May 5-7 were the performance dates for ?ÄúThe Miracle Worker?Äù put on by the Eden Valley-Watkins Community Ed and Drama Department. Under the directorship of Vicki Meyer (who herself played Anne in 1969), the cast did a great job telling the story of deaf-blind Helen Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan.
Set primarily in 1880s Alabama, Helen?Äôs early story is the basis for her success in later life. Her family didn?Äôt know what to do with a deaf-blind child, so they let her do whatever she wanted. Along came teacher Anne Sullivan who realized what Helen lacked was language. Using fingerspelling allowed Helen to assign names to things in the world around her, and this opened a whole new world to her. Helen would go on to get a bachelor of arts degree (the first blind-deaf person to do so), and became a prolific author, lecturer, and political activist. She lived to be 87.
Emma Roy played Annie, and sixth-grader Brielle Kuechle played Helen. Helen?Äôs parents were played by Jack Bates and Ashley DeJuliannie, and brother James was played by Jordan Stanwick.
Emma Roy played Anne Sullivan with Brielle Kuechle as Helen Keller in the EV-W Drama and Community Ed production of ?ÄúThe Miracle Worker?Äù last week. In this scene, Anne has just arrived at the Keller home and she?Äôs teaching Helen the finger signs for D-O-L-L. Jordan Stanwick (as James) is behind them. Staff photo by Jean Doran Matua.
Other cast included Lisa Holdvogt, Kaitlyn Gruber, Dyani Acosta, Tate Brovold, Jake Manske, Nathan Utecht, Sydney Ruhland, Jada Jesberg, and Brooke Geislinger. The blind girls were played by Ellie Brovold, Grace Brovold, Ellie Field, Alayna Haag, Mady Haag, Whitney Jansen, Olivia Langer, Gretta Lemke, Jenna Manske, McKenna Moehrle, and Lily Schultz.
Brooke Geislinger was student director. Jake Manske was stage manager with assistants Cassy Lahr and Veronica Soine. Set design and construction was by Bob Latcham. Running the lights and sound were Jess Lubbers, Emily Sieben, Irvin Butterfass, and Ethan Hesse. And Sarah Field was in charge of props.