Patty Duke to direct *The Miracle Worker* at Interplayers

Artistic director Reed McColm announced on Friday night that Patty Duke will direct the show in which she has played both leading roles -- at Interplayers, sometime this fall, perhaps as early as September.

Anna Marie Duke played Helen Keller in William Gibson's play on Broadway at ages 12-14; at age 15, she starred alongside Anne Bancroft in the 1962 movie. For a made-for-TV movie in 1980, Duke (at age 33) took over the role of Annie Sullivan (with Helen Keller played by Melissa Gilbert).

And now, at age 63, Duke will return to the show with which she is identified -- right here in Spokane, both as director and by taking a cameo role.

Even before that, sometime "in the first week of June," Duke will appear here (date and venue TBD) for an In the Actors Studio-style interview.

Two months ago, Duke ended her run as Madame Morrible in the San Francisco production of Wicked.

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[photo: from the 1962 movie; from sixties60s.com]