By A Bay Or Unloved Cardboard by Ignatz Hockwitz A short play about the nature of reality as told by a nit wit. [825 words]
Doctors Rx Us by Mike Rembis A day in the life of a Walk-In clinic. [13,092 words]
An Abstract Play by Ignatz Hockwitz A satire of a farce of a badly written play [604 words]
Eve's Birthday Surprise by Amarjit Bhambra A funny little play. [204 words]
A Mother In Law From India by Amarjit Bhambra This poem is written with an open mind and does not relate to my own Mother in Law i... [225 words]
Third Interview With President Branch by Randall Barfield Here go the Pres. and Barabas(Barb) again. Give me a rating 1 to 10 on i... [536 words]
Illegalllll Immigrants Pu-Lease by Yessayana Hartfield This play is about a African American woman struggling to survive and take care... [454 words]
The Laundry Opera: Jean And Mags Meet by Nathan Aaron Weaver Sometimes people just don't know when to stop, do they? In this excert fr... [1,025 words]
Terence And Abelardo--Set Four by Randall Barfield - [1,652 words]
The Jubilee Surprise by Randall Barfield Perhaps daydreaming. (This was written first in 2002, of course.) Today, July 2005, I look... [514 words]
Mr. Nico's Monday A.M. Surprise by Randall Barfield Thus it was decreed: Woe unto all those ethically challenged! [633 words]
Mortimer's Mansion by Grace Thompson Five people stay at an eerie mansion. They all seem to have a good time except a murder happ... [1,613 words]
Terence And Abelardo--Set Three by Randall Barfield - [1,549 words]
Putting The Children First by Amanda L Bellamy A play concerned with childhood and how one persons experiences can effect the gener... [7,079 words]
Day In And Day Out by Alia Harold It's a short sweet play. [438 words]
Silid (10 Min Play) by Kris Diaz Uy Original Version of Silid in Filipino. [2,372 words]
Terence And Abelardo--Set Two by Randall Barfield Each set contains 4 shorts. [1,274 words]
Terence And Abelardo--Set One by Randall Barfield This is planned as a series of vignettes, each with its own title. Terence is fr... [971 words]
President Branch 1954 by Randall Barfield Pure innocence, of course, prevailed at that time, did it not? [313 words]
Cold Blood by James C Bernthal A short play of approximately 10-15 minutes, depending on acting styles, written for performance. F... [1,678 words]
The Fallen Angels by Shmuel Yacobi The Nathanble: The fallen angels expressed their 'original doubt'and asked the Creator whethe... [24,670 words]
A Royal Ring Up by Randall Barfield Is this anger on my part? What should I care? But anyway, here it is... [808 words]
2nd Interview With The President by Randall Barfield It's Barb again and President Branch. I'll try. Hope somebody likes it. [1,300 words]
The Pajama Chronicles by Kelly Moran A ten minute play. Joan Randall executive producer at Edge a television station that play... [2,980 words]
La Facultad by Roberto J Moreno It's a daily play in spanish. My grammar in spanish isn't all there. However, it is coherent. [1,424 words]
Plays By Musau by Musau Plays. [27 words]
Business Dinner by Browserman A very well-dressed and dignified executive arrives for dinner at an exclusive restaurant,and f... [3,844 words]
The Perfect Light by Taliesin Parikka A glassblower and his apprentice encounter a dark Power while lost in a forest. The must disc... [2,588 words]
A Man Of Misery by Hazli Ghazali A sad play, tells about family values, teach us on how to appreciate the value of our own famil... [1,184 words]
Aulora's Child by E Daugherty - [160 words]
Help Wanted by Everett An upscale restaurant is desperate to hire a janitor. [1,590 words]
The Artist by J Shartzer An aspiring artist visits a rich young woman's home. [687 words]
Weary Of Wearside Or Is There Life After Narddlesnu? by Nicholas M Fleischmann Comedy drama monologue about "Weary", a semi-employed elec... [13,859 words]
Angelina And The Magical Can by Gene O'div - [5,670 words]
What's Wrong With Taylor? by Danielle Melissa Hannah Fuller Why can't Taylor remember her lines and why are some of the characters walking into o... [2,684 words]
Interview With The President by Randall Barfield Baraba Falters(Barb)finally interviews President Branch. The President is, like a... [1,319 words]
Mr. Smith by B C Mercer An inspirational story of the accounts of a working class man. He enters the elevator early one morn... [2,245 words]
The House Of Self by Nicole Padykula This play is based in 1890, primarily. The settings should be old mental hospitals-the first ... [2,293 words]
Court by Bryce Martin Set in the present time in a courtroom. A small-cast, one short-act requiring about 16 minutes to perform... [478 words]
