The community of National Committee readers for the 46th Bay Area Playwrights Festival advanced HUGO SAVES CHRISTMAS...in MAY! as a Semi-Finalist at Playwrights Foundation. We appreciate this story that that aims to center joy instead of trauma and we were fortunate to find that rare comedy that can lift audiences up without evading the the tougher moments of life. We appreciate the intentions of this story and the way the characters are rendered. We hope this play is considered for further development and investigation, and finds dedicated collaborators in this play’s journey towards production. #BAPF46

We produced an audio play version of this script on the Gather by the Ghost Light podcast (https://www.gatherbytheghostlight.com/s4e2). Hayet has built a story filled with nostalgia, humor, and tenacity. Hugo's passion for holding on to Christmas year round is the perfect contrast to the opposing character, Maya, and Hayet unfolds the story in such a way that you are pulling for both of them. And just like the year round Christmas Store in this script, this is a play that you don't have to wait for the holiday season to produce. It's relevant year round!

Hayet crafts all the right elements audiences want in a Christmas story. It's charming, sweet, and full of so much heart!