Savannah Arts Academy students present Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - A group of students at the Savannah Arts Academy are diving headfirst into the chaos and comedy of William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.”

This weekend, the high school is putting on four performances of the classic comedy. The play follows a pair of twins - Viola and Sebastian - who are separated by shipwreck and end up on the island of Illyria, setting off a story of mistaken identity and misplaced affections.

The school’s production aims to combine classic costumes and stage design with upbeat pacing and performances to tell the timeless tale.

“A lot of recent versions of Twelfth Night have dealt with the idea of colonialism. A lot of depictions of Viola and Sebastian have been immigrants going into a new land,” said Shaylee Smith, who plays Countess Olivia. “And my mom is an immigrant from the Philippines, so it’s been nice to find the serious underbelly of this show - exploring what it is like to be in a new place and to be in a new world.”

Director David Poole said the enduring appeal of Shakespeare’s work lies in its relatability.

“The reason why we keep doing Shakespeare and we’ve done it for hundreds of years now, is that his stories are so relatable,” Poole said. “One thing that I would want anybody who was thinking about coming to see the show is you will relate to this story somehow.”

The play runs for four shows this weekend: January 9 and 10 at 7:00 p.m., and January 10 and 11 at 2:30 p.m. at the John Varnedoe Theater at the Savannah Arts Academy.

General admission tickets are $15, with discounted tickets at $12 for students, seniors, SAA staff and military. Tickets are available at saa.booktix.com.

Watch an extended preview of the show and interviews with cast members from WTOC+ below: