House Spoilers: More of Jennifer Morrison Next Season

[Photo: Getty Images]

Jennifer Morrison, our dear Cameron, will be with us for one night only during the first directorial project of Hugh Laurie on House's April 12 episode.  But Morrison did not keep it secret to William Keck of TV Guide Magazine that she will be in a couple of episodes in the next season of House.  It's a blessing to all of us fans, our prayer was heard.  I am so looking forward to the coming episode and of course the next season of House on FOX.  Jennifer has also revealed to Keck, some facts about the Broadway revival "Miracle Worker" wherein she played the role of Helen Keller's mother, Kate.  Here they are:

When did you first become aware of The Miracle Worker and the story of Helen Keller?
Morrison: I know we read it in school in 4th or 5th grade, but even before that in second or third grade we studied who Helen Keller was. But I had not seen any of the productions (either theater or film) until just a few years ago when I put the Anne Bancroft/Patty Duke version on my Netflix. It’s an incredibly moving story.

You’re playing Helen’s mother. What drew you to this role?
Morrison: At first it was just that there was a play on Broadway that had a role that I was right for. I’d done a lot of theater but never on Broadway. I did my first play when I was five years old, then studied at Steppenwolf (Theatre Company in Chicago) and was a theater major at Loyola (University Chicago). I really love being on stage and was hungry for that again.

What kind of woman was Kate Keller?
Morrison: She was 100% in love with her daughter, but she was very weary of (Helen’s teacher) Annie Sullivan coming into the house. There are quotes from Kate saying how hard it was to watch her child suffer, and though she loved her child, sometimes she thought the most merciful thing for her would be death.

How is your staged version different from what people may have seen before on stage or film?
Morrison: I wondered what this play would be like now. When I read it for the audition I was really moved by it. I think people have an idea in their head of what it is, but the first time around it was more of a melodrama, because that was the style of the time. But that’s certainly not what we’re doing now. It’s still set in the 1880’s, but it’s a very raw, emotional presentation. And because it’s a theater in the round, people feel like they’re at the dinner table with us.”

Have you had any visually or hearing-impaired audience members?
Morrison: All the time. They’ve gone to great lengths to make this production accessible to both the visually and hearing impaired. We had a matinee performance just yesterday that was fully signed. We also had the dialogue scrolling on two different walls. We also have very advanced ear pieces for the visually impaired that describe the action on the stage. One of Helen’s descendants, I think her great grand niece, was at a production and told us that Helen would be really proud of the advances we made for this production.”