‘The Miracle Worker’ Debuts at RTC

By Dan Guarino

From television to stage to screen, the story of deaf, blind, nearly mute child Helen Keller and her teacher, Annie Sullivan, has held audiences in its emotional and dramatic grip for decades. On Friday, November 3, that story comes home as The Rockaway Theatre Company presents “The Miracle Worker” to its stage at the Post Theater at Fort Tilden.

Directed by David Risley and Jodee Timpone, the play runs November 3 to 19. Showtimes are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m., with two shows, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., on Saturday, November 11.

“The Miracle Worker” dramatizes the real-life struggle between blind, deaf, and non-verbal Helen, raging and trapped, and Annie, her teacher, trying to connect her to the world. Speaking about Keller, American author Mark Twain once observed, “Helen is a miracle, and Miss Sullivan is the miracle worker.”

Keller would later become a lecturer, disability rights advocate, author and social and political activist. In 1957, William Gibson adapted his original television drama, “The Miracle Worker,” into a stage play, based on Keller’s own autobiography, and then went on to write the award-winning film version starring Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke.

In the RTC production, cast members Nicole Lingerman and Katherine Eastby, playing Helen at alternate performances, and Ciarra Torres as Annie Sullivan, give it their all in bringing their emotional and oftentimes physical battle of wills to life on stage. Likewise, fellow actors George Nicolaidis as Captain Keller, Francesca Marceca as Mrs. Keller, Marina Reydler as Aunt Ev, and Nathan Reder as James Keller, along with Jannicke Steadman (Viney), Gracie Dakota (Martha), Xavier Parker (Percy) and Dan Guarino (Mr. Anagnos) and the “Blind Girls”- Mairead Henning, Caroline Minson, Chelsea Quintero, Jessica Sautner, Marianna Judge and Olivia Ferrara, have been working for months to perfect the play and their performances.

Timpone says, “There were times when it seemed that we were directing two plays.” Playing a deaf, blind, “almost feral” child, “many scenes involve Helen doing things that had nothing to do with the actions of the other actors on the stage. However, the actions of the other actors were often dependent on the timing of Helen’s action. To get that right was very challenging, both for us and the actors.”

Risley adds, “this is a very physical play. It was imperative that we had to (carefully work out all the actors’ stage moves) first, incorporating the tedious fight scenes, and then focus on the character work.  We needed to heighten the themes of resiliency and persevering. The audience needs to be invested in Annie and Helen’s journey.”

Timpone notes, “We started working with the Helens and Annie during the summer. Due to the physical nature of their parts, they needed to trust each other and learn how to get past their fear of hurting one another.” RTC actor/director Frank Caiati personally choreographed their often-knockabout onstage interactions to look realistic but also be as safe as possible.

Mirroring the physical struggles are the internal ones. “Helen and Annie have a lot of similarities,” Timpone says. “They are frustrated for different reasons but are both determined to get their way.” Annie, partially blind herself, grew up in an orphanage and lost her brother there, whom she promised to take care of. “I think her need to be successful with Helen was motivated in large part by the fact that she didn’t keep her promise to her brother.”

“There are many themes happening in this play beyond the obvious,” Risley says. “It is about parent/child relationships, and not just with Helen. Captain Keller also struggles with his son from his first marriage. In addition, the show has an underlying theme of perseverance and being resilient beyond your obstacles. This goes for both Helen and Annie. Their relationship is like a tug of war. The fact that neither gives in is what drives the drama of the piece.”

About the cast, Risley says, “The majority are new or haven’t been involved with RTC in years.”  Timpone adds, “This is the first MainStage show for just about all of our younger actors. They are very excited to be part of the show, even in the smallest way. Our Helens have been outstanding in their commitment to their roles, as our Annie Sullivan has been. Katherine Eastby has been a member of our Young People’s Workshop for years and has knocked everything she’s done out of the park. We also decided, on the spot, to ask Nicole Ingerman to audition after seeing her outstanding performance as Anne Frank in ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ at her middle school.”

Risley explains, “The actress playing Annie was actually one of my former speech and debate students. When she expressed interest in auditioning, I knew she had what it takes to bring this character to life. The fact that she already knew sign language didn’t hurt either.”

Risley has been involved with RTC since 2001. “I have been involved with theater in one capacity or another since high school,” Risley said. He was the Associate Director of Development at New Jersey’s award-winning George Street Playhouse for 10 seasons. “So theater was always there.”

Timpone started with RTC in 2007. “I had only been in church shows and one or two other community theatre productions before coming here. I did not study theatre in college, so everything I have learned has been from the observing and performing for the many wonderful directors that belong to the company,” she said.

After directing the outstanding “A Few Good Men” last year, “The Miracle Worker” marks their fourth RTC collaboration, with both acknowledging it as a real challenge. But well worth the effort.

Along with seeing their interpretation of this classic work, Timpone hopes audiences will “come away with an appreciation of the dedication and hard work that went into this production.”

Risley hopes they will “experience what drew me to this play in the first place. The message of resiliency and optimism is something that we all need in the crazy times we are living in.”

Get tickets for “The Miracle Worker” at www.Rockawaytheatrecompany.org.

Photos by Dan Guarino.