Nina Arsenault is a classic blonde bombshell. But she wasn’t always that way. Born in 1974 in an Ontario trailer park as Rodney Arsenault, Nina lived her life as a man until 1996, when she underwent the first of more then 60 surgeries to transform her into the perfect woman.

Arsenault relays the sometimes harrowing, sometimes inspiring story of her transformation in the one-act play The Silicone Diaries, appearing in February at the historic Cultch theatre. Her surgical odyssey spanned more than eight years of cosmetic operations, with medical bills totaling more than $150,000.

These days, Arsenault has found her calling as a freelance writer and actress. Silicone Diaries has earned rave reviews from critics across Canada, with the Toronto Star calling the “self-revelatory portrait” nothing short of “profoundly moving.”

The Cultch in Vancouver couldn’t be better suited for the intimate performance. An abandoned church renovated into an avant-garde theatre, the Cultch feels like a big living room. Audience and actors nearly rub shoulders, allowing for a unique degree of interaction.

The Silicon Diaries runs from through Feb. 25, with special post-show Q&A sessions with Arsenault on Feb. 15, 16, 21 and 22. Tickets start at $21.