Everyone needs a true friend to help them become who they are meant to be. This proved true for a certain American icon whose life story seems as though it has been stamped into everyone's collective consciousness. Helen Keller broke through every kind of obstacle to acquire an excellent education and contribute to society in a way that changed the world. None of this would have happened without her mentor, Annie Sullivan. In 1957, William Gibson wrote a play that commemorates this gifted young teacher. The Miracle Worker's realistic script encompasses the grace-filled spirit of Annie, the fervor of Helen, and the inspiration that Gibson shared with the world that continues to affect audiences today.
The real world that encapsulated this story at the time that it was produced quickly deemed the show a triumph. William Gibson wrote this play for television in 1957, and it was then adapted to hit Broadway in 1959, as it gained instant success. Receiving four Tony Awards, the show ran on Broadway for 719 performances, and "the 1962 film adaptation received an Oscar nomination" (Britannica). Figure 1 features the stars of the revival version presented in 2010 in the Circle in the Square theatre in New York City. Still in production today, the story is based on Helen Keller's autobiography and real events that took place in the 1880's. This time period and the social and historical context greatly impacted these circumstances.
One if the biggest contributors to the success of this play was that the 19th century was a terribly dark time for people with disabilities. Some American cities enforced what were referred to as "ugly laws" which made it illegal for people with any sort of disease of deformation to "expose himself to public view" (Albrecht). Asylums were overflowing with "idiots and lunatics," and many patients were confined in these dirty hospitals for life (Disability). Audiences gained a new perspective on people with disabilities from the popular story of The Miracle Worker.
Fortunately for Helen Keller, her well-off family was able to find her better resources instead of sender her away. Without her family's wealth, Helen most-likely would not have a personal teacher like Annie Sullivan. The Keller's were willing to do anything to help Helen, and their money allowed them to do it. Money was not the problem, as Aunt Ev reminded Captain Keller in the first scene of the play, "Well, if it's just a question of money, Arthur, now you're marshal you have this Yankee money. Might as well–" (Gibson 10). The problem was that these hurting parents could only take so much failure. They had tried nearly everything. Captain Keller's son James referred to Helen as "mentally defective" and even suggested putting her in "some asylum," which he believed would be the safest option for everyone (Gibson 11). Helen's family members were either embarrassed or confused by her. In those days, blindness was thought to be a punishment from God. For many years, people believed that disabilities were a direct result of sin. Helen obtained the nicknames "little bronco" and "spitfire" due to her unruly behavior. She threw wild tantrums and put others in danger. Her parents struggled to know how to discipline her. They knew she needed help that they could not provide her, but decided the answer was not to take her from her out of the home.
Helen's parents decided the answer was to hire Annie Sullivan, who turned out to be Helen's lifelong companion. Annie was a young woman from Massachusetts, who unfortunately knew what it was like to be sent away from family. When she was just five, she, too, contracted a disease that made her lose her sight. A few years later, her mother died, and her and her younger brother Jimmie were sent to an overcrowded almshouse where Jimmie soon died. Gibson incorporated this tragedy into the play in a series of flashbacks, and this allows the audience to empathize with Annie. Losing her brother deeply affected Annie, and she carried this pain with her. This story is historically important, especially in the time that it was written. Gibson wrote this play when Helen was still alive. Though she had already shared her story in her autobiography entitled The Story of My Life, this play brought new light to the real events from her childhood. A lesser known verity in the current age is that Keller and Sullivan were actually accused of fraud in their day and thought by many to be phony. This was largely due to the fact that they were both disabled and female, and therefore not taken seriously in the 19th century. These two woman were closer than friends for fifty years, were buried next to each other, and they never bent under the heavy criticisms that were thrown upon them (Wagner). This piece of history gives more importance to the play that Gibson wrote. It gave people a new perspective on the background of this widely-known duo. The persistence of the pair left a legacy that still intrigues and inspires people today.
