Sam, a poet/college professor, and Lydia, his stay-at-home-mom wife, used to argue about normal couple things, like how to best care for their 2 1/2 year old daughter, and whether or not their 1900 farmhouse needs new windows. When they take in a homeless woman one cold night their relationship is altered.
On a night close to Christmas, after Lydia has finally managed to get her young daughter to sleep, she is eager to settle in for an evening of Netflix—perhaps something serious, like a documentary about the Syrian refugee crisis. Then Sam receives a strange text message. A woman he has only met twice seems to be homeless and in need of shelter. As Sam and Lydia debate how best to respond, Hannah shows up at their home.
The appearance of this eccentric stranger makes Sam and Lydia question what kind of people they are. Sam believes it is their duty to shelter Hannah from the cold. Lydia thinks Hannah is not their problem. Sam makes Hannah feel welcome. Lydia does everything short of kicking her out onto the street. When Hannah leaves of her own accord, and is later found dead, Sam blames Lydia.
The Woman in the Teal Scarf is a 90-minute, three character drama that examines human kind’s responsibility is to one other.