Production delivers on the rewards of persistence
In times of late, there has been an overwhelming need for the power of resilience; the ability to recover quickly from difficulty.
In its recent production of “The Miracle Worker,” a heartwarming play based on the true story of Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan, Eden High School examined this valuable trait.
Taking place in 19th century Alabama, the play explored how one young woman drastically changed the lives of a girl and her family.
Helen Keller is blind, deaf, dumb, and spoiled. She eats off others’ plates, frequently has temper tantrums, and always gets her way. The Kellers are at their wit’s end, and are considering sending Helen to an asylum when they decide to let stubborn 20-year-old Annie Sullivan try her luck at teaching Helen. When stubborn woman meets stubborn girl, conflict ensues, and from this springs a beautiful message about the power of resilience.
A solid performance was given by the cast, despite a few line mishaps. The use of actual food and water on stage added a layer of reality to the play and amused the audience. Historically appropriate background music tied the production together and entertained the audience through the occasionally lengthy transitions between scenes.
The voice inflection and gestures of Serenity Nelson, playing the servant Viney, suited her role well, while the enthusiasm of Percy (Samuel Miele) and Martha (Rawan Hegi), two servant children, added energy to the serious play. Jesse Klassen, playing the role of Helen’s father, stayed in character throughout the father's angry episodes, even when laughs from the audience ensued.
Natasha Chernishenko, playing Helen’s mother, was well spoken and acted the role of a loving and anxious mother with ease.
The dynamic duo of Annie Sullivan (Maria Mudassir) and Helen Keller (Elizabeth Chernyak) had very good chemistry on stage. Using excellent body actions and powerful emotions, the two blew the audience away in many scenes. One memorable scene was a realistic food fight, where Helen was dragged out of her chair, spoons were projected across the air, and water was thrown, all to the tune of lively music. Chernyak convincingly portrayed a character who is blind by keeping her gaze forward at all times.
Mudassir used her acting skills well to show the resilience of her character, who continues trying to get Helen to talk until she succeeds. Together, Chernyak (a Grade 10 student) and Mudassir (an acting novice), showed that, like Annie Sullivan, who was only 20 years old and new to teaching, age and experience do not decide skill.
One especially notable prop was a working hand pump that was used on stage, and which had an important role in the storyline of the play. Also noteworthy was the use of lighting, which effectively drew the audience's attention towards specific locations on the stage. Memorably, it was used during the song "Hush Little Baby", where a striking tableau was created.
Eden’s well executed play touched the hearts of viewers. In a simple, but poignant way, it reminded us of the power of resilience, and the miracles that it can create.