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Twelfth Night is the topsy-turvy last day of the Christmas season.

In Shakespeare鈥檚 version, 鈥淭welfth Night鈥� is about illusion, deception, disguises, madness and the extraordinary things that love will cause us to do 鈥� and to see.

The play opens with a shipwrecked Viola and her twin Sebastian, each believing the other has drowned.

Viola, dressed as a boy, takes the name Cesario, joins the court of Count Orsino and becomes his favorite. Sent to woo the Countess Olivia, Cesario is too successful; she falls in love with 鈥渉im.鈥�

Marked by a cascade of comic twists and turns, the Upstart Crows of Santa Fe will perform Shakespeare鈥檚 romantic comedy on Aug. 4-6 and Aug. 11-13 at the city鈥檚 United Universalist Church. The production stars two casts of 24 actors ages 10 to 18.

鈥� 鈥楾welfth Night鈥� is known as a comedy,鈥� said founder Caryl Farkas. 鈥淲e just finished 鈥楰ing Lear.鈥� After a play where just about everyone is dead on the ground, we鈥檙e looking for some substantive relief.鈥�

鈥淭welfth Night鈥� is Farkas鈥� favorite play.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 the language,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the incredible cleverness and all that鈥檚 going on 鈥� that love really is blind. It鈥檚 gender-blind and it鈥檚 status-blind. It can make us ridiculous. But it鈥檚 so deep and heartfelt. And it鈥檚 funny.鈥�

The double casts give all the actors substantial roles with no experience necessary.

鈥淓very actor has a counterpart who helps with directing,鈥� Farkas said. 鈥淪ometimes, we鈥檒l have two people play a character completely differently.鈥�

Farkas launched the Crows in 2014 after seeing a similar youth troupe perform 鈥淢easure for Measure鈥� in Madison, Wisconsin.

鈥淢y 5-year-old was just riveted,鈥� she said. 鈥淧art of it was her peers doing this work. She asked to meet the director and wanted to sign up right away.鈥�

In early July, Farkas took the Crows to the Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Canada. The actors attended workshops in voice, movement and text work and saw 鈥淜ing Lear,鈥� 鈥淩ichard II鈥� and 鈥淪pamalot.鈥