It is rare in the theatre world that an actor gets to perform a role he loves a solid 100 times over. But, on December 24^th 2014, closing night of famed Christmas comedy With Bells On, thespian Paul Welch will do just that.

Playing the dazzling role of She he will stand roughly 7.5 feet tall on 6.5 inches of heel, four inches more than he started out on five years ago when he asked a burlesque dancer to teach him how to walk on spikes. She is the only role for which Welch has performed in drag, and it has taught him much about the art.

"I watched a documentary called Pageant (a behind the scenes look at the 34th Miss Gay America contest)... that really opened my eyes to the human being behind the drag," he says, on part of the research he put into initially playing this role. He also read Darrin Hagen’s (creator and director of the show the last three years) book Edmonton Queen. Welch is dismayed that so many view drag as devious or perverse when, in fact, "these are talented people challenging themselves artistically" and it is a mere creative feat to "step into the shoes, as it were."

Stafford Perry, who joins Welch on stage to play He, was also in the very first theatre rendition of With Bells On five years ago here in Calgary. The two actors have had a long history of acting side by side, having both been selected into the highly competitive BFA theatre program at the University of Alberta, from which they graduated together in a class of 12 in 2007.

"It’s a nice little book end to this five-year journey of the show," Welch says on their onstage reunion. She was Welch’s first professional theatre role, and both inducted him into the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association and won him a Betty Mitchell Award for best actor in a comedy role.

Welch has been acting since the age of 18. Even while completing an ambitious double major in philosophy and psychology at the University of Ottawa he was participating in three to four theatre projects per year.

"[Acting has] been the primary focus of my career for 15 years, and everything else has been secondary to that," he says.

His tenacious work ethic makes it no surprise that he fills these tall shoes with a fresh passion and dynamism; despite the long tenure he has done so.

"It’s hard to get bored when you are making people laugh night after night," he says. "It is quite an energising experience."

Welch admits, though it involved some amount of diligence to keep his brain in check – not to run too wild with the character – seeing the audience always re-roots him.

"Working with Darrin... he has allowed me to play around a bit, and some of my improvised moments have become part of the show now," Welch describes.

Ian Prinsloo, creative inquiry facilitator at The Banff Centre, originally directed the show, but its creator, Hagen, has since taken the helm and added 15 minutes to its total 50-minute length.

"It is quite a different show than the original production," Welch says. "A little more sassy; a little more pizazz."

With Bells On has become one of Lunchbox Theatre’s most popular Christmas shows. Not only does it put audiences ‘on the verge of wetting themselves’ from all laughs, it also teaches on accepting one another for who we are.

"It has really got a lot of heart at the centre of the piece," Welch says. "It helps people find that common ground... those threads that link us as human beings."

The plot sees the vivacious She and uptight He trapped in an elevator. Both must work together to escape so that She might make it to fulfill her dream in competing for the title of ‘Christmas Queen’. Thus is why she is dressed like the vision of Christmas glam itself.

The show is recommended for ages 14 and up, due to some cheeky language and innuendo, but families are welcome. Welch says the play is a wonderful way to introduce an ‘average Joe’ into the sublime world of drag: through a theatre experience vs. what could be to some an intimidating trip to a gay bar.

"[With Bells On] helps disarm people and see another way of life and ... realize [that drag] is not as threatening as they thought it was," he says. "I think it is a play that could really open the audience’s eyes about who drag queens are, and what they are about... Through the laughter and warmth the audience experiences, they are changed."

Show times are already selling out. Welch recalls in his first year that ‘little old ladies’ would leave the theatre and head straight back to the box office to purchase another show seating.

"People are thrilled to have an opportunity to finally see it," he says of those of us who have heard of the show over the years but have still not actually attended. "It is a great... holiday show – very different to your standard Christmas fare."

"So much time and energy goes into drag performing and it is definitely a specialized skill set." Welch is not kidding: for less than an hour on stage the actor must endure two hours of hair, make up and costume every performance.

"The transformation is visually stunning."