Academy Award® nominee Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine) and Tony Award® nominee Alison Pill (The Lieutenant of Inishmore) as Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan.

Excitement was building up as I made my way to the Circle in the Square Theater.  I was attending a preview performance of The Miracle Worker.  A main attraction for me was going to see a bona fide Hollywood actress, Abigail Breslin, portray an iconic role of high emotional and physical caliber: Helen Keller.  AND to see Alison Pill, whom is a veteran of both stage and screen play the role of the miracle worker, Anne Sullivan.  It is not very often that one gets to see a play led by two such talented actresses, portraying such beloved and familiar roles.

I take my seat and the lights dim; the show is about to start. 

Kate and Captain Keller are thrilled to hear that their young child Helen, who had been sick for months, is now better.  The short calm that ensues is followed by panic and angst as the baby is unreceptive to Kate’s calm voice and lovely facial expressions directed towards the child.  The drama is pumped up as the Kellers are in a state of panic.

Flash forward about eight years and the Kellers are living a pretty normal life, apart from their blind and deaf child.  Jennifer Morrison portrays Kate, Helen’s mother.  I could feel her pain, almost seeing rings under her eyes with the obvious anguish from the state of her child; knowing that Helen wants to express herself, but cannot find the means to.  She cannot let Helen go as she loves her, and refuses to put her in an insane asylum, knowing very well that all that lead to is a horrible life for those in it ending too soon with death.

Miss Morrison’s acting is amazing, from the way talks like a true “southern bell” to her stature and the way she carries herself.  Matthew Modine portrays Captain Keller, Helen’s father.  Although he does not “wear his heart on his sleeve,” he truly loves his daughter and wants what is best, though unlike his wife he has given up hope on ever finding a treatment for his daughter.

Photo of Hellen Keller, a tireless activist and founding member of the ACLU.

Mr. Modine really epitomizes the southern gentleman with his manners and vernacular.  His emotions were hidden though at just the right moments he let them be seen.  These actors really played an important part in the story and their role as parents were evident in their performances.

The two leading ladies, Abigail Breslin and Alison Pill were truly remarkable and the chemistry between them, unbreakable.  Miss Breslin’s performance of Helen Keller was so real that it occurred to me at moments that she truly was a blind and deaf child.  She never made any motions to the stimuli of the audience or her fellow actors; even when she looked into the audience it was as if she was staring into some other place.  Her screams and shout were filled with emotion as I felt her pain.  Though the role of Helen has no voice, she gave Helen words through her actions and emotions.  Alison Pill’s performance of Anne Sullivan was witty, while touching.  She gave this sense of warmth when dealing with Helen; though she was aggressive when need be.  Her comments addressing the folly and madness of the Keller home lent a comedic touch to this dark and serious play.  Her love for Helen seemed real, even when she was engaged in fights with her.  These loving, tender moments meshed seamlessly with the hard times.  The unbreakable bond between these two actresses was really an exemplification of the true story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan.

The Circle in the Square is a theater in the round, as the audience surrounds the oval stage all around. This gave a sense of intimacy to the play, as the actors were talking to each other rather than projecting.  It felt as if I had an inside look into the lives and household of the Keller family.  The stage makeup makes it impossible for the usual sets and backdrops, thereby making way for innovative ways to stage the production and set pieces.  The set pieces were mainly furniture suspended from the ceiling and brought down when necessary.  There were also doors that came up from the beautiful embellished wood floor, along with the famous water pump where Helen spoke those fateful words, “wah wah.”.  All the set pieces resembled pieces typical of a 19^th century home, with the deep wood tones and intricate designs.

The Miracle Worker truly was an amazing and fantastic production.  I would definitely recommend this to everyone that I know as it has something for everybody.  The drama speaks to children as well as the adults.  For me it was a remarkable experience that I will never forget.  As much as I want for people to go see this production, it closed on April 4^th due to low attendance and gross, barring the show from going on.  This 50^th anniversary production of the Miracle Worker really was a testament to the original, honoring its immensity and ingenuity.