Marital Bliss, Yeah Right! by Sam Malone Hailey Mandelli returns home from Boston to attends her best friend's wedding, but u... [8,575 words]
Protestificationisms by Drew Michael Current A simple anti-war protest goes awry in front of a federal building. [1,032 words]
The Shoe Box by Teresa Ann Salyer The play, The Shoe Box, is about second chances. Fancy O'Brien wants to be a good mother and ... [9,664 words]
Jimsonweed by Teresa Ann Salyer An ancient Native American Indian artifact is stolen from Dr. Ace Solana in New Mexico at an arc... [13,204 words]
Deceptions by Matthew Diamond A short play about a young boy named Tim who realizes that his reality may not be what it seems. [2,678 words]
Madam Porno And The Agoraphobic by Deron Turner A full length comedy play. Witty, and smart. A roller coaster of emotions and l... [10,502 words]
Paidsex by Deron Turner A full length drama. Unpredictably funny, a wonderful small cast Ensemble piece. [10,038 words]
Fat Lazy Bitch by Kelly Moran A monologue commenting on the nation's obsession with fitness. [470 words]
Tales From The Outer-Boroughs by William Seebring This is a collection of four one-act plays for the stage including the very popul... [16,063 words]
Something That Shouldn't Be Real by Rachel Heath Briana is a 200 year old fairy that has been trapped in this dimension for the... [3,267 words]
One More Chance by Lindsey M Downer One More Chance, is a story about a beautiful young girl named Alexandria who is torn from her ... [1,549 words]
Pandora's Box by Gérard Ducasse The play is about the unforeseen hazards of genetic research. [6,896 words]
Judith And The Elevator by Fizzgig McArthur I wrote this play for a festival a while ago. I was rather pleased with the performance... [1,921 words]
Strangers by Rita A. Wheeler A very short satirical play about not knowing someone as well as you thought you did. [1,134 words]
Charnworth Books by Stephen Bellamy "Charnworth Books" A contemporary play for two male characters. "Charnworth Books" Is a play ... [7,720 words]
Scenes From An American Life by Matthew Diamond The tragic tale of Walter, a teenage boy that realizes his life is going nowhere y... [3,328 words]
Suicide And Cigarettes by Tyurina E Allen This is about two lesbians who have come out overnight. [1,729 words]
God's Grace
Miss Fortune by Karen Mueller In this absurd comedy, a young women visits an aging gypsy fortune-teller in hopes of learning som... [1,386 words]
Luggage by Fizzgig McArthur A "farse" about a small town home. [1,899 words]
With Love by Chesterton P. Limeregis This is a very different play to my other title "My Psychedelic Hell". It is not a comedy and it is ... [7,269 words]
Purgatory by Simon P Smith A Fantasy Comedy in the 'Beetlejuice' genre. Four young friends, having arrived the previous evening ... [9,867 words]
Mr Sandman, A Collection by M Betette Mr Sandman - The sandman is in love with the tooth fairy. I don't want to give too muc...
Life In The Flesh by F J Gordon About Zev Biryuk, a young man of 24 caught between the love for his immigrant father and his ... [25,500 words]
The Unknown Woman
The Ironic Side Step
Go to page: 1 [2]
| |
TITLE (EDIT)
God's Grace |
DESCRIPTION
In this psychological drama, a young woman is brought to a state hosptial by the police. The attending psychiatrist must figure out whether Grace is mentally ill or if she is truly talking with God.
[1,332 words] |
AUTHOR
Karen Mueller |
|
ABOUT
THE AUTHOR
Karen Mueller is an American playwright and actress living in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Her short play The Doctor Will See You Now was produced by StageWorks in Tampa, Florida as a part of their "Briefs and LongJohns" series. Her short play God's Grace was produced at "An Evening of One-Acts" at Carrollwood Players in Tampa, Florida. Her one-act play When Fat Chicks Rule the World was a winner of the Scriptwriters of South Carolina Playwriting Contest and received a staged reading. The play was also a semi-finalist in the 13th Annual Henrico Theatre Company One-Act Playwriting Competition. Her full-length play But Does He Know Botticelli was produced at Cayuga Community College in Auburn, New York. The play also received a staged reading at the Footsteps Theatre in Chicago and received an Honorable Mention in the 1999 McLaren Memorial Playwriting Contest. Karen has been an active member of both the StageWorks and the Alberta Theatre Projects playwriting workshops.
[March 2000] |
AUTHOR'S OTHER TITLES (1)
Miss Fortune (Plays) In this absurd comedy, a young women visits an aging gypsy fortune-teller in hopes of learning something about her future. [1,386 words]
|
God's Grace
Karen Mueller
God's Grace
A Short Play
By Karen Mueller
CAST OF CHARACTERS
DR. AUDREY WILLIAMS. 38. A psychiatrist.
