Marking their 25th Anniversary Season, celebrated drag troupe Guys in Disguise brings to Edmonton’s Roxy Theatre a refreshing take on an old genre, all in good Christmas cheer.

Written and directed by Darrin Hagen, author of Queering the Way, his production With Bells On takes audiences into a stalled elevator ride not soon forgotten. James Hamilton and Paul Welch play an unlikely duo: a mild mannered accountant en route to blur his divorce sorrows and a 7-foot glamazon decked out to reclaim her Christmas pageant crown. The two become trapped in their apartment building’s elevator, and so the hilarious tale to get the belle to her ball by midnight begins.

"I knew I wanted to put a huge drag queen and a smaller straight guy on stage, but didn’t know much more," says Hagen. "Then my friend Neon (stage manager) was visiting my apartment and as we left the elevator landing was rough, as it usually is."

"Neon said, you should write a play about the scary elevators in this building. Having been in many an elevator in drag, I knew immediately that it would be instant comedy."

And an instant success. With Bells On was nominated for two Betty Mitchell awards including ‘Best New Play’ in Calgary where it was performed to sold out houses last winter season. The show’s Christmas theme wasn’t planned, but manifested when Hagen was work-shopping the script at Lunchbox Theatre and ironically quipped of the lead femme’s ensemble, "She is dressed like a giant sparkly Christmas tree".

"I had never considered writing a Christmas play before, but as soon as it was said out loud, it was almost inevitable," Hagen recalls.

This year the show will bundle audiences with the warm spirit of togetherness at the Theatre Network’s Roxy from November 29th to December 11th, with Tuesday through Saturday shows starting at 8pm and a Sunday matinee at 2pm.

While Welch will be reprising the role of the towering glitzy "She" Edmonton’s Hamilton has taken on the more demure role of "He".

"James is the actor who originally inspired me to write this two hander – I saw him onstage in a staged reading a few years ago and thought Oh my god – he would look hilarious standing next to a giant Queen," Hagen says.

The director promises that this is the Christmas show for all of those whom usually loathe the cheery season’s program list, stating himself a usual Grinch.

"The show made Calgary audiences grin from ear-to-ear, and I predict the same fun reaction in Edmonton," he says. "Plus it’s one of my most family-friendly plays – seriously.  I’m talking g-rated."

Hagen wrote the script aiming to make the amusing plot and drag character appealing to a wide range of audience. Attendees of all ages are sure to be dazzled by the ‘out of this world’ costume (designed by Norman J. MacDonald) donned by the equally zany She.

"The audiences love seeing a tired genre like a Christmas play revisited with a fresh and new point of view," he says. "With Bells On embraces all who watch it, and breaks down a few stereotypes as well."

Hagen says of all of his theatre experiences this is the one he’s enjoyed most.

"Creating this play has been an amazing gift...– start to finish, it has been a real joy to see it come together," he says. "At last night’s preview I got to see the audience leave after the show, and every one of them had a huge smile on their face."

"And when a full audience laughs out loud at something I have created – well, that’s the best gift of all."