MISERY at Farmers Alley Theatre

MISERY at Farmers Alley Theatre – One Writer.  One fan.  No Escape.

If you’re looking for a night at the theatre that will keep you pinned to the edge of your seat, look no further – STEPHEN KING’s MISERY is coming to Farmers Alley Theatre this spring. Adapted by William Goldman, this nerve-tingling play stars Paul Stroili and Laura Jordan and will be directed by Kathy Mulay.  Audiences are salivating at this new production, as Farmers Alley Theatre has already added two bonus performances during its run.

Misery tells the story of successful romance novelist Paul Sheldon (Stroili), who is rescued from a car crash by his “number one fan,” Annie Wilkes (Jordan), and wakes up captive in her secluded home. While Paul is convalescing, Annie reads his latest book and becomes enraged when she discovers the author has killed off her favorite character, Misery Chastain. Annie forces Paul to write a new Misery novel, and he quickly realizes Annie has no intention of letting him go anywhere. The irate Annie has Paul writing as if his life depends on it, and it does.

“There are no lulls in famed screenwriter William Goldman’s 90-minute stage adaptation of the Stephen King story, which Goldman himself translated into the 1990 film… Exposition that took a dozen pages in paperback and at least several minutes on screen plays out…faster than snow piling up in a Colorado blizzard.” —WNBC NY.

Directing our production of Misery is Kathy Mulay, whose artistic vision has led many of Farmers Alley Theatre’s most successful shows including Come From Away, Beautiful, and Becoming Dr. Ruth.  Kathy will be leading an extremely talented three-person cast which includes returning favorites Paul Stroili (Native Gardens, Lifespan of a Fact, A Doll’s House, Part 2) and Michael P. Martin (Dial M for Murder, Peter and the Starcatcher) as well as Laura Jordan (Broadway’s Cry-Baby, In My Life) who returns to Kalamazoo to reunite with Director Kathy Mulay for the first time since a production of Into the Woods over 20 years ago.

“Whether you’ve read the novel or seen the film adaptation of Misery, prepare yourselves,” heeds Mulay. “This performance brings an entirely different dimension.” Mulay continues, “Here, the live immediacy of the theatre – its sounds, lighting, and stagecraft – heightens the tension, creating an experience more visceral than any book or screen can offer.” Executive Director Rob Weiner concurs, “Many of us have a connection to Misery in one way or another – whether thru King’s library or visions of Kathy Bates. But this new re-telling, especially with our tremendous leads Paul & Laura under the direction of Kathy, is sure to touch a nerve in many ways a word on a page or image on a screen cannot.”

Misery is generously supported by our Season Sponsors The Tyler Little Family Foundation and the Schupan Family; Season co-sponsors Jack & Andy Hopkins and First National Bank of Michigan; and by our show adopters: Don Flesche and David Isaacson.

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