Stage Right by Kristen Seeger

 

Themes of persistence, perseverance, patience and hope reverberate throughout Albert Lea Community Theatre’s performance of “The Miracle Worker” now playing at the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center.

The play’s opening scene details the terrible illness that caused Helen Keller’s (Zsofi Eastvold) loss of vision and hearing. As Kate and Captain Keller (Jennifer Modderman and Mark Place) react to the doctor’s (Scott Jensen) diagnosis and realization that their young child is now blind and deaf, hearts ache for all parents who experience the agony of childhood illness and loss. Modderman and Place’s representation of Captain and Kate’s hope to resurrect the spirited, intelligent, lively little girl they once knew is raw and captivating throughout the play.

When we meet Helen as an older child, we are cognizant of her limitations in terms of vision, hearing and speech, but it’s evident that there’s something underneath it all yearning to escape. Zsofi Eastvold’s ability to portray Helen’s frustration and dismay through the physicality of her acting is impressive, and audience members feel the intensity of those emotions throughout the duration of the performance. No small feat for a seasoned actor, let alone one as young as Zsofi.

When Anne Sullivan (Misty Nelson) takes the stage as Helen’s teacher, the ghosts of her past aid in our understanding of the young woman’s journey to the Keller home. Plagued by the memories of her brother and her experiences at a school for the blind with Dr. Anagnos (Scott Jensen), Anne uses her Irish grit and determination to quiet her inner demons while attempting to reach Helen. Her struggle to create an obedient child in Helen is hard-fought, but after that battle is won, the war for language ensues. One would never guess that this is Nelson’s debut on the ACT stage; her performance is one to remember!

Anne, Helen, Captain and Kate are joined by James Keller (Luke Zacharias) and Aunt Ev (Linda Altermatt) who interject their opinions regarding Helen whenever possible. James and the Captain’s relationship is tumultuous and fraught with underlying emotional baggage that seems to weigh even heavier on the pair given the chaos that an uncontrollable Helen brings to the home. Even though the relationship with his father is stormy, James brings a lightness to the stage that is speckled throughout the somber context of the play which is a welcome reprieve from the weighty theme of Helen’s story.

Anne and Helen’s final scene at the water pump is forever etched in memory. Helen’s realization that the strange messages Anne has been signing on her hands actually means something is incredible. The manner in which Zsofi is able to emulate Helen’s profound joy in finally being able to communicate with her family is exceptional, and the embrace between mother and daughter as the lights fade off the stage is unforgettable.

Helen Keller’s remarkable story reminds us that each child, regardless of their assumed inability or limitations, has the potential for greatness. It may take the patience, persistence and perseverance of a teacher like Anne Sullivan to reach those children, but we learn from Helen’s story that the effort is worth the reward in the end.

See Helen and Anne’s story first-hand. “The Miracle Worker” plays at The Marion Ross Performing Arts Center April 19-22 and 25-28.

Kristen Seeger is a teacher living in Albert Lea.