GRACE HARPER. 26. A mental patient.
THE TIME
The present.
THE PLACE
A State Psychiatric Hospital
SETTING: The Office of Dr. Audrey Williams, State Psychiatric Hospital.
AT RISE: DR. WILLIAMS is sitting at her desk. SHE is interviewing GRACE HARPER, a patient, who was brought into the hospital by the police.
GRACE is experiencing a psychotic episode.
DR. WILLIAMS
I understand the police picked you up in the garden sanctuary of Our Lady of the Lake Church. They said you were sitting in the sacred fountain. What were you doing in the fountain, Grace ?
GRACE
Cleansing . . . I need to be cleansed. God's fury has been bestowed upon me. I was burning . . . burning in Hell's fire. I had to put out the flames.
DR. WILLIAMS
And where were you before you went to the garden ?
GRACE
God banished me to Hell. He set me on fire. I was burning up. I had nowhere to run. I needed to be cleansed.
DR. WILLIAMS
Do you know where you are right now, Grace ?
GRACE
This is purgatory.
DR. WILLIAMS
How do you know this is purgatory ?
GRACE
(Touches her arms.)
I'm not on fire anymore - so this can't be Hell - but I don't see God anywhere, so it can't be Heaven.
DR. WILLIAMS
Do you know how you got here ?
GRACE
God gave me another chance. He said if I repent He will take me to Heaven.
DR. WILLIAMS
Do you know who brought you here ?
GRACE
God's Blue Angels brought me here. They told me it was safe to leave the sacred waters. They said you would protect me.
DR. WILLIAMS
Do you know what day it is today ?
GRACE
Every day is the same. Each day is like the rest. Time is eternal.
DR. WILLIAMS
Can you tell me your full name ?
GRACE
I am the Sinner - the Sinner banished to Hell. I need to be cleansed - to be clean again.
DR. WILLIAMS
Can you tell me where you live ?
GRACE
I was banished to Hell.
DR. WILLIAMS
And where did you live before you were banished to Hell ?
GRACE
I lived in a house - it was a house on the mountain - but it burned down. It burned in Hell fire because I was a sinner. I sinned and God banished me to Hell.
DR. WILLIAMS
Do you remember if anyone else lived with you ?
GRACE
No.
DR. WILLIAMS
The police report says that you had a two-year-old son. Do you remember your son ?
GRACE
(Begins to scream and cry.)
No - not my baby - please don't take my baby -
DR. WILLIAMS
Grace - look at me - you're in a hospital. You're perfectly safe here.
GRACE
(Sings softly.)
Hush, little baby, don't say a word. Mamma's gonna buy you a mocking bird…
DR. WILLIAMS
Do you understand what I'm telling you, Grace ?
GRACE
I understand.
DR. WILLIAMS
Can you tell me who took your baby ?
GRACE
The Devil - the Devil stole my baby. I had a son but he was taken by the Devil - the Devil took him from me. He wanted me, too. He was going to take me to Hell. But God saved me. God said if I repent I can go to Heaven.
DR. WILLIAMS
Do you know how your son died, Grace ?
GRACE
My son is in Hell. The Devil took him that night - the night of the fire. I heard my baby screaming. I saw him - he was on fire - he was burning in the flames of Hell. But he did not sin. God did not banish my son to Hell. My son was taken by the Devil.
DR. WILLIAMS
Your son was in the house when the fire started ?
GRACE
He was in his room. He was in his room until he was taken - until the Devil took him away.
DR. WILLIAMS
What did you do after your son was taken ?
GRACE
I tried to go after him. I tried to get him back. That's when the Hell fire was bestowed upon me. I could hear God's voice - Repent, you sinner, Repent !
DR. WILLIAMS
Then what happened ?
GRACE
I - I was on fire. I was burning up. God was punishing me because I am a sinner. I ran - I ran looking for water. I needed to be cleansed. I looked for water to wash away my sins.
DR. WILLIAMS
So you went to the church and sat in the fountain ?
GRACE
I ran until I saw a garden and in the garden was the Fountain of Youth. I knew I would be safe there - in the Fountain of Youth. The Fountain of Youth would make me young. It would wash away my sins and I would be cleansed . . . in youth there is no sin. That's when the Blue Angels came. The Blue Angels brought me to you.
DR. WILLIAMS
And do you know who I am ?
(No response.)
Do you know who I am, Grace ?
GRACE
You are the Inquisitor.
DR. WILLIAMS
And what does an inquisitor do ?
GRACE
The Inquisitor decides if we are good or evil - if we should go to Heaven or to Hell.
