Shakespeare in the Park

Back Alley players bring ‘The 12th Night’ to Coolidge Park Saturday

After opening “The 12th Night” in Dalton, Ga., last week, Back Alley Productions brings the Shakespearean play to Chattanooga this weekend.

On Saturday, Aug. 12, BAP will present a free performance of “The 12th Night” in Coolidge Park, 200 River St., at 8 p. m. The f inal performance is Saturday, Aug. 19, at 8 p.m. in Northwest Georgia Bank Amphitheatre in Ringgold Ga. The public is invited to bring their lawn chairs, water, snacks, bug spray and enjoy an evening of outdoor theater

This traveling production is part of Back Alley’s annual Shakespeare Summer Series.

“We’ve been performing a traveling Shakespeare show for five years now,” says Kaylee Smith, executive director of Back Alley. “It’s entirely different from our regular lineup. We’ve done a lot of the tragedies, and ‘12th Night’ is a comedy. I think the audience will find that even if they’re not Shakespeare buffs, the story is accessible and a lot of fun.”

The play begins in the wake of a shipwreck. Lady Viola (Nicole Montgomery) washes up on the shores of the island kingdom of Illyria. Disguising herself as a boy, she procures employment delivering love letters from the romantic Duke Orsi- no (Zachary Green) to the object of his infatuation, Lady Olivia ( Madison Smith).

The cast includes Sara Lapp, Madison Smith, Marissa Plott, Nicole Montgomery, J a mes Lanier, Anna Calsetta, Jessica Altemose, Harlie Davis Jr., DJ Lovett, Zachery Green and Keegan Westra.

Although t he show is free, Back Alley will accept donations that help f und its performances.

Nicole Montgomery and Madison Smith, from left, are cast as Viola and Olivia, respectively, in “The 12th Night.”