Lights Up! Teen Theatre Company Brings Shakespeare to Santa Barbara for the Holidays

Lights Up! Teen Theatre Company Brings Shakespeare to Santa Barbara for the Holidays 

Who: Lights Up! Theatre Company
What: Shakespeare Comes Alive for the Holidays
When: December 14th at 7pm and December 15th at 2pm
Where: Center Stage Theater
Contact: Jen Gamble / jen@lightsupsb.com / 

Lights Up! Theatre Company presents Shakespeare’s hilarious comedy, Twelfth Night, just in time for the holidays, kicking off its second season on December 14th and 15th at Center Stage theater.  Following an acclaimed production of  Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” last year, this year’s teen actors bring their unique perspective to this gender bending, mistaken-identity romp while paying homage to the classic literature and language of the Bard. 
 
Lights Up!’s production of Twelfth Night is the result of a program unique to Santa Barbara – an acting intensive division of their complete program which will also present a “The Music Man” in the Spring at Marjorie Luke Theatre.  In a local theater scene focused heavily on musicals, this intensive program draws teens who want to dive deep into acting and have the opportunity to perform in a straight play. Director and Founder, Amy Love, selected this classic in response to the actor’s interest. “When selecting productions for Lights Up!, we listen carefully to how our company members want to grow and develop their skills.” Love, who also teaches Shakespeare at Santa Barbara Middle School, is thrilled to work with actors motivated to gain the unique acting experience and theatrical training to perform Shakespeare. “Our young actors want the challenge of material not usually available to them – they asked for this! I am thrilled to see them making connections with characters drawn in the 1500’s and how many things, especially what people find funny, are not so different in our time.”

Love adds that coming to see Twelfth Night is a perfect way to begin celebrating the holiday season. For the Elizabethans, Christmas was a major festival, lasting twelve days. On the last night of the festival – the twelfth night – there was a big celebration.  Legend has it Queen Elizabeth commissioned this play for that occasion. While Shakespeare can feel daunting for some, this production of Twelfth Night deconstructs it a bit, incorporating on-stage costume changes and broad stroke comedy while remaining true to the poetry of the Bard. The teen actors even sing and play their own instruments. This production aims to be accessible to everyone in the family, and teens will enjoy seeing their peers wielding the Shakespearean language like the rapiers they use onstage – yes, there’s sword fighting too!  

In hopes of spreading the infectious appreciation for Shakespeare among younger generations, Lights Up! is offering a current promotion for student groups of 10 or more. “We are calling it 10 for 10 for 12th,” says producer Jen Gamble. “We want to pack the house full of students to celebrate and enjoy the humor and festivity of this great play.”

Tickets can be purchased in advance for Saturday, December 14th at 7:00 or Sunday, December 15th at 2:00 at Center Stage’s Box Office or by calling 805-963-0408. General Admission for $15 students and $25 for adults. Tickets will also be sold at the door.

To take advantage of the student promotion for groups of 10 or more, contact the box office directly at 805-963-0408.  

For more information on Lights Up! Theatre Company, visit
https://www.lightsupsb.com/