Gibson's THE MIRACLE WORKER Now Running at Ivoryton Playhouse Thru 10/11

On September 23rd, The Ivoryton Playhouse opened the sixth production of the 2009 season - William Gibson's Tony-Award winning drama The Miracle Worker. It was first produced as a 1957 Playhouse 90 broadcast starring Teresa Wright as Annie Sullivan and Patricia McCormack as Helen. Gibson adapted his teleplay for a 1959 Broadway production with Anne Bancroft as Sullivan and Patty Duke as Keller. The two reprised their roles for the award winning1962 feature film, directed by Arthur Penn.

Set in Tuscumbia, Alabama in the 1870's, The Miracle Worker tells the astonishing and inspirational story of the blind and deaf Helen KelleR. Locked in a frightening, lonely world of silence and darkness since infancy, Helen has never seen the sky, heard her mother's voice or expressed her innermost feelings. Then Annie Sullivan, a 20-year-old teacher from Boston, arrives. Having just recently regained her own sight, the no-nonsense Annie reaches out to Helen through the power of touch - the only tool they have in common and leads her bold pupil on a miraculous journey from fear and isolation to happiness and light.

This inspirational play of challenge, conflict and triumph weaves a powerful tale of the struggle for connection, language, and love and is alternately heroic, comical and sympathetic. In these challenging times, The Miracle Worker is a compelling and uplifting testament to the will to maintain courage in the face of adversity. As Helen Keller herself said, "Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it."

This play is produced in association with the National Theatre of the Deaf. Ivoryton's Producing Artistic Director, Jacqueline Hubbard directs this challenging production with Andrea Maulella* as the indomitable Annie Sullivan and Jenilee Marques, a student of The American School of the Deaf performing the headstrong Helen. Liz Erwin*, who was last seen in Ivoryton as Lizzie in The Rainmaker, will play Kate Keller, Bif Carrington III makes his debut at Ivoryton as Captain Keller, as does Michael Raver* as James Keller and Joan Valentina* as Viney. The Miracle Worker includes the return of other Ivoryton favorites, Derek Corriveau, Maggie McGlone Jennings, Sasha Krivosky, Olivia and Bridget Harry and Jenna Berloni. Set design by Cully Long, lighting by Doug Harry, and costumes by Pam Puente complete the production.

The Miracle Worker opened on September 23rd and runs thru October 11th for 3 weeks. Performance times are Wednesday and Sunday matinees at 2pm. Evening performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30pm, Friday and Saturday at 8pm. There will be a signed performance for the deaf on Saturday, October 3rd at 8pm. Tickets are $35 for adults, $30 for seniors, $20 for students and $15 for children and are available by calling The Playhouse box office at 860-767-7318 or by visiting our website at www.ivorytonplayhouse.org .(Group rates are available by calling the box office for information.) The Playhouse is located at 103 Main Street in Ivoryton.

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