Los Altos Youth Theatre is scheduled to present “The Miracle Worker” Saturday through July 1 at the Bus Barn Theater, 97 Hillview Ave.
To prepare for the play, which tells the story of how instructor Annie Sullivan teaches deaf and blind youngster Helen Keller to communicate, cast members recently explored downtown Los Altos with blindfolds on.
Led by director Molly Bell, the 10 girls made a deposit at a bank, spoke to a pharmacist and ate ice cream.
Two of the girls, Amanda Glaze and Grace Friedberger of Los Altos, share the role of Helen. Several others also portray blind girls in the play.
Although the other girls were allowed to talk, Glaze and Friedberger imitated Helen by keeping silent throughout the downtown expedition.
“It helped us understand only half of what (Helen) was going through,” Friedberger said. “You have a hard time figuring out where you are, and you have to use your other senses. You have to depend on other people.”
Bell has been directing in Los Altos since September, but she was associated with the group prior to that as a child actor.
Bell said the “blind” experiences were important to the actors in “The Miracle Worker.”
“It is essential that the actors understand the significance of being blind and deaf and the impact it has on everyone involved,” she said. “My girls playing Helen have begun to grasp how important sight and sound are in this world – so are their shins.”
For show times and more information, call the LAYT box office at 948-6903.
