From left, Mollie Smith as Helen Keller and Anna DeHart as Annie Sullivan in “The Miracle Worker” at the Actors Guild of Parkersburg. The show opens 8 p.m. Jan. 17 and runs Jan. 18-19 and Jan. 24-26. (Photo Provided)

PARKERSBURG — “The Miracle Worker,” a play based on the life of Helen Keller, opens at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17, at the Actors Guild of Parkersburg.

Directed by Charlie Matthews, the play was written by William Givens and is the story of Keller and her governess, Annie Sullivan. Keller is blind and deaf because of a childhood illness, and Sullivan, a young teacher from the Perkins Institute for the Blind, taught her how to communicate.

“This production brings Helen Keller’s story to life in a way that speaks to the resilience and determination within us all,” Matthews said. “Audiences will see how the transformative power of connection can overcome even the most challenging obstacles.”

Tickets for the opening show are half price for $10.

Additional performances are 8 p.m. Jan. 18, 24 and Jan. 25, and 2:30 p.m. Jan. 19 and 26. Tickets remain for all the shows and are available at the Actors Guild website, actors-guild.com.

“Helen is the most challenging character I’ve ever portrayed, but being able to tell her story in the theater I’ve grown up in is a memory I will cherish forever,” said Mollie Smith, who plays Keller.

The part of Annie Sullivan is played by Anna DeHart.

“Playing Annie Sullivan has been one of the most physically and emotionally challenging roles I’ve ever taken on,” DeHart said. “Her personal and professional struggles are profoundly inspiring, and this show is a testament to the incredible power of determination and connection.”

Keller’s father is portrayed by Ethan Schaffer.

“Each performance reminds me that true breakthroughs happen when we push past our limits and open our hearts to understanding,” he said.

The production is sponsored by the Lions Club of Parkersburg.