Children's Theatre of Charlotte Presents EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES, 1/14

Puppets spring to life – and bring the classic Hans Christian Andersen story "The Emperor's New Clothes" with them – in a production presented by the Children's Theatre of Charlotte.

From the minds and talents of the award-winning Grey Seal Puppets comes this hilarious reimagining of Andersen's family classic. Recasting "The Emperor's New Clothes" using animal characters, kids ages 4 and older will love the story of a vain ruler who learns that there is more to life than what you wear. The production runs Jan. 14-15 at Children's Theatre at ImaginOn.

"Grey Seal always does a tremendous job of delivering classic family stories," said Alan Poindexter, Children's Theatre's Artistic Director. The puppets were last at the theatre in August 2010 with "Salsa Cinderella."

"Kids will love seeing the animals come to life, and parents will appreciate the skill of the puppeteer. Plus, there's a great lesson to be learned, which is always important."

Using playful puppetry, Grey Seal brings a new dimension to "Emperor's." In this version, the emperor is a pig, the crafty tailors are foxes, the prime minster is a near-sighted camel and the councilor is a befuddled old walrus. Even the audience takes part as animals.

The Charlotte Observer called "Emperor's New Clothes," "Entertaining!" Adding, "Not only is the story appealing, but you'll find yourself absorbed in the clever mechanics of one person juggling seven puppet creatures."

Tickets for "Emperor's New Clothes" are $12-$14. The production is presented by Children's Theatre in the Wells Fargo Playhouse at ImaginOn. Showtimes are 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Jan. 14 and 2 p.m. Jan. 15. For tickets, call 704-973-2828 or visit www.ctcharlotte.org.

Children's Theatre of Charlotte is a national leader among theatres for young audiences, serving more than 300,000 young people and families annually with professional productions and innovative education initiatives.

Children's Theatre of Charlotte is supported, in part, with an Operating Grant from the Arts & Science Council, Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Inc. and the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources.