BRUNSWICK – The final Theatre for Young Audiences event of Maine State Music Theatre’s 2007 season, “The Emperor’s New Clothes” is a heartwarming musical version of Hans Christian Anderson’s classic tale.

An entertaining and educational show for children of all ages, the story is centered on the insecure Emperor Marcus, played by Michael Sterling Miller, who is convinced he can be a good ruler only if he looks the part.

Desperate to possess ever more extravagant and regal attire, Marcus spends fortunes so that his royal seamstress Deena, played by Samantha Francis, can continue to supply him with new outfits. Soon, however, a traveling swindler, Jonathon Cable, hears word of the monarch’s weakness and orchestrates an ingenious scheme that tricks not only the emperor and his adviser, William, played by Santio Cupon, but the entire kingdom.

In the end, it is the innocence and honesty of a young child, played by Michael Dauer, that exposes the truth and reminds us of the importance of thinking for ourselves.

The show is designed, produced and performed almost exclusively by MSMT’s interns. At the helm of the production is director Connie Shafer, who, besides performing in multiple musicals this season, is MSMT’s intern program director.

“The Emperor’s New Clothes” opens at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 21, with two additional shows at 11 a.m. and at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 22, at Pickard Theatre on the Bowdoin College campus. Tickets, $7, $11, are available now from the MSMT box office by calling 725-8769 and online at www.msmt.org.

Also at MSMT in the coming weeks will be the final showings of “Hairspray,” which closes Aug. 25, before moving to Ogunquit Playhouse for a continued run there.