Poly sophomore Amira Shamsi and junior Sophie Converse are debuting an original play in Pasadena that reimagines Shakespeare through a modern high school lens. The pair wrote and directed the satire titled “unsex me!,” and it will be performed twice on Saturday, Dec. 6 at the Lineage Performing Arts Center, a theater in Pasadena.

The idea for “unsex me!” began last year. “We were thinking, ‘Directing can’t be that hard; writing can’t be that hard,’” shared Converse. “It was so pretentious of us, but we were like, ‘What if we just write a play? Why not do one that’s totally student-run?’”

They adopted the play’s title from Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.” In the play, Lady Macbeth famously pleads, “Unsex me here,” asking to be stripped of traditionally feminine traits to pursue her ambitions. For Shamsi and Converse, the startling title captures the bold, irreverent tone of their show.

“Unsex Me follows five high schoolers, Hannah, Brooke, Benny, Aria, and Iris, who procrastinate reading Macbeth until the night before their AP English final and spiral into a chaotic, sleep-deprived all-nighter where Shakespeare, stress, and personal drama collide,” shared Shamsi.

After planning it out for months, the pair sat down to write it the week before school began, writing the script in just two days. With the help of Performing Arts Teachers Eric Lifland and Andrew Villaverde as well as Lineage Executive Director Cynthia Crass, they were able to put the show on its feet and have been in the production process since. The cast includes Poly juniors Casey Gmelich, Olivia Rivera-Vasquez, and sophomore Leela Wahl. Seniors Bridget Bickell and Charlie Bryant compose the crew. Tickets for “unsex me!” are available through the Lineage Performing Arts Center for those interested in attending the production.