Theater for the New City to Present A Musical Inspired By THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES

"A Stitch in Time," a new musical that modernizes "The Emperor's New Clothes," will fill the kingdom -- or at least the Cabaret -- at Theater for the New City with song and comedy June 22 to July 9.

Theater for the New City Executive Artistic Director Crystal Field is presenting the show with music by Gary Edwards, and book and some lyrics by Claude Solnik.

Robert Liebowitz, who has directed numerous productions at T.N.C., is director; and Stephen Cornine, whose musical "Mirror, Mirror" just debuted at T.N.C., is musical director.

Cameron Russell plays the President/King, Erin Kennedy is the First Lady, Matt Bader plays Henry, Allison Panczyszyn is Holly, Teal French-Levine is Cooper, Stefan Karl Schallack is Taylor, Olivia Whicheloe is Lara and Jordan Williams is the head of N.I.C.E.

Everett Clark, who has designed costumes for a wide range of productions at T.N.C. is designing costumes. Emily Phelan is choreographer, Alexis Ianucci is associate choreographer and Matthew Seepersad is stage manager.

"It's a play about a country or a kingdom, depending on your point of view, called Erehwon," Solnik said. "It's at once inspired by a fairy tale and very contemporary in its take on things."

A kind of cross between "Camelot" and "The Mouse That Roared," "A Stitch in Time" presents the story of a small country where the first lady hires a tailor to design new attire for the leader before a major event and announcement. It's a little bit like Camelot, but a lot crazier.

"Chaos ensues when the tailor finds out he's been hired to design something very different from what he expected," Liebowitz said. "This is a musical very much for our time, inspired by a story that's as old as the hills."

The play is filled with proclamations - like adding hours to the day -- prohibiting everything from laughter to dancing. The result is a fun romp through a fictional country - or kingdom -- where laughter rules along with the whims of mercurial leader.

"The National Incarceration Corps of Erehwon or N.I.C.E. doesn't exactly live up to its acronym," Solnik said. "It's a world where hubris and humor live happily, not necessarily forever after, but together."

"A Stitch in Time" is the second musical co-written by Gary Edwards and Claude Solnik to debut at Theater for the New City.

Stealing Mona Lisa debuted at T.N.C. and transferred for a one-night, special Off-Broadway presentation at Theater 555.

"This is not a musical about politics or about power," Solnik said. "It's not really a musical about ideas. It's just a fun play about people in a fictional place who have human frailties and qualities that make for laughter and some singing."

"A Stitch in Time", June 22-July 9, Thurs.-Sat. at 8 p.m. and Sun. at 3 p.m. Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave. $18,. 212-254-1109, www.theaterforthenewcity.net.