Among the intrigued was playwright William Gibson, and he felt a desire to bring this powerful story before an audience. He wrote two of "Broadway's most successful post-war plays," and they were both later made into films (Vallance). Additionally, he wrote a sequel to The Miracle Worker which was much less successful. At the start of his career, his early dramas came to stage in small regional theatres. Meanwhile, he made a living with part-time jobs like playing piano and even working in a psychiatric clinic. This job inspired his book The Cobweb which was also adapted for the screen. His fascination with the human mind carried over into The Miracle Worker, which he wrote shortly after. Surprisingly, his interest was not in Keller, but in her teacher, who made it all possible. After reading Annie Sullivan's letters, he knew this was a story he had to tell. Though he easily connected with Annie and thoroughly enjoyed writing the story, he stated in an interview that he never really liked the play, and he was surprised that so many people did (Richards). This play is what he is most remembered for, though, for him, it was simply a way to express himself and the inner conflicts he was facing at the time. The real events that fascinated Gibson became one of the most moving stories of the Broadway stage.
The story of Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan is now one of the most widely-produced plays in the world, and continues to sell tickets today because of its relevancy. The Miracle Worker's continued success is due to the fact that audiences in the 21st century still find it relatable to the world they live in. The story is still unbelievably relevant, because there are people with disabilities who are misunderstood and misrepresented in their homes and in the realm of education. Though progress has been made overall in making the world more accommodating for those with handicaps, it is quite shocking how much abuse is still practiced in this society. Just a few heartbreaking examples include lobotomy, sterilization, suicide, and eugenics. Society continues to struggle to accept and respect people that think, look, or communicate differently than the majority. The intolerant culture that Helen and Annie had to face is not very far in the past, and some would argue that today's world is not yet out of the woods. Helen's handicap of being blind-deaf is very rare, partially because a large number of those with this handicap were murdered by their own family. Though this sounds like something from long ago, this is still practiced today in places around this world like Asia and Africa (Herrmann). That is why The Miracle Worker continues to be performed in theatres all over the globe.
For Helen Keller, having one person that believed in her made all the difference. Annie Sullivan truly was a miracle worker, and Helen definitely was a miracle. If she were born in this century, her life may not have been hugely different. She may have been able to receive a cochlear implant to restore partial hearing, but she still would have had to learn the manual alphabet and would not be able to regain eyesight, due to permanent nerve damage. She still would have to learn braille and overcome extensive limitations physically. Her accomplishments would still be immensely inspiring and would defy stereotypes in today's world. Not only did she shake the ground as a feminist, suffragist, and social activist, but she even found time to ride bikes and horses and play games like chess. She advocated for those with disabilities so that they would be able to have what she did not. Because of her, millions of Americans with vision loss now have access to things like books in Braille and social security measures. She even pulled the government towards rehabilitation for wounded veterans. Helen Keller was miraculously able to accomplish so much, all because of one person that believed in her potential.
For many reasons, this show is well-fit for Liberty University's academic theatre. "The play's reputation may be primarily one of inspiration, but like any great play it never forgets to entertain along the path to enlightenment" (Murray). Audiences both laugh and cry throughout this drama, and leave feeling inspired. Upon being chosen to be presented in the Black Box Theatre, this concept statement would ensue:
The Miracle Worker is a play about Annie Sullivan, teacher to Helen Keller, a young girl that is blind and deaf. It is a historical drama about communication, family, disabilities, and determination. The main conflict of the play is between Helen's parents and the young teacher that they hire to help their daughter. The play cannot end until Annie is able to get through to Helen and give her the gift of language. The design of the play must address the 19th century world that Helen was born into, and how dire her situation was. The setting also drives the conflict between Captain Keller and Annie, because of the time period and background that she comes from. It takes place in the Keller home in Tuscumbia, Alabama. This play feels both conflicting and hopeful. The reoccurring theme featured in this production is potential.
