COEUR d'ALENE - Alivea Goncalves has enjoyed discovering another Olivia - within herself.

Goncalves, 14, plays the character Olivia in Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy's production of Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night."

"Shakespeare left a lot of room for development, and it's a lot of fun finding out how to fit yourself into the character," said Goncalves, a ninth-grade student.

The play is one of the bard's most well-known comedies, with a twisting plot, replete with pranks, deceptions, cross-dressing and romantic antics.

The show, performed by the school's Panther Players after-school drama club, opens tonight at 7 p.m. on stage at Coeur d'Alene High School, and runs again at the same time on Friday and Saturday. There is a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday.

Tickets are available at the door only, and cost $6 for adults and $4 for students and children.

"The way we have designed this production makes it easy to understand. I really think audiences are going to enjoy the humor," said Tracey Vaughan, Charter Academy drama, speech and debate instructor.

The production is a shortened adaptation of Shakespeare's work that preserves his original language, Vaughan said.

Jake Crotinger, 15, said his role as Sebastian, his first Shakespearean character, is one of the favorite roles he has played.

"He's got a really great spirit, and a great sense of adventure," Crotinger said. "I'd say he's a semi-swashbuckler."

In the role, Crotinger said he enjoys playing a wide range of emotion, going from grief-stricken depression to light-hearted and joyful.

Audiences will like the show, Crotinger thinks, because the plot is designed to provoke a diverse array of emotional reactions.

Laughter is one of them, and much of that comes from the characters played by Thomas Leake, 16, and Parker Heisey, 17, both juniors."We provide a lot of comic relief, a lot of physical humor," said Leake, who plays Sir Toby Belch.

Because the language isn't always easy to follow, Leake said the physical humor makes it easier for the audience to understand.

Heisey, who plays Sir Andrew, has performed in other Shakespearean dramas, but it's his first role with Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy's drama club.

Like Goncalves, Heisey appreciates the bard's method of leaving much of the character interpretation up to the actors.

"The really fun thing about Shakespeare is making those lives your lives," Heisey said.

Vaughan, who is directing the show, said Charter Academy is grateful to Jared Helm and Coeur d'Alene High School for allowing them to use their rehearsal and performance space.

"The cast is really fun to work with; we have both veterans and newcomers, but everyone meshes together well," Vaughan said. "Personally, it is a little hard for me to see this one off because I have a few seniors in the cast who I have worked with numerous times, and this is their last show."