Clarence Brown Theatre Presents THE MIRACLE WORKER, Now thru 10/19

Few stories are as timeless -- or reveal the courage and resilience of the human spirit -- as "The Miracle Worker," which will run on the Clarence Brown Theatre mainstage today, October 2 - 19, 2014. The production tells the story of young Helen Keller, deaf and blind since infancy, who finds her way into the world of knowledge and understanding with the help of Annie Sullivan, her gifted tutor. In some of the most emotion-packed scenes ever presented on the stage, Helen overcomes rage and confusion to triumph over her physical disabilities. Corporate sponsors for this production are Schaad Companies, Pilot Travel Centers, UT Federal Credit Union and Rotary Club of Knoxville. Media sponsors are WBIR, Comcast, Knoxville News Sentinel, B97.5, WUTK and WUOT.

"All of the exchanges in the play are derived from factual events, but woven together in such a way that we, the audience, are allowed to experience the 'miracle' that Ms. Sullivan was able to work - how Helen connected spelling a word to understanding language. Helen called it her soul's sudden awakening," said Kate Buckley, director.

Kate Buckley (Director) is an assistant professor in the UT Theatre Department. Previous CBT productions include: "Antigone," "Copenhagen," "Charley's Aunt," "Merry Wives of Windsor," "Moonlight and Magnolias" and "Black Pearl Sings." She was a founding member of Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and served as the Artistic Director of The Next Theatre in Evanston, Illinois. She has been a guest lecturer on Shakespeare at universities and arts organizations nationally and abroad. Other directing credits include productions at The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, American Players Theatre, Utah Shakespearean Festival, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, New Victory Theatre - NY, The Goodman Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Writer's Theatre, and The Next Theatre. She has received numerous awards and honors for her productions, a Distinguished Alumni Award from Aurora University, and Creative Research Award from the University of Tennessee.

The cast is comprised of guest professional actors, faculty, UT Theatre graduate actors and UT Theatre undergraduate actors.

Angela Church (Anne Sullivan) is an actor and writer based in New York City. She trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London, England. As an alumnus of UT Theatre, she has performed previously on the CBT stage. She also has performed with several New York companies, in the Fringe Festival d'Avignon, and on various regional and international stages.

Nancy Duckles (Aunt Ev) is a Knoxville resident, retired anesthesiologist, former CBT Advisory Board member and part-time UT undergraduate. Previous CBT credits: "Our Country's Good," "A Christmas Carol," and "A Streetcar Named Desire." She also performed with the Word Players, the Actors Co-op, Encore Theatrical Company (Morristown), and, through her own DuckEars Theatre Company, produced and acted in "The Heidi Chronicles," "Wit" and "Rabbit Hole." She can be seen in the soon-to-be-released movie "No Pay, Nudity."

Neil Friedman (Doctor Anagnos) is a CBT Artist-in-Residence. CBT credits include "Our Country's Good," "On the Razzle," Spamalot," "Trip to Bountiful" and others. Chicago area credits include: The Court Theatre, Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare, Goodman Theatre, Marriott Lincolnshire, and The Peninsula Players. Regional credits include: Flat Rock Playhouse, NC; Utah Shakespeare Festival; Capitol Repertory, NY; The New Victory Theatre, NY; Coconut Grove Playhouse, FL; Children's Theatre Company of Minneapolis; Austria's Vienna English Theatre. Neil is a proud recipient of Chicago's Joseph Jefferson Awards.

Tracey Copeland Halter (Viney) recently directed "Wrens" in the CBT Lab Theatre. CBT credits include: "Black Pearl Sings!," "It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play," "Charley's Aunt," "The Who's Tommy" and more. Regional credits include: Broadway, New York Shakespeare Festival, Denver Center The Alliance Theatre, Georgia Shakespeare Festival, and more. She has her MFA in Theatre from New York University.

Terry Weber (Captain Arthur Keller) is a UT Theatre faculty member and volunteers as Artistic Director of The WordPlayers. He has performed in theaters in New York, Seattle, Milwaukee, Louisville, Chicago, Kansas City, Montgomery, Knoxville, Toronto, Orlando, Charleston, Asheville, and Avignon (France). CBT credits include: "CTRL+ALT+DELETE," "The Little Prince," "Tartuffe" and others.

UT Theatre graduate and undergraduate actors include: Andrew Drake (Percy); Erik Johnson (James Keller); Lindsay Nance (Kate Keller); Kendra Booher (Sarah); Rachel Finney (Helen Keller); Darneisha Riles (Martha); and Morgan Voyles (Beatrice).

Designers on the production include: Joscelyn Oktabetz (Costume Designer); Jason Ammons (Scenic Designer); Kenneth Foster (Lighting Designer); and visiting guest designer Joe Cerqua (Sound Designer). Abigail Langham (Voice Coach) and Alex Dearmin (Stage Manager) also are assisting with this production.

With a dual mission to train the next generation of theatre artists and to provide top quality professional theatre, the Clarence Brown Theatre at the University of Tennessee Knoxville is one of only 12 academic LORT (League of Resident Theatre) institutions in the nation. Under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Calvin MacLean and Managing Director David B. Byrd, the CBT season runs from August through May and features eight productions ranging from musicals to drama.

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