Chipola's 'Miracle Worker' Earns Excellent Rating

MARIANNA—Chipola College Theatre’s Fall production of ‘The Miracle Worker,’ under the direction of Charles Sirmon, received an Excellent rating from the Florida College System Activities Association.

FCSSA Adjudicator Theatre representative Randy Clark wrote: “In this production, it was clear from the start they were not shying away from the challenging aspects of love, but rather leaning into them. The director, Charles Sirmon, rather than making an immediate Saint out of Helen Keller points out that she is “violent and spoiled” and the direction highlights this dynamic. Shelby Brock as Helen, and Sarah Grace Lockard as Anne, didn’t back away from the challenge of playing characters who are at times unlikable. They committed themselves fully to their respective worlds and inner lives, finding just enough overlap to allow that relationship to blossom and carry the narrative with it. Their physicality during the dining room fight wasn’t rushed, nor did it linger, it was a perfectly struck note of antagonism and discomfort for the audience. Without these moments of darkness and conflict we would have been denied the catharsis of the ending. To conclude, I thought this was an Excellent production with some very well thought out and dynamic choices being made. Clear attention to detail and relationship was shown throughout to help breathe life into a story that, while old, is certainly not out of date.”

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CHIPOLA’S ‘MIRACLE WORKER’ EARNS EXCELLENT RATING—Chipola College Theatre’s Fall production of ‘The Miracle Worker,’ under the direction of Charles Sirmon, received an Excellent rating from the Florida College System Activities Association.
Pictured are Shelby Brock as Helen Keller and Sarah Grace Lockard as Anne Sullivan.