THE MIRACLE WORKER WORKS!!!!

The last time we were in the Circle in the Square Theater was to spend a wonderful Saturday seeing the 3-play cycle of the NORMAN CONQUESTS. When you spend almost 10 hours in one day in a theater you become intimately acquainted with it and it starts to feel like “home”. And that is how we felt when the usher took us to our seats…right in the first row with incredible access to the stage - ready to see the revival of THE MIRACE WORKER.

We were taken with the intricacy of the set’s floor….a wooden floor hand-painted with a beautiful design that just begged one to reach out and touch it. The “stage police” (aka the usher) kept telling every single person she seated that no one was to touch the floor, put their bags on the floor, put their feet on the floor or walk on the floor. Got it?

When the show begins the set comes together from above and below . . . some of the set rises up from that incredible wooden floor and some is lowered from above on special cables. It’s minimalist but quite detailed and the perfect backdrop for this well known story of two of the world’s most iconic women – Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan. We were a little taken aback when a doorframe rose from the floor smack in front us which obstructed our otherwise perfect view. It surprised us but not as much as the cast did!

Matthew Modine was just ideal as the Captain (Helen’s father). We felt his pull between adoration for and frustration with his disabled daughter. Jennifer Morrison was wonderful too in her role as Helen’s mother. They had a special chemistry and it really played well. Amy Breslin is one of the most talented 14-year-olds we’ve seen and her interpretation of Helen was a perfect balance between emotion and physicality.

Alison Pill is clearly the star of the show. She gave a candid, humorous and forceful interpretation of Annie. She captivated us, as did the costumes. Being seated in the first row gave us the opportunity to see every button, dart, etc and the period dresses worn by Helen’s mother and aunt were truly breathtaking.

The only negative for us was the “dream” sequences with Annie’s dead brother Jamie, played by Lance Chantiles-Wertz. He acted the part perfectly and looked like a little boy suffering from consumption but every time he appeared we winced. We felt this was a poor decision by the director and rather than add to the drama it took away. Fortunately these scenes were very minimal.

There was a little lag right before the big breakthrough between Helen and Annie but the triumph we felt when Helen connects the letters being pressed into her hand with the objects she can touch and feel is great. When Helen connects the words “Mother” and “Father” you do feel the emotion. And then there is the final word of the show , “Teacher” and it hits the marks.

MIRACLE WORKER is a story we all know. There are no surprises and the only variable is the director’s creativity in how the story is presented. This version works. It’s a little miracle on 51st Street…go see it.