys and lunch boxes!
I watched my dog’s behavior and imagined what it would look like if he stood up and started dancing.
I compared the friendship of Honey and Leon to my best friends from school.
The Adventures of Honey & Leon: The Musical
Based on the book by actor and New York Times Bestselling author Alan Cumming and illustrated by Grant Shaffer, this new musical by Min Kahng and directed by Kimille Howard celebrates the important bond between pets and their owners.
The Adventures of Honey and Leon: The Musical celebrates and explores diverse family structures, the joy and struggles of sibling relationships, and self-empowerment.
