It's Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" like you've never seen.
The St. Gregory College Preparatory School drama department presents a modern-day version of this Shakespearian comedy, written at the dawn of the 17th century.
The production, which will be presented at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, features cheerleaders, football stars, love triangles and plenty of mistaken identity at Illyria High School.
In this lively adaptation, Viola and her twin brother, Sebastian, have been separated by their parents' divorce. At her new school, Viola decides the best way to fit in is to dress like a guy, call herself Cesario and hang around the captain of the football team, Orsino. She is soon smitten.
Olivia, the head cheerleader and Orsino's ex-girlfriend, doesn't want anything to do with Orsino and winds up falling for Cesario. Confusion reigns supreme at Illyria High.
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The performance is directed by Lisa Bodden, drama director, educator and theater manager at St. Gregory, an independent school for students in grades six through 12. The school has no religious affiliation.
"It is a comedy, which I thought would appeal to modern audiences who might be intimidated by Shakespeare," Bodden said.
"As director, I felt that this show could be easily adapted to modern circumstances, so I updated the settings and characters to be more familiar."
Among the 30 student actors, 16 crew members and two faculty members in the production is Caitlin Kelly, 16. The junior plays the lead character, Viola.
"The play is an entirely new experience from anything we have done," said Kelly, who has been involved in five St. Gregory productions. "We are learning how to apply emotions to Old English."
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