Theatre Statesville production of ‘The Miracle Worker’ delivers powerful origin story (Photos)

BY MIKE FUHRMAN

It’s difficult to find a story more awe-inspiring story than Helen Keller’s transformation from blind and deaf child to renowned author, lecturer and activist.

Over the next three weekends Keller’s amazing origin story will unfold in American Renaissance School’s Black Box Theatre in the Theatre Statesville production of “The Miracle Worker.”

Directed by Dalton Isaac, the drama explores the dynamic relationship between Keller and Annie Sullivan, the teacher who moved from New England to Tuscumbia, Alabama, to teach 6-year-old Helen how to communicate and navigate the world around her.

Sarah Trinite delivers an emotionally charged performance as Sullivan, showcasing her struggles to help Helen and the young girl’s parents — even as she is haunted by her own troubled past.

Aubrey Kowalski, a seventh-grader at Oakwood IB School, knew very little about Helen Keller when she auditioned for the part in this production of William Gibson’s three-act play in December. As she learned about Keller, Kowalski tried different ways of immersing herself into her character, including blindfolding herself at home and using noise-canceling headphones to eliminate sound. She’s also learned basic sign language.

“She was an amazing person,” Kowalski said. “I really admire her and the trials she went through.”

Her research and dedication to her character and craft — under the guidance of Isaac and stage manager Laura Hall — pay dividends throughout the production as she resists Sullivan’s efforts to help her.

After landing parts in other local productions like “Annie Jr.,” “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Into the Woods,” Kowalski found her latest role to be the most challenging and rewarding.

“It’s difficult,” she explained. “You really have to be the person to make people believe.”

Meanwhile, real-life married couple Rebecca and Matthew White capture the struggles of Helen’s parents, Kate and Captain Keller. The audience will feel the tension between the two — and with their son Jimmy (played passionately by Jonathan Carter) — as they navigate how to best help their daughter, whose disabilities were caused by an illness when she was 19 months old.

Throughout rehearsals, the Whites have also been juggling real-life parenting, which in their case involves getting two of their children to rehearsals in Salisbury for a production of “The Little Mermaid Jr.” while also preparing for their own performances.

“At home, we all run lines with each other … and there’s always conflicting music,” Rebecca White explained. “It’s a wild thing.”

Following Thursday’s final rehearsal for “The Miracle Worker,” Isaac offered a few final instructions and then declared the cast and crew were ready for Friday’s opening night.

While the small theatre — it only seats 90 — has created some challenges for this production, the veteran director said the confined space will help the audience focus on the powerful text.

“I think it will be more impactful emotionally in this intimate setting,” he explained.