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June 6, 2002
Ihe Kings Mountain Herald
Page 3B
Emperor's New Clothes
is not for children only
By AL RANKIN
How does one explain the
allure of a childhood fairy
tale featuring nudity but no
sex? The nudity never
shown --- only implied.
Appalling greed, egotistical
vanity, peacock pride, arro-
gant pretensions, unabashed
conceit, and ostentatious
puffery flourish in this
morality epic that never fails
to capture the attention of
each new generation upon
first hearing. How old was
I? Perhaps 7 or 8? Lost now
in the mists of time, my ear-
liest memories of Hans
Christian Anderson's
"Grimm" fairy tale are pro-
jected on the movie screen
of my mind like some
Disneyesque film of cartoon
shapes, vibrant colors, and
bumbling characters.
In retrospect from the dis-
tance that age grants me, I
realize now that illustrations
in fairy tale books of the late
1940's were decidedly
European, featuring cobble
stoned streets and quaintly
lopsided buildings in
Germanic style, or the over-
sized shoes and outrageous-
ly huge bluebell blossoms in
Anderson's Danish tradition.
But it takes no great leap of
fancy to settle comfortably
into Kings Mountain Little
Theatre's updated and total-
ly charming Oriental version
when transported there by
the imaginative sets con-
ceived and constructed by a
crew of dedicated volun-
teers motivated and headed
by Jim Champion. The
breathtaking backdrop
seems both Chinese and
Moorish with overtones of
the Arabian Nights.
Exactly the opposite of
contemporary Japanese
Kabuki theatre where all
female roles are played by
males, KMLT's liberal use of
females to play many male
characters lends a delicate
antrogyholis feel to the | pro- 4
“1 consort while waving a fan,
like a sweet fluttering
ction. Fro the moment
Ir mre
itinerant tinkers Zan and
Zar -- convincingly played
by Hannah Telle and Mary
Weathers -- arrive on the
scene, an atmosphere of mis-
~ chief is afoot. Like slick
snake oil medicine men, the
pair portray themselves as
weavers of exquisite fabric
visible only to the worthy.
Dressed in robes as chromat-
ically diverse as Joseph's
Amazing Technicolor Dream
Coat, the hucksters spout
dialogue peppered with a
rainbow of colors so
descriptive even persons
with eyes closed can visual-
ize a kaleidoscopic spectrum
of the senses.
When Zan and Zar are
appointed to create the
finest robes ever made for
the Emperor, some on the
staff of the court's Imperial
Weavers are outraged while
others become part of the
delusion. Ling (Hillary
Smith) cleverly uses experi-
ence and wisdom to influ-
ence Han (Hannah McGill),
the obsequiously cunning
and evil Prime Minister.
Donna, Tackett as Mong
superbly plays the mediator
who exerts a calming influ-
ence over the other weavers
to such an extent that the
Old Woman among them
(Kaitlin Teague) not only
grows to accept Zan and
Zar, but also helps to protect
them from the others’ jeal-
ousy. Though the part of Fah
requires Trevor Latta to
appear stressed out as an
angry weaver with attitude
and one who speaks before
putting his mouth in gear,
he takes his role very seri-
ously with impressive dedi-
cation and commitment.
The looms of the newly
appointed Imperial Weavers
are inspected from time to
time by various members of
the Court. With the dark
and swarthy good looks of
an Indian Maharaja,
Brandon Anthony preens in
his portrayal of an Emperor
seldom caught without a
mirror in which to admire
his reflection. The Empress,
a demure Kristin Moore,
shuffles timiglly around her
Madame Butterfly. Swept up
into the growing conspiracy,
the General, a majestic and
powerful Adam Smith, fur-
m CHURCH BRIEFS
Singing to help
transplant patient
There will be a benefit
singing for 2-year-old
Dalton Johnson Thursday,
June 13 at 7 p.m. at
Midview Baptist Church,
703 Margrace Road, Kings
Mountain. :
Dalton has been diag-
nosed with Hurler
Syndrome, a disease charac-
terized by an enlarged liver
and spleen, persistent rhini-
tis, coarse facial features,
corneal clouding, claw
hands and coronary artery
stenosis, bone deformities,
hydropcephalus and pro-
gressive retardation.
Most children with the
disease die by the age of 10.
Dalton recently under-
went a second bone marrow
transplant at Duke
| University Medical Center
in Durham. His medical
bills are “tremendous,”
according to his physician in
Durham, Mahmoud
Mustafa, MD.
Persons attending the
singing will be asked to give
a love offering. Persons who
cannot attend the singing
but would like to donate
may do so at any First
Union National Bank.
Featured singers include
The Rogers Trio, Cross
Reference, and Praise
Masters.
For more information,
contact Pastor Bob Hope at
739-1290 or Tony King at
739-7051.
Musical Sunday
at Oak View Baptist
The King’s Kids Choir
will present the musical
“Hallelujah heart” Sunday,
June 9 at 7 p.m. at Oak View
Baptist Church, 1517 York
Road, Kings Mountain.
For more information call
739-7831.
Bible School slated
at Chestnut Ridge
Vacation Bible School will
be held June 9-14 from 6-
8:30 p.m. at Chestnut Ridge
Baptist Church, Kings
Mountain.
There will be a Bible class
for adults.
For more information, call
629-1174.
Bible School slated
at Macedonia Baptist
Vacation Bible School will
be held June 17-21 from 6-9
p-m. at Macedonia Baptist
Church.
There will be classes for
ages three years through
12th grade.
