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DEAR SISTER TERESA
SUMMARY
Spain, 1561. Inspired by the writings of Saint Teresa of Avila, this fictional story is about a beautiful nun in midlife who is actively teaching in her community as well as participating in life at her convent. In Teresa’s gatherings with the community, villagers bring up topics such as marital discord, recovery from the Crusades, women’s rights.
Teresa is summoned to Madrid by the Inquisition. The Inquisitor confronts her with the charge that she is teaching “sex education,” teaching villagers without the sanction of the church. Teresa stands up to the charge and produces letters from the villagers praising her work among them. The Inquisitor considers the letters and gives Teresa permission to continue her work among the troubled villagers. She returns home to the convent with a lighter heart.
In a letter, her widowed father prevails upon Teresa to visit him at the family estate. Thus, Teresa embarks on another journey away from the convent. Along the way she encounters a man who is to change her life, a painter in a parish church.
THE PAINTER’S EYE
SUMMARY
London, 1901. An American painter arrives in London, befriended by a British gentleman who dreams of becoming a respected art dealer. The dealer-friend has a list of wealthy prospective clients but the American painter has an eye for the ladies, including married ladies like a mysterious former actress.
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– J. C. White
More reader comments about Dear Sister Teresa –
-“A beautiful story set in a beautiful setting. A great love story! I really enjoyed the read.”
– “What a delightful story! It overflows with feelings, images, history, references, and fun. I enjoy your names fitting naturally into the script. I enjoy your dialogue between Sister Teresa and the villagers. Lovely drama . . . . . . Your setting of Medieval Spain during the Inquisition adds tension to the story.”
-“You set the scenes so well as well as the atmosphere.”
-“It’s a good read!”
“I have read and evaluated the book “The Painter’s Eye,” and I have to say that it was done beautifully. Your writing style and attention to detail truly captivated me as a reader, and I have no doubt that it will do the same for many others.
“In fact, I can see this book being adapted into a movie and becoming a huge hit with audiences. The vivid descriptions and complex characters would translate perfectly onto the big screen, and I can already imagine the stunning visuals that could be created.
“Overall, I just wanted to express my admiration for your work and let you know that I truly believe “The Painter’s Eye” has the potential to be a huge success.”
– F. O. Smith
“I read your play. The relationships really got to me. I hope John and Masha keep the relationship going . . . . You are very gifted. I wonder if you had a past life at that time and place. Boy, I was so there.”
– Lynn H.
DEAR SISTER TERESA
by Amy Heebner
INTERIOR. CATHEDRAL IN MADRID, SPAIN, 1561. AFTERNOON.
SISTER TERESA enters at the back of the sanctuary and
genuflects. Then she walks toward FATHER RUIZ, who is standing
at the altar.
FATHER RUIZ
Sister Teresa of Avila, do you know why we summoned
you here?
TERESA
No, Father Ruiz.
FATHER RUIZ
(with resignation in his voice)
Would you like to guess?
TERESA
No, thank you. Please tell me in what way
I have erred.
FATHER RUIZ
You are teaching lifestyle, Teresa.
TERESA
We teach the value of daily prayer, reading the Holy
Gospel, attending service, the confession of sins. In
what way are these teachings offensive, Father?
FATHER RUIZ
We are told you teach “sex education.”
TERESA
(genuinely shocked)
I beg your pardon?
FATHER RUIZ
(ominously)
What did you say?
TERESA
With respect, I must ask where this
information came from.
FATHER RUIZ
Our sources are not your concern.
TERESA
Father Ruiz, I have not used the term “sex education”
even once inside the walls of our convent.
FATHER RUIZ
I am told the villagers use the term quite freely!
TERESA
The villagers?! Perhaps you refer to our classes
about “family-oriented Christian education,” Father.
FATHER RUIZ
Family-oriented . . . ?
TERESA
“Family-oriented Christian education.” We give
lectures and lead discussions about what the Holy
Bible teaches us about marriage and child-rearing in a
Christian context.
FATHER RUIZ
Do you discuss sex?
TERESA
If the parishioners want to discuss sex, then we
discuss sex – respectfully and with an eye to what our
Lord has taught us.
FATHER RUIZ
Teaching about sex has not been sanctioned by the
Church. When we asked you to teach, we assumed you
would teach the other nuns. Instead you are teaching
the villagers directly.
TERESA
You are correct. I teach the nuns and the villagers
together, in our family-oriented classes.
FATHER RUIZ
What about your writing, Teresa?
TERESA
Yes?
FATHER RUIZ
You were instructed to write about your experiences.
Have you had any other mystical experiences?
TERESA
Nothing unusual since our last conversation. Just the
intense happiness and rising above the ground during
devotional prayer. I write in my diary as you
instructed.
FATHER RUIZ
Every day?
TERESA
I try to write at least every two days or so, mostly
about our daily life at the convent and the meetings
with the villagers.
FATHER RUIZ
Good.
TERESA
Father, if you could only meet the couples and
families who come to our meetings!
FATHER RUIZ
If I could meet them?
TERESA
You would see for yourself how they yearn to
understand the mysteries of love, human love and
divine love.
She draws from her satchel a stack of letters tied with a
string.
