The Emperor’s New Clothes

Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the talented writers of the hit Broadway musicals Ragtime and Seussical, add song and dance and a castle full of characters to Hans Christian Andersen’s classic and delightful tale – The Emperor’s New Clothes. In this stage musical for children, Emperor Marcus the Third is only 14 years old. As he worries how he can possibly run an empire, he foolishly accepts the credo that “clothes make the man” and soon finds himself in a royal mess! Set in the 1920s, its energy, fun, and charisma conceal an underlying moral that audiences will carry with them long after the performance is over. The stage is set for the upcoming Grand Coronation of young Marcus, but he is terrified that people in the kingdom will not see him as “fierce, brave, and strong” like the portraits of his ancestors. He tries to appear more mature to his people by accepting the credo that "clothes make the man." Marcus ultimately discovers, however, that “no matter how grand or small you appear, the person who counts is the person in here!” And “here,” as everyone knows, is your heart.