Lights, camera, action! In theatre there are no retakes, but this did not deter the talented group of Paint Branch Perspectives actors and tech crew members from performing The Miracle Worker over five fantastic and truly miraculous nights in mid-November.

William Gibson’s The Miracle Worker, set in 1880’s Alabama, tells the deeply emotional story of the Keller family’s struggle to raise their wild six-year-old blind and deaf daughter Helen. Captain Keller, his gentle wife Kate, and Helen’s half-brother James, have no choice but to bring in a teacher for Helen, the young and brash Annie Sullivan.

Based on Helen’s autobiography, The Story of My Life, the play explores the tangled relationships of the Keller family, with little Helen at the very center, and the much-needed change Sullivan brings to not only Helen’s life, but also the entire Keller household.

Act One opens with the heartbreaking scene of Helen’s parents discovering the tragic deaf-blind condition of their daughter. Kate Keller, played by junior Meghan Fickett, cries in despair as she realizes her beloved baby Helen has been rendered blind and deaf from her illness. After this tear-inducing scene, the audience knew they were in for a spectacular and emotional show.

As the play progresses, we meet Helen’s 20-year-old future teacher, Annie Sullivan, played by senior Rebekah Senderling. A stubborn, opinionated, strong, and independent woman, Sullivan enters the Keller home as a blessing in disguise. Realizing the extreme pity the Keller’s have for Helen, and the consequential spoiled child she has become, Sullivan decides the only way to teach Helen language is away from the family. Captain Keller, played by junior Donovan Parris, is shocked by her audacity, but finally relents and gives Sullivan a strict two-week time frame to do as she wishes.

In those mere two weeks, Sullivan succeeds in teaching Helen obedience, but despairs over Helen not understanding that “everything has a name.” The Kellers, eager to get their daughter back, are content with their obedient, but unaware daughter; however, Sullivan is not.

All hope seems to be lost as escalating conflict in the household, especially between Helen’s half-brother James, played by junior Aaron Kassman, and his father Captain Keller, brings forth anxiety and flaring tempers. It is in this moment of extreme frustration and exasperation that a miracle happens. Sullivan finally breaks through to Helen, and the play draws to a close, leaving the audience emotionally drained.

Sullivan’s resonating echoes of past pain and guilt over her younger brother Jimmy’s death, and her resulting redemption through Helen’s mental breakthrough, offer a heartwarming and emotional conclusion. Yet, through all the turmoil, countless unexpected sprinkles of humor had the audience on the verge of tears one moment and laughing the next.

An extensive amount of work went into the play’s production as both actors and tech members had to prepare for this emotional roller coaster of a show. Junior Missy Tucker, who played Helen Keller, explained, “Right before the show, I was so so so nervous, and I don’t usually get nervous before a show. I really wanted to do Helen Keller justice with my acting because she’s an amazing woman.”

Fickett added gratefully, “It’s incredible how much support we received from the student body and faculty.”

Asked if the performance met her expectations, Perspectives Director Ms. Perkins proudly said, “I expected them to do really well, but they far exceeded those expectations.”

Of course, behind every good show is an amazing tech crew. Senior stage manager Laura Vandemark gave her technical opinion of the show, “I don’t think it’s possible to have a show that is 100 percent perfect, but our goal is to not make mistakes that will be distracting to the audience…But so far, the shows have gone well!”

The audience was definitely swept away by the performance, but a few very special guests swept away the cast members as well. The principal from a local middle school brought one of her students, a 12-year-old blind girl, backstage to speak with the cast. The little girl gushed to Missy Tucker about how great she was. “It was really inspiring, and the last thing I expected,” Missy explained while crying, overwhelmed by emotion. “It was so amazing.”

Kassman summed up why people should know this story in a few words, “The show speaks to all people. You don’t have to be deaf or blind to appreciate the story.”