This one woman play introduces us to the political thought of Helen Keller after she learned to form her own ideas and values. Helen Keller, the deaf and blind girl has been frozen in time thanks to the stage portrayal of The Miracle Worker. Awards went to Patty Duke and Anne Bancroft in their portrayals of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan. The movie version was a great success for both actresses. Sadly the success of this version of Helen Keller's life as the little girl to be pitied and then celebrated for her learning abilities remained the only version of what most Americans think about Helen Keller.
We have been robbed of our historical understanding of who Helen Keller really was. This plays shows us what this one-time resident of Fairfield County, Connecticut thought when she was in her 30s after she learned to form her own social and political views. She was much more than the deaf, blind child we read about in the famous children's biographies. Helen Keller was one of the top political activists in America. She was a socialist, an anti-war activist, a supporter of the International Workers of the World and a founder of the American Civil Liberties Union. Yet most people do not know of this history.
Let's listen to the real Helen Keller's words. You rooted for her to be able to communicate. Now listen to what she had to say.
Our actress: Ms. JANUARY LAVOY
January LaVoy plays Noelle Ortiz on the ABC soap "One Life to Live". She has appeared in numerous episodes of "Law and Order" and she was in the movie "War of the Worlds." She has appeared in many Off-Broadway plays including at the Signature Theatre "Home" and "Two Trains Running" which won the 2007 Lortel Award for the Best Revival. She has a Master's degree in Acting from Denver's National Theatre Conservatory and her undergraduate work was done at Fairfield University.
www.januarylavoy.com
Our director: Mr. RYAN MCKINNEY
Ryan is a professor of theatre arts for the City University of New York at Kingsborough Community College. He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from San Diego State University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fairfield University. Ryan returned to Fairfield this past fall to direct and choreograph Theatre Fairfield"s production of The Rocky Horror Show. He is thrilled and honored to work again with his dear friend, January.
Our Theatre Fairfield friends: MARTI LOMONACO, LYNNE PORTER, SUSAN HAGGSTROM and YVONNE CONYBEARE
Marti Lomonaco is Professor of Theatre, Director of Theatre Program, and Producer of Theatre Fairfield at Fairfield University .. She has her Ph.D. from New York University.
Lynne Porter is a producer, designer , director and Chair in Visual and Performing Arts and Fairfield University. Susan Haggstrom is a technical director for Theatre Fairfield and Yvonne Coneybeare is currently visiting assistant professor of theatre at Fairfield University and is directing The Three Sisters.
Our playmaker: Dr. JOHN ORMAN
John Orman is Chair of Politics at Fairfield University. He writes books, appears on television as a pundit, does standup comedy, runs for public office, enters rap contests, writes poems and songs, but mostly he loves his wife Reenie Demkiw and their children Natalie, Kate and Nick. He considers this play an extension of his teaching.
Our inspiration: HELEN KELLER, the AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR THE BLIND and JAMES LOEWEN
You will know more about Helen Keller after this play. We thank the American Foundation for the Blind. Helen Keller's words appear "Courtesy of the American Foundation for the Blind Helen Keller Archives". James Loewen published a great book in 1995 "Lies My Teachers Told Me" which told the story in one of his chapters about the radical life of Helen Keller. |
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