![]() ![]() Though she’s not technically the lead, the only person working harder on stage is Brooke Chamberlin as Helen Keller. Throughout the show, I found myself constantly asking “what would I do in that situation?†and Whatley’s believable grit and determination are quite inspiring. It’s a tremendously taxing role, and Whatley rarely shows any weakness in playing the part. Whatley skillfully switches from those isolated moments of pain to getting right back to fighting to teach Helen. It’s a simple, but effective mood-setter. Those moments are made to feel even more isolating as the stage gets darker, save a bluish spotlight on Annie. There are moments in the show where she flashes back (audio only) to terrible times as a child with her brother in the sanatorium where they grew up. She’s a woman who is intensely driven, despite her own self-doubt, and who is still being tortured by her past. Whatley does a tremendous job of balancing Sullivan’s range of emotions and motivations, not to mention making an alphabet of hand gestures seem effortless. She was born blind, but, thanks to surgery, now has limited vision as long as there isn’t too much light. Rebecca Whatley plays the lead role of T-E-A-C-H-E-R, Annie Sullivan, a 20-year-old woman whose entire life has been a struggle. Donohoe’s demeanor and sarcastic smirks fit the character well. Michael S Donohoe plays Helen’s half-brother, James, who spends much of the show criticizing everyone else. Even though she has no songs to sing this time, Viola’s lilting voice is a pleasure to listen to, especially with this show’s requisite southern drawl. Both Brent Alan Burington as Captain Keller (Helen’s father) and Sarah Viola as Kate Keller (Helen’s mother) bring an authority and warmth to their roles, respectively. ![]() The relatively small ensemble of characters is very well cast. Also like Doubt, this show delivers solid, thoughtful, and at times intense dramatic performances. Much like last season’s production of Doubt: A Parable, this production is a departure from the traditional musicals and comedies typically featured on the Covedale stage. A woman who, while mostly blind herself, fights tooth and nail to get through to a 6-year-old girl who has been both blind and deaf since falling ill as a baby. ![]() Though it is adapted from Helen Keller’s own autobiography, the play centers around the struggles of Keller’s teacher, Annie Sullivan. The 2017-2018 season at the Covedale Center for the Performing Arts is starting off on a dramatic note with William Gibson’s gripping play from 1957 about drive and the triumph of the human spirit, The Miracle Worker. Review by Jack Crumley of The Miracle Worker: Covedale Center for the Performing Arts Brooke Chamberlin and Rebecca Whately in “The Miracle Worker” 2016-17 Stage Insights Reviews Blind Faith Leads to Miracles in Covedale ![]()
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