An original Christmas story takes the stage in Kelowna

We all know holiday classics like The Nutcracker and A Christmas Carol.

But this year, New Vintage Theatre is eager to present an original tale that features retellings of some classic fairy tales with a holiday and arctic twist, in North Pole Stories.

“It’s like what you would see in a movie like Shrek, but Christmas themed,” writer and director Bonnie Gratz explained to Kelowna10. “It’s a mashup of everything that’s great about Christmas movies, stories, music. A joyful celebration of all those things together.”

Gratz said there is a bit of uncertainty introducing a brand-new holiday story to audiences.

“It’s more challenging because you want people to come see a play and people like to know about Christmas things when they come to see it,” she said. “When we start, to get audiences in, there’s going to be a buzz about these amazing characters and putting them together and the experiences they have.”

The cast play various roles in the different stories throughout the night. The same goes for Kennedy Rowe, who plays Jovie the Elf, Clarise the Reindeer, and Snow White.

Rowe said while a show likes this targets a younger audience, the appeal of the recognizable pieces should put everyone in the Christmas spirit.

“When I first read the script, I thought it was really cool because as I was reading through it, I saw all of the different movies that I was aware of and all the different things that I had known growing up,” she said. “It brings that nostalgia back. And I really like that it introduces those old stories to the younger generation but also gives the adults an opportunity to connect with Christmas again, too.”

The show runs at the Mary Irwin Theatre until Dec. 17.