A Tumultuous Tale

This year's Naked July Festival features two adaptations of "The Emperor's New Clothes," a familiar tale most commonly associated with the fable by the Danish storyteller Hans Christian Andersen. But even though the two new plays are based loosely on this classic story, they are unique in many ways. On July 8th, David Denman's play titled The Tumultuous Tale of the Tragically Transparent Tunic directed by Phil Canzano will open on the National Pastime stage with an original take on the familiar story. Much is left to the imagination of the audience since the story is set in an unnamed land and in a time that is vaguely identified as a “post war era.”

In this modern adaptation, a naïve emperor faces many challenges, but he clings to memories of a beautiful relationship with a woman named Moon Beam in the hippie era of the ‘60’s. His present life is far more complicated than that peaceful summer of love, however, since he is surrounded by people who seek to swindle him or plot to take his life. In this photo shot during a weekend rehearsal, the Emperor played by Mike Brown sits on his throne while actors Jen LaTurner, Mallory Schuh, and Ben Zisk vie for his attention.

In a later scene, Mallory Schuh and Arch Harmon work to refine their dialogue as they rehearse a scene from the play. Other actors appearing in The Tumultuous Tale of the Tragically Transparent Tunic include Megan Brown, David Denman, Shawn Goudie, Erin Robinson, and Hubertus Van Lonzenoaer. Some of these versatile actors play more than one character in the play, and the action is fast-paced as they move from role to role.

So what is the emperor’s fate? Will his enemies succeed in their evil plots and schemes or will the forces of good prevail in the end? One thing is certain—this tumultuous tale will leave you with entirely new interpretation of Andersen’s classic tale.