The Adventures of BABA LINGUINI

A blend of history, fantasy and mythology— The Adventures of Baba Linguini is a comical portrayal of 16th century Renaissance lifestyle. Emmy-winning songwriter Paul Montesano has completed a magical and musical feature-length script with a multi-cultural cast.

MAP OF THE ISLAND OF BELLACOPIA

A young Renaissance chef overcomes misfortunes and a fear of fire to go on a mythical Quest with the  daughter of Italian nobility.

Together they search for supernatural ingredients to revive an ancient recipe for a Sauce that promises wealth, longevity, and a new hope for Humanity.  

BABA LINGUINI

CAST OF CHARACTERS

BABA LINGUINI — is a culinary genius adopted by once-celebrated chef PAPO GOSTOSO. Baba’s birth is shrouded in mystery. Without knowledge of his own birth-mother, Baba has a difficult childhood; but takes refuge in his own artistic gifts. A tragic fire destroys the chef school where he lived and worked with his father at a young age on the island of BELLACOPIA.

When his childhood sweetheart, Zinfandella, returns from Milan with the royal side of her family, Baba’s life begins to change. His talents are finally recognized by Zin’s father, LEONARDO DiVINO. Baba is soon chosen to go on the mythical Quest to complete the ancient SAUCE OF IMMORTALITY — with the help of Zinfandella

PAPO GOSTOSO was a truly great chef, chosen for the Quest twenty years earlier. But Papo betrayed his oath of secrecy whwhen trying to sell a portion of the Sauce to a criminal syndicate from Rome. With a damaged reputation, Gostoso then dedicated his life to teaching culinary arts to children while raising his son, Baba.

Vowed to secrecy, Papo cannot share his past with Baba; until the critical turning point of the story; after Baba is chosen for the Quest.

LEONARDO DiVINO is a Renaissance legend and leader of a secret brotherhood of elite geniuses living in Bellacopia. These great artists and scientists are devoted to preserving ancient knowledge; including the “Sacred Sauce”, aka “the Sauce of Immortality”.

The conflict between science and religion during the Renaissance is expressed in this song —performed by Leonardo, an outspoken genius of his day.

ZINFANDELLA — is the daughter of Renaissance legend, Leonardo; and the infamous MONA LISA, Duchess of Milan. After their scandalous affair, Leonardo was exiled by the Duke of Milan to raise Zinfandella in BELLACOPIA. Zin does not meet her mother until she goes back to Milan at age fifteen for a formal education.

PRINCE MACHABELLI — is a legend in his own mind. Spaniard and narcissist, Machabelli is a believer in style over substance. His heavy accent and flamboyant gestures make him the Renaissance Man he wants to be. He sees Baba Linuini as a threat to his reputation, and goes to great lenghts to stifle Baba’s path to success.

After burning down Gostoso’s chef academy, he hires Baba to exploit his talents; enslaving him in his own restaurant and dinner theater. Ironically, he becomes Baba’s role model for style and showmanship.

Baba finally breaks free and gets work at a rival bistro, where he is chosen for the Quest. Machabelli joins Mona Lisa and Duke Vincenzio to compete with Baba and attempt to steal the recipe.

Zin and Baba were friends as children, but her bold and extroverted personality is a striking contrast to Baba. After her return to Bellacopia, Leonardo insists that Zin teaches Baba to pilot his flying machines. A romance develops as they confront powerful forces of Nature in search of the final ingredients for the Sacred Sauce.

Leonardo’s flying machines and inventions are seen everywhere on the island of Bellacopia, and become important features in the Quest, along with Galileo’s telescopic inventions.

THE DUKE & DUCHESS OF MILAN — become the main antagonists as the story unfolds. Zinfandella must endure lies, betrayal and the greed of her own family. The Duke and Duchess will do whatever is necessary to break up Zin’s emerging romance with Baba. Mona Lisa and her brother Duke Vincenzio become obsessed with the “Sauce of Immortality”—and Vincenzio employs wiseguy and bodyguard, JOEY SCAMBUTI to interfere with the Quest; while Zinfandella is used as a pawn by her mother to gain possession of the Sauce.

JOEY SCAMBUTI — is part of a Renaissance syndicate called the “Roman Agency of Protective Services”, or RAPS. Joey and his crew are comic portrayals of Italian mobsters in colorful Renaissance attire; completely out of place on the rustic island of Bellacopia.

