TERRE HAUTE —
The theatrical production company, On The Line Productions, will open its third production, William Gibson’s “The Miracle Worker.” The company will present the show Friday through Sunday. The group has produced “The Diary of Anne Frank” and “The Prisoner of Second Avenue” in year’s past.
“We seek to stage shows that communicate to the power within the human spirit,” said Ted Compton, artistic director for the company. “The opportunities are limitless if we choose to rise to the challenge rather than just accepting the status quo.”
On The Line seeks out one show per season as an outreach to the community. This season, On The Line has partnered with The WILL Center, a nonprofit group that works with those who need assistance with disabilities in the state of Indiana.
The center’s mission is to empower people with disabilities to ensure that they have full and complete access to community resources to promote their independence. “It was a perfect match for the true story of Helen Keller and her enlightenment at the hands of Annie Sullivan, the teacher who helped her discover the power of language,” Compton said.
A representative from the center will speak after the Sunday matinee on the resources available. The discussion is free.
“‘The Miracle Worker’ is a story about challenge and perseverance, exactly the message The WILL Center tries to convey every day through our work,” said Peter Ciancone, executive director of The WILL Center. “It’s a privilege for us to partner with On the Line Productions to help promote it.”
The Friday and Saturday shows begin at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee at 2:30 p.m. The show will be performed at Harmony Hall, 1257 Lafayette Ave. Tickets are $10 and available at the door. No reservations are needed. The cast includes: Mike Cochran, Denise Keegan, Ryan Skeel, Viviane Edwards, Kenjany Edwards, Robin Baer, Marta Shelton, David Nering, David Landes, Amelia Vallely-Compton, Kati Gaston, Bailey Harrell, Alaina Keegan and Hunter Lumsdon.
“It amazes me that Helen Keller made the accomplishments that she did,” Skeel said. “Dealing with the disabilities was as much a learning process for her family as it was for her. It’s just an amazing story.”
It has been a challenge for the actors as well, many of whom are playing blind characters. “It’s hard. You want to, but you can’t really look at the person you are talking to and you have to act like you don’t know what is around you,” said Harrell, who plays one of the blind children from the school for the blind.
“It’s a real challenge to play Helen Keller,” said Edwards. “You don’t speak lines, but you have to do a lot of movement. It’s very physical.”
“Helen Keller has always been a hero of mine when I was growing up,” said Gaston, who plays Viney, a maid for the Kellers. “I think the audience will be able to really see that no matter what forces bring you down in life, you can always overcome.”
For more information about this and other productions, visit www.ontheline
productions.com. For more on the WILL Center visit www.thewillcenter.org.
Features
On The Line presents ‘The Miracle Worker’ this weekend
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