The classic story of Annie Sullivan and her student, Helen Keller, comes to the stage in the Batesville Community Theatre production of “The Miracle Worker,” which will be held Thursday through Saturday at 7 p.m. at the BCT Performing Arts Center located in the Town Plaza Shopping Center, 1295 E. Main St. in Batesville. A 2 p.m. matinee is also scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 24.
“The Miracle Worker,” written by William Gibson and published by Samuel French, tells the story of Sullivan, a young teacher from Boston, who was been hired to help Helen Keller, a deaf and blind girl, learn how to communicate with the world.
The family-friendly play is based on the true story of Keller, who was not born disabled but became deaf and blind after an illness as a baby. Keller’s parents, Captain Keller and his wife Kate, are wealthy and have hired many teachers to help their daughter, but none have been successful. The play explores themes of education, communication, and perseverance.
BCT says the play “…is a powerful and inspiring story celebrating the human spirit and the ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.”
“With ‘The Miracle Worker,’ we hope to offer our community an inspiring and entertaining experience that showcases the talents of our local actors and theatre enthusiasts,” said Jeanette Gibbs, director of the play. “We invite audiences of all ages to join us for a captivating journey into this story’s world of overcoming impossible odds.”
The cast for the production includes Zuzu Anderson as Helen Keller, Westley Gibbs as Annie Sullivan, Brandt McDonald as Captain Keller, Samantha Wilson as Kate Keller, and Blaize Killion as James Keller, among others.
Admission is $20. Tickets can be purchased at the door for each performance. For further information about the play or future productions, please contact bctarkansas@gmail.com or visit Batesville Community Theatre on Facebook or @bctarkansas on Instagram.
“We appreciate the support we have from our area,” said Gibbs. “Their patronage makes productions such as this a reality. Batesville Community Theater is a nonprofit organization committed to sharing the power of theatre with our entire community.”
Gibbs (pictured above, left), Anderson (middle), and Warren (right) recently visited with Arkansas 103.3’s Wes Gwaltney on his Slightly Scrambled morning show about the upcoming production.
Listen to their visit below.
Above images: BCT
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