In an abandoned New York City lot circa 1893, a group of homeless friends gather for warmth around a trash can fire on Christmas Eve–a cynical artist, a doctor who can’t forgive himself for a tragic mistake, a desperately ill young woman, a high-spirited pickpocket, and a oncepromising Harvard graduate turned alcoholic. The biting cold and a harassing police officer add to the night’s bitterness until an unusual stranger, a teller of beautiful stories, mysteriously arrives. This clever storyteller lifts the cast of forlorn comrades from their plight and alters the course of their lives forever. Adapted from the works of O. Henry, this play uses humor and clear, poignant language to reveal each character’s transformation. In this uplifting seasonal tale, Burman’s play allows the audience to rediscover the spirit of Christmas.