I produced an audio play version of this script on the Gather by the Ghost Light radio theater podcast. It's a charming non-traditional holiday story with clever reveals along the way. The structure and pacing of the conversation between Mr O'Brien and Sam provide a nice set up that keeps you guessing how it will all play out, and then Hayet nails the ending with a perfect callback.

It threw me. In a good way.

One is generally supposed to root for the plucky underdog and against the corporate Boss Man. But Sam comes in with such youthful entitlement, I had to wonder who the hell she thought she was!

Which turns out to be the point! The great thing is that Hayet allows lessons to be taught and learned on both sides, signaling hope for the entitled and the powerful to see humanity in each other while finding it in themselves.

PLAYING WITH FIRED takes you on a wonderful emotional journey in the most unlikely of places. Steven Hayet's background in business also adds such rich layers of truth and authenticity to the characters as they navigate both career and self. Such a unique holiday play that deserves to be seen again and again.