DR. WILLIAMS
I am a doctor, Grace. A psychiatrist. My name is Dr. Williams. This is a psychiatric hospital. I am here to help you. You're in the hospital because you are not well. You've been through a major trauma. You need some time to rest. You'll probably need to stay for a few weeks. Is that okay ?
GRACE
But God is coming for me. He said if I repent, He will take me to Heaven.
DR. WILLIAMS
It's okay, Grace. God can find you here.
GRACE
But I don't see Him. He should be here. Why isn't He here ?
DR. WILLIAMS
Maybe God isn't ready for you yet.
GRACE
(To God.)
I have repented. Why don't you come ? You said you would take me to Heaven. Please, God, take me to Heaven.
DR. WILLIAMS
Grace - I have something I think might help you.
(Takes a key from her pocket and unlocks the medicine cabinet behind her desk. Removes a bottle of pills from the cabinet and locks the cabinet door, returning the keys to her pocket.)
I want you to take two of these tablets. They will calm you down and help you to think more clearly.
(Hands the pills to Grace and pours her a small glass of water.)
GRACE takes the pills and appears to swallow them with the water.
DR. WILLIAMS
That's wonderful, Grace. Now I'm going to go out to the front desk and see if they have a room ready for you. I'd like for you to wait right here while I'm gone. I'll only be a few minutes. Will you be all right ?
GRACE
I'l wait right here. I'll sit right here while you're gone.
DR. WILLIAMS
Good. I'l just be a minute.
(Exits.)
GRACE spits out the pills that she has hidden under her tongue.
GRACE
These pills are of the Devil. This Inquisitor is an agent of the Devil. She is trying to take God away from me with these pills. God will not find me if I take these pills.
GRACE
(Hides the pills in her bra.)
Now He will come for me - He will find me.
(Falls to her knees pleading to God.)
I am here, God. Can you hear me ? Please answer my prayers. Our Father, who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven ....
A bright light shines down on Grace.
GRACE
God - is that you ?
GRACE reacts as if God is speaking to her.
GRACE
I knew you would come for me. I knew you would answer my prayers.
Where ? . . . in the medicine cabinet . . .
(Goes to the medicine cabinet.)
But it's locked . . .You've opened it for me . . .
GRACE opens the medicine cabinet and removes a blue pill bottle. SHE walks back to her chair with the pill bottle in her hands and sits down.
GRACE
All of them ?
(Swallows all of the pills in the bottle.)
Now I'm coming . . . I'm coming to Heaven . . .
GRACE closes her eyes as the lights dim.
END
|
READER'S REVIEWS (7)
DISCLAIMER: STORYMANIA DOES NOT PROVIDE AND IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR REVIEWS. ALL REVIEWS ARE PROVIDED BY NON-ASSOCIATED VISITORS, REGARDLESS OF THE WAY THEY CALL THEMSELVES.
"I would like to read it." -- Ashley Hinson, Georgia, United States.
"Awesome! Well-crafted, great ending. Probably one of the best stories I've ever read!" -- Ashley Burdett, West Chester, Pa, USA.
"Great Play! Well written. Has a great ending, I think in her own sick mind she sees God, so does that make him real?" -- Lori Kenny, White House Station, New Jersey, USA.
"This is a well-crafted but disturbing play as it's intended to be. The only aspect of this play that gave me pause was the medicine cabinet. Grace finds it locked then it becomes "unlocked" and Grace thanks God as she finds a bottle of pills and presumably takes her life. Would God directly assist Grace in committing suicide? Is there another way for Grace to take her life that requires her to do so without God's intervention?" -- doug, New York, NY, usa.
"I think Grace is either seriously mential ill or sometime in Trady they need something to blame like Devil, or Wish thinking we see think we hear God voice. Either way she not in touch with reality" -- Jeanette H.
"With a little rewriting of the obvious (like the first words the psychiatrist utters) you have a fine short play here. No question you have the gift. Well done again!" -- Edmund Jonah.
"Great play, its true, people who do believe in God, other poeple do think that these people are mad. The only bit l did not like about your play was beinging defeated by the devil when she took the pills and taken her own life. God does not intend one to take their own life. The ending should have been "testing the faith" eg when she got hold of the pills, she should have throw them away and said, "Why should l take these". Than her love for God would have been real. Still it was a good play anyway." -- Amy, Hayes, UK.
TO DELETE UNWANTED REVIEWS CLICK HERE! (SELECT "MANAGE TITLE REVIEWS" ACTION) |
|
Submit Your Review for God's Grace
Required fields are marked with (*).
Your e-mail address will not be displayed.
|
|
Submit Your Rating for God's Grace
|
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
© 1998 Karen Mueller |
STORYMANIA PUBLICATION DATE
March 2000 |
NUMBER OF TIMES TITLE VIEWED
3547
|
|
