The Miracle Worker

Reviewed by Holly Bartges

Ah, to have eyes to see and ears to hear. The woman who at 19 months lost sight and hearing, many years later wrote, “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt within the heart.”

Claire Carson and Sara Mae Johnson in Aurora Fox’s production of The Miracle Worker.

There could be no finer time then the Holidays to see and hear “from the inside of the heart” the depth of that expression.

Under the judicious direction of Bev Newcomb-Madden, who gives one of her most brilliant performances feeding and directing actors, the Aurora Fox proudly, and rightfully so, features William Gibson’s touching and perceptive play The Miracle Worker.

It matters not if you’ve seen the play and movie ten times or 50, this is one production that under no circumstances should be missed. Running until December 18, it is a production for all family members and perfect for out of town guests.

Based on the trials and tribulations of Helen Keller who grew up touching and stumbling over nameless items and people, being spoiled by a desperate family, and allowed to run freely to keep the tantrums to a minimum, and the once upon a time self conscious young teacher, Anne Sullivan, this production digs deep into characterization, artistic appeal, and theatrical expertise.

The 12-member cast works hand in glove with their portrayals, their relationships with their characters, and with each other. They just don’t point to what they want to say. They get down and dirty with the ugly realities the Kellers needed to go through to rescue their sanity, all the while maintaining a family structure and composure.

On a magnificent detailed set designed by Charles Dean Packard and Jen Orf, the Kellers are able to get inside their parlor. Anne’s upstairs bedroom, the backyard, front porch, front yard, and garden shed to play out the various scenarios required by their characters.

Up until the age of 19 months Helen reigned as the pride and joy of Captain Keller (Duane Black) and his wife Kate (Glenna Kelly). Doctors at the time classified the baby’s illness as “brain fever.” By today’s standards and technology, doctors might suggest scarlet fever or meningitis. In the long run, it doesn’t matter. What matters is how this family coped with their dilemma walking hand in hand with tortured soul searching.

The easy way out would be to have this untreatable child committed to an institution. They frequently discussed the possibility around the dinner table while Helen snatched food from their plates throwing whatever she could across the room. A friend of mine who grew up in the south indicated children with “mysterious illnesses” were frequently given the run of the house and treated as wild animals. Many had servants who would be expected to clean up after them.

The Miracle Worker shows the depth and compassion of Kate through the words of the script. Kelly paints a bright portrait in vivid colors running the gambit of emotion swirling inside while maintaining outside composure. Kelly walks Kate’s tight rope with inventive tenderness, gripping frustration, and gnawing agony.

Maintaining his professional status in the community of Tuscumbia, Alabama as the owner of a cotton plantation and editor of the weekly local newspaper The North Alabamian, Black succinctly portrays the Captain’s inside/outside demeanor with distinguished reality.

Daniel Langhoff adds a knotty twist as James, the Captain’s older son by a previous marriage. James appears to stand outside the family turmoil embroiled in caustic comments dipped in sarcasm. He can eat with the family, and spend time with the family. After all he doesn’t have to clean up the mess. And he’s cool enough to add his biting comments. Underneath his cool distant behavior seethes anger toward his father. Langhoff took a few lines to warm into his role, but when he did, he unleashed a powerhouse of a contrite complex character, except for his arms. He often forgets what to do with them, letting them hang as stiff boards in front. He has the character; he just needs to inform his arms to relax.

The overwhelming over-the-top performances come with Claire Carson as Helen and Sara Mae Johnson as Anne. There is no verbal description of their unwieldy encounters. They dive in headfirst, scratching, kicking, screaming both desperate both determined. The shy teacher with vision problems of her own to overcome, the confused child who has not been able to find a reference to anything in her dark silent world. Anne knows some things. She knows her parents will give her anything she wants to keep peace. The physical stamina and choreographed brutal encounters required by Carson and Johnson are incredible artistic realism.

Johnson admirable reveals Anne’s fears, anxieties and frustration, wearing them as though they were literally sewn into her costume. In desperation, Anne grabs the bull by the horns, making demands on the Kellers that nearly tear them apart. Johnson treats us to a full-blown emotional spectrum.

One of the most breath taking scenes comes with Anne and Helen locked in the shed for two weeks. It is now or never for Anne to prove her mettle. As their struggles are played out in the shed, James plays out another heart wrenching struggle on the porch toward pent up resentment with his Father. Kate only able to stand by in restrained numbness. The five actors display their characters’ vulnerabilities with breath-taking honesty.

Talk about having eyes to see and ears to hear.

Packard and Orf’s lighting design, El Armstrong’s sound design, and Kathy Hemann’s costume design framed this brilliant creation with parenthetical flavors of every imaginable taste and texture.

Michael Grittner, Flossie Richmond, Stefan Richmond, Nancy Flanagan, Joe Wilson, Tyrongela Ross, and Madeline E. Barr complete the charged cast who has a story to tell and tell it well. Punctuated with enigmatic provocative thoughts making us wonder what would have happened if Anne slipped into a buckling conviction that Helen couldnŐt be reached? Her dogged determination across the miles, across the years, continues to speak loudly about not giving up. How often does that happen when some are categorized and boxed with a red velvet ribbon because they don’t fit the hammered slick answers? What a difference it could make if Anne and Helen could be seen and heard again.

The Aurora Fox’s magnificent production offers the opportunity.