An O. Henry Christmas
Written by Howard Burman
Directed by Mark Taylor
Performance Dates: Dec 7-17, 2023
William Sydney Porter, better known by his pen name O. Henry, was an American writer known primarily for his short stories, many of which were written in and about Texas. In this production, a mysterious storyteller enters an abandoned railroad spur on the outskirts of New York City after escaping wrongful imprisonment. It’s Christmas Eve, 1893, and in exchange for some hobo stew, “O.P.” entertains a rag-tag mix of seemingly lost souls by spinning a few tales. In the process, he rekindles the spirit of giving. He uses the homeless characters to act out several O. Henry classics, including Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen, One Thousand Dollars, The Last Leaf, The Gift of the Magi, and others. O. Henry’s word play is a feast for the ears, and this heartwarming telling of his classic stories strips aways all the department store wrappings of commercialized Christmas and reminds us of the true meaning of the season.