Straw Hat Theatre opens its summer season Friday with ''The Emperor's New Clothes.''
The musical by Bill Francoeur and Karen Boettcher-Tate is based on classic fairy tale about a clothes-obsessed king and his equally shallow daughters. It incorporates an eclectic mix of musical styles, from 1920s jazz to '50s rock 'n' roll.
It will be staged at 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday Sunday and June 14-16 on the grounds of the Ashtabula Arts Center, 2928 W. 13th St., Ashtabula. Audience members can meet the cast and take a backstage tour at 6:30 p.m. before the June 16 performance.
It is the first of four shows in the summer season from theater coordinator Kimberly Godfrey. Other productions include the musical ''Little Women,'' which opens June 22; the musical ''Godspell,'' opening July 13; and ''A Chorus Line,'' one of the longest running musicals in Broadway history, opening Aug. 3.
Season tickets for the four productions are $43.20 for adults and $36 for students and senior citizens with Ashtabula Arts Center members receiving an additional 10 percent discount.
Individual tickets for ''The Emperor's New Clothes'' are $14 for adults and $12 for students and senior citizens the night of the performance. There is a $2 discount for tickets purchased in advance. For tickets or more information, call 440-964-3396.