BABA & ZINFANDELLA

When Leonardo chooses Baba Linguini for the Quest, he recruits his daughter to teach Baba how to fly. Zin is familiar with her father’s flying machines and pushes Baba out of his comfort zone. As a confident taskmaster she drills him on the skills of flying. But when he tries to improvise, he crashes to the ground and blacks out.

Baba floats through the heavens with Zinfandella in a musical dream-fantasy duet singing : “Through the Eyes of Love”

THE QUEST

Baba and Zinfandella learn to harmonize with Nature through four amazing adventures. Zin’s courageous spirit and flying skills help Baba to navigate his fears and find his true Destiny.

International fame, greed, and family betrayal stand in the way of a blossoming romance—and the success of the Quest.

FOUR SUPERNATURAL INGREDIENTS

1 - LAVA SALT is found in crystals attached to the dried lava of active or inactive volcanoes. This essential ingredient keeps the sauce from spoiling over a 20-year period and bestows the fiery power of fearless bravery.

2 - FALCON SEEDS are found in the highest branches in a remote forest inhabited by Giant Falcons. Contained in cones, they bestow supernatural “vision” and “intuition”.

3 - THE NEPTUNE ORCHID is the rarest of flowers found only on the island of CERCEA where winged water-nymphs (Aquasprites) dwell in the Valley of Narcissus. It bestows a supernatural power of true love and devotion; but grows along side the Imposter Orchid which induces jealousy, vanity, and self-hatred. Selfless love & inner-beauty are the true attributes of the Neptune Orchid.

Baba loses his way in the Valley of Narcissus and is seduced by the beauty and hypnotic voices of the Aquasprites. They convince him to stay on the island and enjoy the pleasures of their company — until Zinfandella arrives and breaks the trance with her own song.

4 - MOLY ROOT is the final ingredient of the Quest. Moly bestows superhuman strength and endurance, and Baba must find these qualities in himself to endure a long trek through the desert.

Before his search for the final ingredient, Baba is betrayed and loses support from Zinfandella. Desperate to find the Moly Root, he eats too many Falcon Seeds and goes blind. Miraculously, he crosses paths with blind musician, Hermeto, who teaches him with rhythm and song to trust in what he cannot see. By a kind of psychic sonar, they trek through the desert to locate the Moly Root.

HERMETO

Genius musician and composer— HERMETO PASCOAL is a Brazilian treasure.  His spontaneous creativity and humor have inspired this animated character of the same name.  Hermeto has agreed to participate in the Baba Linguini project, by allowing us to use his name, image, and even his music.

AUNT CHOVI

Aunt Chovi began the orphanage and culinary school that Baba attended as a child. After the tragic fire that destroyed it, Chovi started a Bistro that later became the most popular eatery in Bellacopia; after she hires Baba Linguini as head chef.

Chovi’s trademark sarcasm and honesty is only matched by the size of her heart. She gives Baba motherly advice; but is unimpressed by fame and status. She is wary of Leonardo’s elite band of geniuses, and is not keen on Baba’s involvement in the Quest.

MARCEL

From the beginning of our story, a young athletic Frenchman named Marcel acts as narrator. He is Leonardo’s assistant, pilot and instructor— and gives us an overview of Bellacopia while soaring above the earth in flying machines. He also drives Leonardo’s hybrid land and air vehicle called the QUADRACYCLE,

HANS & GREGORY

Newspaper journalists Hans and Gregory create a public frenzy when they publish stories of the young couples’ adventures that circulate across Europe. As Zin and Baba help each other survive the perils of Nature, they find a spark of true love. But as they become international celebrities, Baba’s new confidence leads to vanity and gives Zinfandella doubts. A conspiracy to undermine their relationship is launched by her mother, Mona Lisa; leading to betrayal and lies. Can they survive the mission to complete the Sauce, despite a world that has turned against them?

ZINFANDELLA

Flying machines are essential in the Quest, and Zinfandella is familiar with inventions created by her father. A romance finally develops.

With new ambitions to dazzle the world as a fashion designer, Zin is not thrilled to be back in her rustic home of Bellacopia. But her father’s obsession to find a chef to revive the Sauce keeps her on the island to assist Baba in the Quest to revive the “Holy Mole”.