PRODUCTION HISTORY
From play to musical!
2009 - 2010
Lunchbox Theatre's Suncor Energy Stage One Festival, Calgary:
"With Bells On! The Play" was commissioned by Lunchbox Theatre's Suncor Energy Stage One Festival, setting the stage for its future development. The play was conceived by Darrin Hagen, laying the foundation for its journey to the stage.
2011- 2012
Guys In Disguise/Roxy Performance Series, Theatre Network, Edmonton:
The play once again returned to the direction of Darrin Hagen as another full-length version premiered at The Roxy. The Christmas comedy featured Paul Welch as "She" and James Hamilton as "He".
2010 - 2011
Lunchbox Theatre, Calgary:
After being developed by the Alberta Playwrights' Network, the Lunchbox Theatre produced a full length version of "With Bells On! The Play" under the direction of Ian Prinsloo and starring Paul Welch as "She" and Stafford Perry as "He." The play, initially developed by Guys In Disguise, offers a humorous take on the Christmas Spirit.
2012 - 2013
Musical Inspiration
After the first showing of the play, the Theatre network decided to bring it back another year. This production continued under the direction of Darrin Hagen with Paul Welch & James Hamilton returning as the cast. This version was attended by Devanand Janki and would be the catalyst for the musical adaptation of the play.
2021
Live & In Color at The Green Room 42, New York City:"
After being workshopped in Salem, CT Live and in Color, with additional support from Mary J. Davis and MBL Productions, produced a live showing featuring the same cast. The event, directed by Dev Janki, showcased the festive score in concert at Green Room 42, a few days before Christmas!
2023
Mainstage at The Roxy, Edmonton, Canada:
"The world premiere of "With Bells On! The Musical" starring Thomas Jones as Ted and Zachary Parsons-Lozinski as Natasha. The musical was produced by Theatre Network in Edmonton, CA, with additional support from Mary J. Davis and MBL Productions. Tommy Newman and Devanand Janki worked closely with Theatre Network and Darrin Haggin to bring the full musical to life!
2023
Lunchbox Theatre, Calgary:
A year after "With Bells On! The Musical" world premiere at The Green Room 42, Conrad Belau directed the beleoved play written by Darrin Hagen with Bernardo Pacheco as "Ted" and Joel Schaefer as "Natasha." The play continued to bring laughter and holiday cheer to audiences with its unique take on the Christmas season.
2021
Live & In Color, Salem, CT
In September 2021, Live and In Color along with Devanand Janki and Tommy Newman begin to workshop "With Bells On! The Musical" at Live and In Color. The roles of "He" and "She" now evolved into Nastasha starring Juan Calix & Ted starring Cameron Williams. The outside production of the musical allowed the creative team to explore and refine the musical in distinctive environments.
2018 - 2019
Red Barn Theater, Key West, FL
While the idea of "With Bells On! The Musical" was in incubation the play continued to tour, with its American debut originating at "The Red Barn Theatre". The cast now comprised of Don Bearden as "He" and Trey Gerrald as "She". The american production was directed by the multi-talented Christopher Peterson, known for his legendary drag performances. The unlikely friendship continues to bring holiday cheer.
2010
Alberta Playwrights' Network, Alberta, Canada
After being commissioned the play was further developed in a workshop by Alberta's Playwrights' Network under the guidance of Darrin Hagen.
2018 - 2019
Guys in Disguise, Varscona Theatre, Edmonton:
Guys in Disguise once again took the helm to produce the play, with only James Hamilton reprising his role as "He." The character of "She" is now portrayed by Jake Tkaczyk, with costume designs by Trevor Schmidt. Throughout the years, "With Bells On! The Play" underwent distinctive evolutions, yet it retained its status as a significant milestone in theatre history.
