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Princess Stephanie sets fire to her pants — or does she?

Whistler legend tells truths and lies at Vancouver TheatreSports improv night at MYAC
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True or False? Princess Stephanie, a.k.a. Stephanie Reesor, will tell real and imagined stories about her life to the improv team from the Vancouver TheatreSports League. PHOTO submitted

Improv with a Whistler twist just got twisted in a special Whistler way.

Princess Stephanie, a.k.a. Stephanie Reesor, is a longtime resort resident with a legendary, colourful past.

Now her future is onstage — Princess is the very brave subject of Vancouver TheatreSports League's Pants on Fire night at the Maury Young Arts Centre.

"I'm a 'Yes' girl. Someone asks me to do something and I automatically say yes. To whatever," she explains.

"So I said, 'Yes' and then I thought, 'Oh my God. What am I doing?'"

What she is doing is this: A panel of TheatreSports players will be presented with a series of "facts" by Princess about her life and the panel must decide whether the facts are true or false.

And after 26 years in Whistler, she has plenty of stories to tell. Think of it as a roast of Princess Stephanie.

"What to wear is the biggest thing. I may go for my Santa suit, or my Burning Man outfit, or a nice black slimming casual," she says.

Princess Stephanie in Pants on Fire takes place at the as part of Arts Whistler Presents! on Thursday, Feb. 16. Doors open at 7 p.m.

The show is currently sold out, but returns and another small release of tickets may be available at www.artswhistler.com.

It helps that Princess knows how to hold an audience, not least because she went to theatre school "150 years ago."

She adds: "But every day, my life is a bit smoke and mirrors. I raised a son in this town as a single mother and yet I'm drinking champagne at Steep's (Grill) daily. Is it a lie? There you go."

The TheatreSports League mainstage players will try to outwit Princess and will then improvise a series of sketches based on her tall or real tales.

A generous over-sharer of facts about her life, Princess thinks she is up to the task.

"I'm just going to breathe through it. Rescue remedy," she says.

With a wicked laugh she adds: "What's a little scary is what stories could come out, you know? That does make me slightly nervous... I thought there would be a whole group of locals. I didn't think it was just going to be me!

"It can go, like.... I just don't know! No one really knows! I don't even know. All I know is that I really want to keep myself sober before it."

She agrees there is potential for a Princess Stephanie drinking game on the night.

One Princess fact is that she has worked as a private ski instructor for Whistler Blackcomb (WB), and is getting her 25-year award from WB the day before the show.

"I can't believe that, but it's real," she says.

"My clients seem to think that (Pants on Fire) using me is hysterical. There will be a ton of Whistler locals there; whole groups of people I've been teaching forever are coming as well. Clients from Ireland, Australia, they're all coming."

In a release, Brian Anderson of Vancouver TheatreSports said inspiration is key to a good night of Pants-on-Fire improv, whether the stories told are the truth or lies.

"We had a nice conversation and he asked some questions about my life. But I think that after 26 years in this town it's like Alice in Wonderland. The answers get bigger and smaller and more drawn out," Princess says.

"I'm not really a great liar, but sometimes I don't know fact from fiction."

Her puppy, Tater Tot, is very much part of Princess's lifestyle these days, so expect plenty of mentions.

"She goes to puppy socialization class in Squamish every Thursday night, learning how to interact," Princess says.

She has also taken to social media to defend Tater Tot's growing wardrobe, which is something every puppy needs if they are going to be sociable.

There is no confirmation that Tater will be in attendance.

"I'm excited; it's going to be fun and I am interested to see what they will do. They're clearly a talented group of thespians. Hopefully, they won't roast me too much. I'm a little sensitive but I'll try to keep it together," Princess says.

"What is key is that I'll be with a lot of people who love me."

Music from Poor Dirty Sylvia will open the show, and for those not drinking champagne at Steep's Grill, there will be a cash bar.