TERESA (CONT’D)
Some of the villagers have written letters to me. This
stack of letters, these are letters from the
villagers. May I read one to you?
FATHER RUIZ
Yes.
Teresa opens the first letter in the stack.
TERESA
(reading aloud)
Dear Sister Teresa,
Your meetings have made a beautiful difference in our
family. My husband comes home after working in the
fields instead of spending his evenings at the tavern.
The children help with household duties, often
before I have to ask them.
I can send you this letter because my daughter
has learned to write at your convent. She writes
letters for the neighbors too, and they pay her a
coin. Maybe, when she grows up, my daughter will
become a scribe in our village!
We are grateful to you for bringing us to
understand how to love each other and respect God’s
wonderful world.
THE PAINTER’S EYE
by Amy Heebner
INTERIOR. SOIREE, LONDON 1901. A warm evening in June.
At Rise: RANDY is over-playing his role as art dealer, prodding JOHN regarding an
expensive portrait commission.
RANDY
You must finish the portrait.
JOHN
(sipping his drink and scanning the room)
Yes, any day now.
(Enter an attractive woman with her much older husband.)
RANDY
John, the client is sending me notes every afternoon. We won’t get any more
money until he has the finished painting.
JOHN
Randy, who is she?
(Randy points with a questioning look at a group across the room.)
JOHN
Don’t point! For God’s sake, don’t be so obvious.
RANDY
You mean the black dress with the bosom?
JOHN
The black dress, yes, with the twinkly shoulders.
RANDY
Why, that’s Joseph Peregrine’s new wife.
JOHN
Who’s he?
RANDY
Financier. Why do you ask?
JOHN
The way she wears the dress, her shoulders.
RANDY
John, you can’t be smitten with a tart like her! They say he picked her up off the
street, straight from the brothel into his parlor.
JOHN
She has natural presence. I wonder if she’s ever been on the stage.
RANDY
An actress, you think?
JOHN
Introduce me.
RANDY
Why?
JOHN
I want to paint her.
RANDY
You don’t have time for ladies, John.
JOHN
Why not?
RANDY
You have portraits to paint.
JOHN
Randy, I’ve been in London almost a month. The only people I’ve met are
bespectacled friends of your father.
RANDY
My dear boy . . . .
JOHN
In New York I painted debutantes every season.
RANDY
Why didn’t you marry one of them?
JOHN
If I’d married I wouldn’t be in London! Introduce me to her.
RANDY
What? Just like that?
JOHN
(quickly checks his appearance in a mirror)
Introduce me. I need a new model.
RANDY
I see.
(They watch, waiting for an opening in Mr. Peregrine’s conversation
with another couple.)
There, he’s looking around.
(Randy and JOHN start toward the couple. Not seeing their approach,
Mr. Peregrine excuses himself to get drinks.)
RANDY
(seizing the moment)
Hello, Mrs. Peregrine.
(She nods to RANDY politely.)
May I introduce to you John Lewis Renaud, a great painter and an admirer of yours.
MME. PEREGRINE
Hello.
(She looks at JOHN, an instant of intuitive recognition between
them. She offers her hand to JOHN. He kisses her fingertips lightly, a
lover-like variation on the usual soundless kiss to back of the lady’s
hand.)
JOHN
I want to paint your portrait. You must visit me at my studio.
(JOHN searches in his pocket for a business card. Randolf promptly
produces a business card. He hands the card to JOHN, who offers the
card as if he were offering a piece of his soul to the lady. She accepts
the card.)
SCREENPLAYS
Missing Data, feature film, romantic drama. 102 min., 2 leads (1f, 1m), 10 supporting roles (4f, 6m), 3+ bit parts. Roles open to any race. Roles for a variety of ages.
Missing Data was a Finalist in the New Century Writer screenplay competition.
A woman in her thirties lands an important job in a university Research Institute, her first job after her dissertation is completed. She also falls in love with a grad student in medical research, who gets a job overseas. Her research data is compromised and she fights to save her job and the project.
Voyage to Peace, feature film, action/adventure. 71 min. plus action sequences. 4 leads (2m, 2f), 13 supporting roles (9m, 4f), 2 bit players (2f). Roles open to any race. Roles for a variety of ages.
Voyage to Peace centers on the efforts of Captain Odysseus to return home to his beloved wife, Penelope, when peace arrives. Peace brings challenges, including a tempting sorceress, that threaten the captain and his plans. The story is inspired by The Odyssey, Homer’s epic.
Buddhist Bracelets, TV pilot for hour-long limited series, romantic drama. 57 min. 2 leads (1m, 1f), 9 supporting roles (7m, 2f), 3-6 bit players. Roles for a variety of ages, races.
A Buddhist monk, age 35, moves from China to New York City to find freedom from persecution and censorship. He meets an American woman, professor at a local college, who becomes important to him.
STAGE PLAYS
Night Train to Lugano, romantic drama. 90 min., 3f, 2m. Roles open to any race.
An aspiring American actress consents to travel with her commitment-phobic boyfriend to Switzerland, where she meets a European man who renews her faith in love.
A Personal History of the Artist, short romantic dramedy. 30 min., 3 leads (1f, 2m or any combination of genders). Roles open to any race.
The story portrays a creative couple in New York City as they struggle to pay the bills.