Ottawa High School students present “Twelve” at 7 p.m. this Friday and Saturday

Ottawa High School’s spring play will be a shift from its fall performance of “The Miracle Worker,” as 32 students will stage “Twelve,” a comedy in a similar vein to “Shrek.”

Director Sue Williamson said the similarities to “Shrek” lie in the script’s ability to tell jokes in which the students see the fun and the adult’s see the jokes.

“The kids were relieved it was comedy because we did the ‘Miracle Worker’ last fall, and they were happy for a little comedy, because it’s been a long couple of years for them,” Williamson said. “It’s a chance to laugh and have some fun, and that’s important, and of course it allows for a lot of girls since we have 13 princesses and a queen.”

Williamson said for each boy who tries out, she has five girls, so this is a wonderful opportunity to get everyone speaking parts.

“Comedy teaches you a lot about acting,” Williamson said. “Timing is important and every professional actor knows there’s two cardinal rules for comedy: If the audience isn’t laughing, you have to go louder and faster, and that doesn’t mean shouting or rushing. It means picking up the tempo, picking up some volume and bringing some energy. The kids have gotten to learn that.”

“Twelve” also has a specially built set created by Pete Sutton with Grand Ridge Construction and decorated by the students Williamson said will make for a lot of fun once the play reaches certain scenes the crowd will want to see for themselves.

It also makes for photo opportunities.

“If parents or aunts and uncles or siblings, or grandparents want to bring their little ones dressed up in costume, that would be great,” Williamson said. “We’ll let them come up at the end of the show and take a picture of themselves with the stage or with our princesses. It’s going to be a lot of fun for the little ones.”

Williamson wants the play to be a bright spot for students after the rough last two years they’ve had with the pandemic.

“Just to be able to go to a play right now with children and parents in the audience for a couple of hours after plays had to be limited will be nice,” Williamson said. “Laughter is a blessing and it makes me happy to be able to do it.”

Tickets will cost $10 for adults and $5 for children, seniors and members of the military, with shows taking place at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at the Ottawa High School Auditorium.