The Miracle Worker

A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

Immortalized on screen by Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke, this Tony Award-winning play is the story of Annie Sullivan and her student, Helen Keller, who lost her sight and hearing at the age of 19 months. With compassion, humor and dramatic tension, The Miracle Worker explores the volatile relationship between a lonely teacher and her headstrong charge.

Image: 2010 Broadway Production (Joan Marcus)

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Cast Size

7w, 7m
Subgenre

Docudrama/History
Suggested Use
- Cutting Approved for Competition
- UIL Approved
- Competition or Audition Material
Target Audience

Adult

Accolades

Winner! Four 1960 Tony Awards, including Best Play

Details

Summary

Trapped in a secret, silent world, unable to communicate, young Helen is violent and spoiled, treated by her family as subhuman. Only Annie sees a mind and spirit waiting to be rescued from Helen's dark, tortured silence. After scenes of intense physical and emotional struggle, Helen's breakthrough finally arrives with the utterance of a single, glorious word: "water."

History

The Miracle Worker premiered on Broadway at the Playhouse Theatre in New York City on October 19, 1959. Directed by Arthur Penn, the production starred Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke.

Cast Attributes

Strong Role for Leading Woman (Star Vehicle)

Keywords

Performing Groups

A DOCTOR
KATE – Helen's mother
CAPTAIN KELLER – Helen's father, Kate's husband
HELEN – struck deaf and blind by a fever she had as an infant
MARTHA – a servant child
PERCY – a servant child
AUNT EV
JAMES KELLER – Captain Keller's son
ANAGNOS – instructor at the Perkins Institute for the Blind
ANNIE SULLIVAN – 20, Helen's teacher, has a severe vision impairment
VINEY – a servant
BLIND GIRLS – students at the Perkins Institute
A SERVANT
OFFSTAGE VOICES

Time Period 1900-1910
Features Period Costumes

Media

“A still-potent example of a powerful true-life story related in heart-tugging fashion.” – The Hollywood Reporter

“Terrifically effective... the playwright, William Gibson, takes time out for tears throughout, all the while remaining truthful to noble themes: the power of teaching, the glory and the life of the mind.” – The New York Times

“Interesting, absorbing and moving.” – The New York Post

“A still-potent example of a powerful true-life story related in heart-tugging fashion... If anyone can remain unmoved during the famous climactic water-pump scene, they're made of stern stuff, indeed.” – The Hollywood Reporter

“Luminous... Something monumental happens when 7-year-old Helen Keller, pumping water into a pitcher, makes the essential learning connection, from sensation to symbol to meaning.” – The New York Times

Photos

Image: 2010 Broadway Production (Joan Marcus)

Image: 2010 Broadway Production (Joan Marcus)

Music

Musical Style N/A (Not a musical)
Vocal DemandsN/A (Not a musical)
Chorus Size N/A (Not a musical)

Licensing & Materials

Minimum Fee: £70 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

Scripts

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Ticketing

The Miracle Worker