Lisa Brock, Star Tribune
A brief, but compelling scene in Torch Theater's production of "The Miracle Worker" brilliantly distills this play's central conflict. Young and undisciplined Helen Keller paws through the newly arrived Annie Sullivan's suitcase and dons the teacher's hat, dark glasses and shawl. There's a long pause as a panoply of emotions, from willfulness to wistful desire, play across the two actors' faces. Child and adult take on an eerie resemblance as they face off in what will become a monumental battle for Helen's soul. It's a powerful moment in a powerful and thoughtful production.
This "Miracle Worker" is essentially a re-mount of Torch Theater's critically acclaimed 2005 production, once again directed by Craig Johnson and featuring most of the original cast, including Stacia Rice and Shelby Flannery in the lead roles. This second round retains the balanced vision and solid staging that marked the original production and gives this well-known work a new sense of life and immediacy.
William Gibson's play pits Helen's family and her teacher against each other in a struggle to find the best future for this blind and deaf child. Helen's father, played with blustery charm by Fred Wagner, would be content to see his out-of-control daughter transformed into a docile, ladylike cipher. Her mother advocates for uncovering her child's potential while, at the same time, trying to protect her from the consequences of that potential; Colleen Hennen communicates this maternal dilemma with sensitivity and grace. Meanwhile, Karen Wiese-Thompson and Randy Schmeling, as Helen's aunt and half-brother, offer comic relief as they attempt to negotiate the rocky terrain of a household that revolves around one tyrannical little girl.
The real drama, however, revolves around Annie and Helen, as the teacher struggles to break through to her unwilling pupil. Stacia Rice imbues Sullivan with a gritty, street-fighter brashness. At the same time, she gives full measure to the ghosts that haunt this woman, revealing the scars and vulnerabilities that lurk beneath her thorny exterior.
As Helen, Shelby Flannery demonstrates an uncanny ability to communicate her character's impulses and emotions without ever uttering a word, using an eloquent, subtle range of facial expression and body language. From the cunning glee she feels at locking Annie in her room to the sheer joy with which she greets a new doll, Flannery is consistently genuine, unaffected and completely delightful.
This well-crafted and beautifully performed show may leave you kicking and screaming to see more from Torch Theater.