For times and other infor-
mation call the church at
739-6811.
Mountain,
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ther propagates the emerg-
ing mass illusion by mim-
icking the weavers’ constant
verbal catalogue of colors to
describe the Emperor's ficti-
tious robe and train. The
Emperor and his minions
enter and exit with all the
fanfare of "The King and I",
heralded by the mallet
swinging 9 year old Scott
Sanders who melts your
heart with sparkling and
expressive eyes as big as the
gong he pounds.
Tsein (Cecilia Smith),
another weaver and the
mother of the child who
finally blows the whistle on
the whole charade, lovingly
shepherds, then embarrass-
ingly scolds, makes excuses
for, and protectively takes
her offspring under her
wings as any mother could,
should, or would. Daniel
Latta, as that child, unravels
the conspiracy in sweetly
innocent, but energetically
hyper wide-eyed amaze-
ment.
Aided with props by
Christy McPeak, lavish cos-
tumes by Barbara Tackett
and Teresa Williams, stun-
ning sound and lighting by
Courtney Asbury and Sarah
McPeak, perfection driven
Director Susan Champion
admirably disciplines a cast
of twenty ranging in age
from nine to sixteen to bring
this timeless tale to life. "The
Emperor's New Clothes" is
this season's final produc-
tion mounted by the Kings
Mountain Little Theatre in
its proud new home, the Joy
Performance Center. Don't
just send your children to
see this charming play --- go
with them!
"The Emperor's New
Clothes" will be performed
Friday and Saturday June
7th and 8th at 7:30 PM and
Sunday June 9th at 3:00 PM
at the Joy Performance
Center in downtown Kings
|
‘World traveler and pub-
lished author Al Rankin
spends his retirement years
as Photo Lab Manager at
the Kings Mountain
EMPEROR IN NEW CLOTHES - Imperial/Weavers Zan and Zar show the emperor in his
new clothes in rehearsal for Kings Mountain Little Theatre production which begins
Friday at Joy Performance Center. Left to right are Cecilia smith, Tammy Jolly, Mary
Weathers, Hannah Telle, Hannah McGill, Adam Smith, and Brandon Anthony.
The Emperor's New Clothes
ends 2001-02 KMLT season
By AL RANKIN
Special to The Herald
After years of playing
musical chairs in various
venues and beginning its -
2001-2002 season with the
play "Drop Dead" at the
local Women's Club last
August, the Kings Mountain
Little Theatre ends the sea-
son this week firmly settled
into its permanent new
home, the Joy Performance
Center. The season's final
offering is an unusual ver-
sion of "The Emperor's New
Clothes."
Along the way, KMLT's
Board of Directors chose a
reprise of the popular
"Forever Plaid" as its pre-
mier performance for the
grand opening last fall and
continued with the offbeat
Neil Simon comedy
"Rumors" in the spring.
An innovative feature for
this year's seasonal member-
ships program was a collab-
oration with the Greater
Shelby Community, Theatre ,
that permitted season ticket
holders. of both groups to,
have their tickets honored
for admission to all plays
scheduled by the other
group.
Directed by Susan
Champion, "The Emperor's
starting in June.
Diagnostic imaging is the basis of all
treatment. That's why Kings Mountain
Hospital is now offering mobile Magnetic
Resonance Imaging (MRI) on Sundays
MRI is a sophisticated diagnostic tool
that allows physicians to pinpoint disease
and injury throughout the body. This safe
and painless procedure uses a magnetic
New Clothes" will open
Friday June 7 at 7:30 p.m.
with additional performanc-
es Saturday night June 8 at
7:30 and Sunday, June 9 at
3:00 p.m.
With Brandon Anthony as
the Emperor, Kristin Moore
as the Empress, Adam Smith
as the General, and Hannah
McGill as the Prime
Minister, the cast also
includes Daniel Latta,
Trevor Latta, Scott Sanders,
Cecilia Smith, Hillary Smith,
Donna Tackett, Kaitlin
Teague, Hannah Telle, and
Mary Weathers.
Tickets are $8 for adults,
$6 for students, children,
and senior citizens, and are
available at the door by
check or cash. It's recom-
mended that both season
pass holders and all others
call the Joy Performance
Center box office at 704 730-
9408 for reservations.
Kings Mountain Little
Theatre is a funded affiliate
of the Cleveland County
Arts Council. This project is
funded in part by a
Grassroots Grant from the
North Carolina Arts.
Council.
Genealogical group
to meet on Sunday
The Broad River
Genealogical Society will
h9old its monthly meeting
Sunday, June 9 at 3 p.m. at
the Senior Center, 1266
Fallston Road, Shelby.
Mike Becknell will speak
about Union, SC.
For more information call
Vickie Rudasill at 538-3292.
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704-739-3594
MOBILE MRI OPEN HOUSE
SUNDAY, JUNE 9
2-4 PM.
REFRESHMENTS SERVED
KINGS MOUNTAIN
HOSPITAL
>t
¥
House.
Kings Mountain Hospital
Carolinas HealthCare System
wwuw.carolinashealthcare.org
706 W. King Street ® Kings Mountain, NC e 704-379-3601
Youre Invited To Get A Clearer Image
Of Our Latest Technology:
field to produce clear images of the body so
physicians can detect conditions in the early
stages when treatment is most effective.
On Sunday, June 9, from 2 to 4 p.m.,
you're invited to see this sophisticated
technology up close and learn more about
the benefits of MRI as an important diag-
nostic procedure during a special Open