Trinity Western University鈥檚 theatre department is acting out the holidays in unexpected ways with their upcoming show Upside-Down Christmas.

The production uses comedy, drama, music, and dance to explore a fresh take on Christmas.

Upside-Down Christmas wants the audience to ask, 鈥榗an anything surprise us about Christmas?鈥�

TWU professor and director Angela Konrad, said the show is a form of 鈥榙evised theatre,鈥� meaning the performers wrote the script themselves.

鈥淭he play is different in that the people in the ensemble have created it out of ideas and impressions of Christmas that have come up in the group. We had no script to start with.鈥�

Prior to rehearsals, the all-women cast brainstormed ideas and memories of the holidays to create a final script.

鈥淚f there was something that wasn鈥檛 upside-down and unexpected, then it didn鈥檛 make the cut,鈥� added Konrad.

Konrad explained the production is in the style of a variety show, so the audience can expect short scenes with dances, monologues, acting, singing, and more.

鈥淚f you love Christmas or hate Christmas, there鈥檚 something for you.鈥�

A local second-year student and ensemble member Natalie Hoogstra, said this is the first time she has performed a devised theatre show.

鈥淚 was very nervous. As an actor myself, this wouldn鈥檛 be my go-to style, but I really enjoyed the process and being able to learn from it. It鈥檚 been fun to learn how to fail boldly. Because we created it, learning the lines was a lot easier than getting a script. We鈥檝e put a lot of ourselves into the show and how we would talk.鈥�

One of the scenes was developed from Hoogstra鈥檚 personal experience with 鈥榚xpectations and relationships.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 about inviting your friends over during Christmas, and seeing how it can change over time if you鈥檙e busy with school, or you don鈥檛 see each other often. When you leave high school, you lose touch with people you used to see every day.鈥�

Konrad added the group of performers possess a lot of talent.

鈥淭his ensemble is composed of some really fabulous, smart, talented, creative young women and it鈥檚 been a real joy to be able to work with a room full of women who are going to leave this place when they graduate and go out and change the world.鈥�

Upside-Down Christmas runs every day until Dec. 1, except on Nov. 25 and 26, at TWU鈥檚 SAMC Theatre at 7600 Glover Rd.

Tickets cost $14 for adults, $12 for students and seniors and can be purchased online at or by phone at 604-513-2188.