Theater Review: Words Flow Like Water: “The Miracle Worker” in Bowling Green, Kentucky by the Fountain Square Players.

The Miracle Worker

by William Gibson

Cast

Annie Sullivan — Anna Beth Gillon
Helen Keller — Elvie K. Krans

Kate Keller — Brooke Vinson
Captain Keller — Jeremy Krans
James Keller — Asher Blake
Aunt Ev — Paige Logan
Viney — Linda Hill
Martha — Echo Dearbone
Percy — Mayeson Bailey
Anagnos — Shane Holinde
Beatrice — Nora Holinde
Sarah — Beatrice Krans
Lawrence — Anselm Krans
Alex — Clive Louis Krans
Alabama Doctor — Jonathan Ross

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Crew

Director — Jeffrey Beard

Assistant Directors — Estie Carlson, Annie Moore

Set Design — Jeff Moore
Technical Director — Alan Betz

Costumes — Clarissa Moore & cast

Lighting & Sound —
Colton Turley, Tom Haire, Meg Price, Estie Carlson, Wendy Silva, Laura Sullivan

Publicity — Linda Hill & cast

Programs — Meg Price, Brooke Vinson

Voice Talent — Tom Haire, Estie Carlson, Annie Moore

Set Crew —
Alan Betz, Jeff Beard, Leda Berman, Mitchell Berman, Estie Carlson,
Anna Beth Gillon, Jeff Moore, Sarah Sexton

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“Once I knew the depth where no hope was, and darkness lay on the face of all things.

Then love came and set my soul free.

Once, I knew only darkness and stillness.

Now I know hope and joy.

Once, I fretted and beat myself against the wall that shut me in.

Now I rejoice in the consciousness that I can think, act, and attain heaven.

My life was without past or future; death, the pessimist would say, ‘a consummation devoutly to be wished.’

But a little word from the fingers of another fell into my hand that clutched at emptiness, and my heart leaped to the rapture of living.

Night fled before the day of thought, and love and joy and hope came up in a passion of obedience to knowledge.

Can anyone who escaped such captivity, who has felt the thrill and glory of freedom, be a pessimist?”

From "Optimism," a book by Helen Keller.

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Tonight I'm writing a review about a 'Community Theater' production. It is a bit out of line with the Musiterania mission for reviewing acoustical music performances, but I make exceptions when warranted.

This weekend I have a lot going on. So I stayed in town and decided to catch a production by The Fountain Square Players at the Capitol Theater. When I saw they were going to do "The Miracle Worker," I pretty much had to go see it.

Helen Keller's and Annie Sullivan's story has to be one of the most compelling in all of human history. While writing my book "Boredom to Brilliance," I read up a lot on Helen Keller because I wondered how a woman who was Blind, Deaf, and couldn't speak, could become such an accomplished writer. I was curious how the play would handle the story, and I wondered who on earth you would get to play Helen at the age of 7 or 8. When you read about Helen Keller, you know the first word she 'understands' is "Water" and "Think". After that, the avalanche of inspiration was released, and she was able to become successful with the help of her teacher, Annie.

Imagine not knowing a single word till you were 7 years old. She couldn't even express the word nothing. There was no way for her to communicate at all until her teacher finally came and opened up the world to her.

It is a tall order enough to attempt such a piece, but having a great young actress like Elvie K. Krans, Helen Keller, makes it possible. She portrayed the young girl in all of her complexities. From tantrums to pain to making a mess of things, she was finally calm enough to learn. She played these nuances very well. But, it must be mentioned that the role has no text. She has no lines to learn. Let me tell you, there is nothing harder than being on stage and acting when you don't say anything. It is no small task to listen to lines and act like you don't hear them, or to see action and act like you don't see it. To express yourself vocally with only strange utterances, with no definition. It would be a tall order for anyone, no matter their age or experience. Well done, I'd say. 

Anna Beth Gillon played the distraught but finally successful teacher of Annie Sullivan with a full range of emotions. Anna was convincing in combining the toughness of being a teacher for a "spoiled brat" like Helen. Helen's handicaps had her family coddling her, and it caused her behavior to be completely untethered. The flashback traumas of her recent childhood were well presented as it became clear that the teacher was also just recently a child at the young age of 20. She remained with Helen her entire life, and I had always wondered why she did it. It turns out that the teacher often needs the student as much as the other way around. 

Jeremy Krans played Helen's father, Captain Keller, with a good balance between the stern southern style patriarch and the loving and concerned father. Brooke Vinson, Kate Keller, was the protective "Momma Bear" to her wounded daughter.

Asher Blake, James Keller, was a sympathetic son and brother of Helen.

The rest of the cast performed very well to round off the evening. 

Jeffrey Beard directed the show by giving room for humor in a story that has such a depth of seriousness. The use of 'make-believe' props was interesting and actually worked pretty well. One can understand the added benefit of not having to clean up Helen's mess after every scene. We would have been there all night if they had to have cleaned up all of the food Helen was slinging around. 

For me, the most important moments in Helen's life and indeed the key to the moment captured in this play, is the teacher going through hell to bring out the genius in a child that would have otherwise been completely lost in the world. It is a testament to the teaching profession as a whole because, in many ways, it is not much different than what Annie has to go through. You try and try, you want to quit, you want to pull your hair out, you want to strangle people...and then when you least expect it, the student 'gets it'. It has to be one of the most profound moments in life for both people. I was completely moved by the moments this evening. When she finally gets that it is "water' she is pumping from the well, it is a truly great moment for everyone.

At the end of the day, no matter what level you attend, going to the theater always gives you a lot to reflect on. One of the things I love most about it is that it is real theater. Just a story about people. Real people who have real problems. There is so much hidden suffering in the world. We cannot know all of it but we can have patience with people who are fighting hidden battles we will never know about or have the common experience to understand. This is what calls us to be humans and good to each other.

Musiterania...

Community theater is where artistry meets authenticity—where stories are told not for prestige, but for passion. At Musiterania, we believe these stages are the heartbeat of the performing arts, cultivating talent, connection, and creativity at the most human level. To attend is not simply to watch a performance, but to invest in a community, to witness courage in expression, and to be reminded that great art does not require grandeur—only dedication and a willingness to share one’s voice.