Throughout the script, potential plays a key role in driving the story. From the beginning of time, God has seen the potential of His children. He created all people, male and female, black and white, with and without disabilities, in His image, as stated in Genesis 1:27. God guides His beloved people and loves them enough to discipline and correct them. He desperately wants His children to gain wisdom and understanding so they can live out the life that He desires for them. This is shown in Jeremiah 29:11, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you.'" This Biblical world-view is paralleled more than once within the story of Annie and Helen.
Near the beginning of the play, a flashback takes the audience along to a conversation between Mr. Anagnos and Annie. He affirms, "this is my last time to counsel you, Annie" (Gibson 15). Which reveals the first relationship that correlates with the concept of God acknowledging His creation's potential. Mr. Anagnos and the Perkins School for the Blind was her saving grace. She was not able to read or write, and she recognized that she would not have any success if she stayed at the almshouse. She reached out to Perkins School for the Blind and they took her in. Over the next six years, teachers and other students helped to mold and shape her from a blind, scared, and hurting young girl, to a confident, intelligent young woman who was even Valedictorian of her class. The school saw her potential, and they were even able to give her an eye surgery that helped her to regain her vision. This is similar to Annie's story. If God's children reach out to Him, He will hear them and save them from their desolation. Even when His creation is broken and hurting, He instead sees what they can become. Mr. Anagnos sent Annie out into the world to teach Helen, a task that many thought to be impossible. God calls His people to go into all the world and preach His gospel, a comparable mission. Once Annie and Helen begin to trust each other, another commonality between this story and a Biblical worldview comes to the forefront.
"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path," states Psalm 119:105. The Word of God guides His beloved so they might leave behind their sin and darkness and follow Him into the light of what He has planned for them. In The Miracle Worker, Annie uses the manual alphabet to teach Helen, to help her see that there is something more than the darkness she is confined to. Just as God desires for His children to trust that He is on our side and knows what is best for us, Annie wanted Helen to lean on her for everything so Annie could give her the world. These are just a few examples of how this story can convey the theme of potential throughout the play.
Just as Liberty's Theatre Department is a great fit for The Miracle Worker, the Black Box Theatre serves as a perfect venue for this show. It allows for an intimate experience between the audience and the actors. This fits the nature of the script, because there are multiple moments were dialogue is not used and silence speaks. The infamous scene that consists of a mental and physical battle between Annie and Helen at the breakfast table originates from four pages of stage direction with no lines to break up the action. Liberty's theatre department would present this story using a strong cast of actors capable of creating very real actions, especially between Annie and Helen. The set would be realistic and very detailed to keep the audience drawn in close. Queens Theatre's version of this show in 2017 gives an example of a lifelike set, as seen in Figure 2.
This is how Gibson intended the play to be presented, and the early productions reflected this. The show opened in the West End Theatre, where a small stage and limited seating invited the audience to feel as though they were a part of the story. Later, the show moved to Wyndham's Theatre, where a larger stage and audience seemed to take away from some of the magic. Liberty would present this well-known story in a more personal way, making the Black Box into a proscenium setting. Annie's memories that appear in the script would not be cheesy or awkward, but vivid and unforgettable, just how Gibson wrote them to be. The final scene where Helen gains understanding of language at the water pump would not be approached timidly, but played with fierce stakes that reach the emotions of every audience member. This production, as a part of Liberty University's Academic Theatre, would be profoundly touching and fulfilling.
This play immediately became a success in the Box Office. The effects of the historical context are apparent within the script. Gibson wrote this work, that he later became known for, because he found the story interesting and he needed to share it. Many of the struggles Annie and Helen faced as women with disabilities are still seen in our world today. Helen would not have been able to accomplish all that she did without having Annie, who believed in her, by her side. When chosen to be performed at Liberty University, the concept would be emotional, real, and convey the concept of potential. Similarly to the way that God sees potential in His creation, Annie's teachers saw potential in her, and Annie saw potential in Helen. As expressed, this play shares an important message with the audience. Remember that everyone has potential, despite their situation or appearance.