Ten Minutes 'til Christmas!

by Brian Vinero

Why spend two hours and slog through dozens of perfume and jewelry commercials when one can get that romantic Yuletide story fix that is a "hallmark" of the season in a mere ten minutes? In a picturesque village we meet a man and a woman who fight insurmountable odds and conflicts of personality, class and income to fall in love and get engaged ten minutes after meeting during the Christmas season....

Why spend two hours and slog through dozens of perfume and jewelry commercials when one can get that romantic Yuletide story fix that is a "hallmark" of the season in a mere ten minutes? In a picturesque village we meet a man and a woman who fight insurmountable odds and conflicts of personality, class and income to fall in love and get engaged ten minutes after meeting during the Christmas season.

"Hallmark had better move over: there’s a new show in town called Ten Minutes ‘til Christmas...This sticky-sweet rom-com is so hilarious that by the time it was over I thought I’d need an inhaler." --Rickey Wax, OnstageNTX

"It was an absolute hoot from start to finish. From the spot-on, send-up script and plot, to the skillful tongue-in-cheek spoof of the instantly-recognizable, cookie-cutter rom-com characters that always inhabit these annual holiday films...Absolutely loved every minute!" --Beti Webb Trauth, The Times-Standard

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Ten Minutes 'til Christmas!

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  • Marj O'Neill-Butler: Ten Minutes 'til Christmas!

    I saw a production of this fun and funny 10 minute play at the Actors Theatre Playhouse in NH this weekend. This short play takes a pot shot at any and all silly Christmas movies. What a hoot.

    I saw a production of this fun and funny 10 minute play at the Actors Theatre Playhouse in NH this weekend. This short play takes a pot shot at any and all silly Christmas movies. What a hoot.

  • Christopher Plumridge: Ten Minutes 'til Christmas!

    Thank you Mr Vinero, for saving me from enduring two hours of a Hallmark Christmas film with your clever, witty, perfectly sarcastic ten minute play! This is a wonderfully astute look at the twee holiday television schedule and I do expect, if staged, there to be seventeen commercial breaks throughout! Very clever!

    Thank you Mr Vinero, for saving me from enduring two hours of a Hallmark Christmas film with your clever, witty, perfectly sarcastic ten minute play! This is a wonderfully astute look at the twee holiday television schedule and I do expect, if staged, there to be seventeen commercial breaks throughout! Very clever!

  • Claudia Haas: Ten Minutes 'til Christmas!

    I “hear” there is a drinking game associated with Christmas tv movies. Every time a stereotypical Christmas moment happens, you take a shot. That would be a dangerous game to play with Vinero’s Christmas-latte-confection. You would be inebriated five minutes into the play. Vinero hits all the Hallmark-trope-frosting-covered-elf moments with sprinkles on top. If the sugars of the season are leaving you jumpy, the antidote is right here. Read it! Better yet, produce it.

    I “hear” there is a drinking game associated with Christmas tv movies. Every time a stereotypical Christmas moment happens, you take a shot. That would be a dangerous game to play with Vinero’s Christmas-latte-confection. You would be inebriated five minutes into the play. Vinero hits all the Hallmark-trope-frosting-covered-elf moments with sprinkles on top. If the sugars of the season are leaving you jumpy, the antidote is right here. Read it! Better yet, produce it.

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Development History

  • Type Reading, Organization The New Musical Theatre Exchange, Year 2020

Production History

  • Type Community Theater, Organization Actor's Theatre Playhouse , Year 2024
  • Type Community Theater, Organization East West Players/ Milford Arts Council CT, Year 2024
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Town and Gown Theatre, Stillwater OK, Year 2024
  • Type Professional, Organization Exit Theatre, Year 2024
  • Type Professional, Organization Rover Dramawerks, Year 2024
  • Type Professional, Organization CrashCourse Theatre, Year 2023
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Dalton Little Theatre, Dalton GA, Year 2022
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Merely Players, Mankato MN, Year 2021
  • Type Professional, Organization Actor's Studio of Newport, Year 2021
  • Type Professional, Organization The Storefront Theatre , Year 2021
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Stage Door Players, Fredericksburg VA, Year 2020

Awards

  • Audience Choice Award
    Dalton Little Theatre
    Winner
    2022
  • The Actor's Studio of Newport Short Play Festival
    Actor's Studio of Newport
    Finalist
    2021
  • Minneosota Shorts Play Festival
    Minnesota Shorts Play Festival
    Winner
    2021
  • We Like Shorts 10-minute Play Competition
    Storefront Theatre
    Honorable Mention
    2021
  • Audience Choice Award
    Stage Door Players
    Winner
    2021
  • The Ten Show
    The Hive Collaborative
    Finalist
    2020