“The Miracle Worker” by William Gibson is a heart-warming play based on the true story of a deaf, blind and mute girl, Helen Keller, and her courageous teacher, Annie Sullivan.
Helen Keller was born June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. At 19 months of age she came down with a severe fever (possibly scarlet fever or meningitis) and as a result, lost both her hearing and sight. As she grew older, she was frustrated by her inability to communicate and became destructive and violent. Her family sought help and eventually a formerly blind student, Annie Sullivan, was given the task to teach Helen.
Miss Sullivan broke through Helen’s communication barrier by teaching her finger spelling. The two of them became life-long friends. Helen went on to write her own biography at age 22. With Annie Sullivan at her side, Helen became the first blind deaf person to earn a bachelor’s degree. She graduated with honors from Radcliffe at age 24.
Helen was a political activist, fighting for the rights of women and people with disabilities. It is a little-known fact that, Miss Keller was one of the founders of the American Civil Liberties Union in 1920.
Keller was friends with many celebrities such as Mark Twain, Charlie Chaplin, Alexander Graham Bell, Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller. She traveled to 39 countries to raise money and awareness for the plight of the blind and deaf. She met every president from Grover Cleveland to Lyndon B. Johnson. In 1964 LBJ awarded her with The Presidential Medal of Freedom (the nation’s highest civilian honor) for her work as an advocate for those with disabilities.
Don’t miss ABC Theatre’s production of “The Miracle Worker” at the Braham Event Center July 14-16. There will be two dinner theatre performances offered on Friday, July 14 and Saturday, July 15 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $25-meal and show included. A dessert matinee will be presented on Sunday, July 16 at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $15-dessert and show included. All seats are reserved. To order tickets visit www.abctheatrecompany.com or call 763-444-4539 for more information.
Artistic director, Dawn Holmquist and the talented cast members strongly encourage you to come out and see Helen Keller’s truly miraculous story.