Constellation Stage & Screen debuted a stage adaptation of Stephen King’s psychological horror novel “Misery” to a sold-out John Waldron Arts Center at its premiere Thursday night.
The mainstage play will run Thursday through Sunday until Feb. 16. The debut night featured a “Pay What You Will” ticket pricing, ranging from $5 to $35, plus a $3 venue fee.
“Misery” was first adapted into a movie directed by Rob Reiner in 1990, with the lead Kathy Bates netting an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Actress. The play, adapted by two-time Academy Award-winner William Goldman, follows main character Paul Sheldon, a famous novelist who, after a near-fatal car crash, finds himself trapped in the home of his self-proclaimed biggest fan, Annie Wilkes, whose devotion spirals into a deadly obsession.
Laurie Carter Rose, a graduate of Miami University, made her Constellation stage debut as Annie Wilkes. Mark Coffin returned to Constellation as Paul Sheldon, having previously appeared as another writer, Sidney Bruhl, in “Deathtrap” in 2023. Bloomington local Alan Craig played the role of Buster, the town sheriff.
"It’s a horror-thriller and that is a genre you don't see on stage very often,” Chad Rabinovitz, artistic director of Constellation, said. “It's hard to pull off well. Knowing the movie and then having read the book in research for this, what I was most excited about is that it feels even more alive on stage because of the intimate setting.”
The entrance to the auditorium had a disclaimer warning viewers of sudden loud noises, haze, flashing lights, strong language and violence. The murky atmosphere in the auditorium was intentionally gloomy and mired in a thin veil of fog. Rabinovitz provided a brief introduction in the dark holding a flashlight to his face in front of the stage backdrop of Annie’s snow-laden cabin.
“The story is about Paul Sheldon, who's held hostage by Annie, and we're kind of held hostage in that room with them, and that’s just everything that's great about theater,” Rabinovitz said.
Rabinovitz said the play was more true to the film than the book, but Goldman also adapted some elements of the book that were not in the movie.
Set on a single stage, the play employed moving walls and platforms to depict transitions between rooms of Wilkes’ house. Sound and lighting effects played a major role in elevating the tension between scenes, with vivid color scheme transitions portraying the passage of time.
“There are a lot of special effects in this show, which is extremely challenging," Rabinovitz said. “We don't have camera angles, or those jump scares that you might be able to add by changing the camera or surprising us in a mirror in other horror genres, but there's different tricks that you'll see throughout — what we can do with light and sound that will scenically be brought out.”
Rabinovitz said the biggest challenge in directing the play was managing the scale of production. The original Broadway version in 2016, starring Bruce Willis, had a significantly larger budget, allowing for cinematic effects that were more difficult to replicate with financial constraints at Constellation.
He said defining the genre was equally important. Horror is not commonly seen in theater, Rabinovitz said, because it is harder to scare audiences on stage compared to movies, which can rely on jump scares and graphic effects. He said he believed the production successfully found its tone, leaning more into psychological horror and thriller elements.
“And that's what I love the most about this — I've never seen this on stage,” Rabinovitz said. “It's a popcorn movie-like play, but also this really cool gritty drama and it's surprisingly funny at times, too.”
Anna Jensen, a board member of Constellation, brought her book club to watch the play together.
“It was really fun to see the play, read the book and remember the movie,” Jensen said. “They’re all a little different so I had a great time.”
Susan Sullivan, another member of the book club, praised the adaptation.
“I just finished reading the book yesterday,” Sullivan said. “I wondered how in the world they would make that book into a stage play and they did a great job.”
Tickets for future showings of “Misery” can be purchased on the Constellation website.
