Coming this fall to a theater near you
Ritenour’s production of “The Miracle Worker”
Senior Josh Cahill and Juniors Rachel Vaccaro and Kelsey Degardin rehearse after school on Oct. 17.
October 22, 2013
Ritenour High School will be welcoming the fall season with its first theatrical production of the year, “The Miracle Worker,” writ- ten by William Gibson and directed by Drama teacher Patricia Ulrich.
“The Miracle Worker” is based on the true story of Helen Keller and her teacher and mentor Anne Sullivan. Helen Keller was
a blind, deaf, and mute child who had a breakthrough and learned to communicate with the help of Anne Sullivan.
“I picked this play because it is a story everyone can relate to. Helen Keller overcame a huge obstacle. Everyone has obstacles, and I think it is important to know that all of them can be overcome. It also showcases the skill and prog- ress all of the actors in the play have developed,” Ulrich said.
The main characters, Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan, will be played by juniors Kelsey Degardin and Millie Volpitto, who agree that playing those roles will be difficult.
“This will be a big challenge for me. I practice by tying a scarf around my eyes and then trying to find my way around the house without peeking or feeling around. I think people never really realize how much they rely on their senses until they are forced to go without them. It really is an eye-opener.
The hardest part will be not turning my head when someone calls my name,” Degardin said.
Both roles require the students to try a new method of acting
“I purposely auditioned for the part of Anne Sullivan because I knew it would be something out of my comfort zone. Acting is not just acting, it is mostly reacting. The part of Anne Sullivan will help to not only sharpen this skill, but also will show what I can do. I practice by watching the movie and paying close attention to Anne Sullivan and the other characters. I watch the way they move, the way they speak, their facial expressions, whatever I can to really embody the part of Anne Sullivan,” Volpitto said.
“The Miracle Worker” will also include several violent scenes between Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan. Due to Helen Keller’s inability to communicate, and Anne Sulli- vans’s effort to discipline her, Helen Keller, along with her family, butts heads with Anne Sullivan.
“The play includes a food fight and a lot of fist-fighting be- tween Anne Sullivan and Helen Keller. It is a lot of fun to be a part of. There will even be a live water pump on stage,” Degardin said.
The Miracle Worker will take place in the Ritenour Auditorium Nov. 7, 8 and 9 at 7:00 p.m. for $5 per person.
“Be prepared to laugh, cry, and leave with something you will never forget,” Volpitto said.
