A Play in One Act by John Hardy
Approximately 60 minutes in length, the play requires a unit set and very few props.
The play can be performed with as few as six actors or as many as twenty.
The gender breakdown is flexible as long as there are at least two of each gender.
The play is recommended for ages 10 - Adult.
Beginning in the late 1700s, the play takes place over the next two and a half
centuries in and around a grove of trees somewhere in America.
On a stormy Christmas morning a group of lost travelers, close to freezing,
arrive at a grove of trees, certain of their own death. The trees seem to warm
the travelers and shield them from the icy wind. Saved from a cruel death, the
group of travelers decide to stay in the shadow of the magical grove of trees
and make a life for themselves. The play follows the settlers and their
descendants through four Christmas' over the course of one hundred and fifty
years. through the Civil War, the Industrial Age and World War II, the town
that was founded on that Christmas morning never loses its reverence for the
stand of trees. The grove of trees has provided warmth, comfort, a living,
grace and beauty to those who live in its shadow. The trees have seen tragedy,
joy, romance and, as always, the struggle for survival. History, myth and magic
come together in this Christmas story that follows the history of America
through the prism of one small town.
A serious comedy, the play is part historical drama, part romance, part
environmental statement and all Christmas celebration, abounding with Christmas
music and singing.
Approx. 60 minutes
6-20 actors
