Olean Community Theatre, Inc.

Season 29 continues with

the award-winning story of Helen Keller

THE MIRACLE WORKER

written by William Gibson

directed by Ken Roberts

Thursday, May 15 @ 7:30p

Friday, May 16 @ 7:30p

Sunday, May 18 @ 2:00p

please note: there is NO Saturday performance

Portville Central School Auditorium

Portville, New York

THE PRODUCTION TEAM

Producer Charlotte Roberts

Director Ken Roberts

Tech Director Bill Steffen

Stage Manager Bob Bender

Tech Assistant Rodney Stebbbins

Chef/Cook Cathy Lyter

THE CAST

Annie Sullivan Danielle Campbell

Helen Keller Ksa Curry

Captain Keller Brad Thomas

Kate Keller Meaghan Bryant

James Tim Hollamby

Aunt Ev Ginger Moser

Viney Jerilynn Clark

Martha Adrian Ziaggi

Percella Galen Ziaggi

Doctor David Campbell

Anagnos Colin Sullivan

Jimmy’s Voice Christian Speta

Blind Girl Johanna Clement

Blind Girl Leigha Haberly

Blind Girl Danielle Kellogg

Blind Girl Jenna Kellogg

Blind Girl Amber Kolodziejski

Blind Girl Jessica Owen

Blind Girl Megan Owen

Blind Girl Lauryn Thomas

Blind Girl Makalya Wells

About Helen Keller and The Miracle Worker, Annie Sullivan

At a plain, black well-pump in the small southern town of Tuscumbia, Alabama, one of the world's great miracles took place. It began one bright, spring day in 1887. Puffy white clouds floated overhead on a background of blue, while birds fluttered through oaks and maples and flowers burst forth from the fertile soil in an array of colors—all unheard and unseen by a pretty girl of seven.

Standing at the totally blind and deaf Helen Keller's side was a young woman, Anne Sullivan. Miss Sullivan was steadily pumping cool water into one of the girl's hands while repeatedly tapping out an alphabet code of five letters in the other—first slowly, then rapidly. The scene was repeated again and again as young Helen painstakingly struggled to break her world of silence.

Suddenly the signals crossed Helen's consciousness with a meaning. She knew that "w-a-t-e-r" meant the cool something flowing over her hand. Darkness began to melt from her mind like so much ice left out on the sunny March day. By nightfall, Helen had learned 30 words.

Helen Adams Keller was born a healthy child on June 27, 1880, to Captain Arthur H. and Kate Adams Keller of Tuscumbia. At the tender age of 19 months, she was stricken with a severe illness which left her blind and deaf.

At the age of six, the half-wild, deaf and blind girl was taken by her parents to see Dr. Alexander Graham Bell. Because of her visit, Helen was united with her teacher Anne Mansfield Sullivan on March 3, 1887. After Helen's miraculous break-through at the simple well-pump, she proved so gifted that she soon learned the fingertip alphabet and shortly afterward to write. By the end of August, in six short months, she knew 625 words.

By age 10, Helen had mastered Braille as well as the manual alphabet and even learned to use the typewriter. By the time she was 16, Helen could speak well enough to go to preparatory school and to college. In 1904 she was graduated "cum laude" from Radcliffe College. The teacher stayed with her through those years, interpreting lectures and class discussions to her.

Helen Keller, the little girl, became one of history's remarkable women. She dedicated her life to improving the conditions of blind and the deaf-blind around the world, lecturing in more than 25 countries on the five major continents. Wherever she appeared, she brought new courage to millions of blind people.

Her teacher, Anne Sullivan is remembered as "the Miracle Worker" for her lifetime dedication, patience and love to a half-wild southern child trapped in a world of darkness.

source:  http://www.helenkellerbirthplace.org