The Miracle Worker is a Tony Award-winning play that tells the story of Annie Sullivan and her student, Helen Keller. Helen lost her sight and hearing at the age of 19 months and is trapped in a secret, silent world, unable to communicate. Her family treats her as subhuman, but Annie sees a mind and spirit waiting to be rescued from Helen’s dark, tortured silence. The play explores the volatile relationship between a lonely teacher and her headstrong charge with compassion, humor, and dramatic tension.

After scenes of intense physical and emotional struggle, Helen’s breakthrough finally arrives with the utterance of a single, glorious word: “water.” The Miracle Worker is a powerful true-life story that remains relevant today.

The play premiered on Broadway at the Playhouse Theatre in New York City on October 19, 1959, and was directed by Arthur Penn. The production starred Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke.

Critics have praised the play for its heart-tugging storytelling and luminous performances. The Hollywood Reporter called it “a still-potent example of a powerful true-life story,” while The New York Times described it as “terrifically effective” and “luminous.” The New York Post called it “interesting, absorbing, and moving.”

Presented by Johnson County Community Theater