Thornton senior student Samantha Cage is a meanie to her friends.

Well, the 18-year-old has to be when she’s performing as the White Witch in the Northglenn Youth Theatre’s production of “Narnia.”

“This role is challenging to me in a lot of ways,” said Cage, who lives in Thornton. “As the main antagonist, I have to perform as a truly evil character throughout the show. Another challenge may be putting my personal relationships with my friends aside while performing. I have to be quite mean to most of them.”

NYT’s “Narnia” is a musical adaptation based on C.S. Lewis’ book, “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” and runs from April 25 through May 4 at the D.L. Parsons Theatre, 11801 Community Center Drive.

This is the second time NYT has done the show. NYT, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, last did “Narnia” in November 2005.

“It was one of our most popular shows,” said Kimberly Jongejan, NYT’s director. “Everyone loved the show from the cast perspective to the audience perspective. Everyone has been asking about it so we felt like it was a good time to bring it back.”

She said the musical is very close to the story “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” which is one of seven books in The Chronicles of Narnia. The story is about Narnia, a land of mythical creatures where the White Witch has ruled for 100 years and is visited by human children.

“It’s still a popular story,” Jongejan said. “Other fantasy-inspired storytelling seems to be hot right now so it fits right in. Everyone loves an epic tale — good versus evil, set in a mysterious land, with fantastical creatures and children characters.”

Fifteen-year-old Brendan Lynch plays the role of Edmund, one of the human children who visit Narnia. Lynch, who has done productions with NYT since he was 8, said that Edmund has been one of the most fun and challenging parts he has played.

“Edmund covers such a variety of emotions and characteristics as he is both strong and weak, he is defiant of fitting in, but easily conforms when the witch demands it,” said the Northglenn teen. “He also has an amazing transformation where he goes from being average and selfish in to a man with pride and passion.”

The show runs about two hours with an intermission and has a cast of 36.

Jongegan said the challenge she has had is getting the young actors to stop laughing and smiling and into character, since some of them are playing evil creatures.

“They’re having so much fun,” she said.

Another challenge she said is to get them to imagine the mythical land without the stage props available for rehearsals. “The environment is all up in their heads,” she said.

Cage has been with the NYT for seven years and this will be her final production. She said she had to be part of the show for a final opportunity to work with the staff and other actors.

“Also, who can give up the wonderful opportunity to be in `Narnia’?” she said.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $7 for youth and seniors and can be purchased by calling 303-450-8800.