Stephen King's MISERY To Take The Stage At Palo Alto Players, January 19- February 4

Paul Sheldon used to write for a living…now he is writing to stay alive. Palo Alto Players is thrilled to continue its 93rd season by bringing the gripping Stephen King novel MISERY to life on stage. Whether you're a newcomer to the story or a devoted fan, this spine-tingling, tense cat-and-mouse stage adaptation will grip you until the very end.

Directed by Kimberly Ridgeway and featuring a stellar cast of Bay Area actors, this stage adaptation of MISERY “plays out faster than snow piling up in a Colorado blizzard.” (NBC NY). MISERY runs for 10 in-person performances January 19-February 4, 2024 at the Lucie Stern Theater, located at 1305 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto. Tickets ($20-$60) are on sale now at paplayers.org or by phone at 650.329.0891. 

Rescued from a car crash that leaves him unable to walk, novelist Paul Sheldon wakes in the secluded home of Annie Wilkes, his self-proclaimed number-one fan. But doting convalescent care quickly turns into unhinged rage when Annie learns that Paul's latest novel includes the death of her favorite character, Misery Chastain, and Paul is left to fight for his life if he has any hopes of escape. “From witty dialogue, to amped-up intrigue, MISERY is actually a delight” (Houston Chronicle). MISERY was adapted for the stage by William Goldman and is based on the novel by Stephen King. 

"Why not follow the joy of the holidays with a little MISERY?!” said returning Palo Alto Players Artistic Director Patrick Klein. “This gripping and suspenseful play based on the iconic Stephen King novel hits all the right notes, and our trio of powerful local actors is ready to deliver you an evening (or afternoon) of spine-tingling delight."

MISERY is directed by Kimberly Ridgeway (pronouns: she/her) with fight coordination by Dave Maier (pronouns: he/him). Director Kimberly Ridgeway made her Palo Alto Players debut in The Revolutionists in 2021. While Kimberly is also a veteran director, this is her directorial debut at Palo Alto Players. Kimberly has directed projects for Altarena Playhouse, Contra Costa Civic Theatre, Dragon Productions Theatre Company, Ubuntu Theatre Project, Bay Area Performing Arts Collective, Bay Area Drama Company, SF Playground, SF Playhouse, Town Hall Theatre, Playwrights Center of San Francisco, Theatre Rhinoceros, 3Girls Theatre, TheatreFirst, Three Willows Theatre (TX), National Black Theatre (NY), and Spokane Civic Theatre (WA). 

Fight coordinator Dave Maier is making his Palo Alto Players debut. He is recognized as a Master Fight Director with Dueling Arts International and is currently in residence at San Francisco Opera, California Shakespeare Theatre, and Oakland Theatre Project.  His work has been seen at ACT, Berkeley Rep, Aurora Theatre Company, Marin Shakespeare Company, Marin Theatre Company, Center Rep, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, and Shotgun Players, among others. He has received several awards for his work including five TBA awards for excellence in fight choreography.   Dave is an instructor of theatrical combat at UC Santa Cruz, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Studio ACT, and Berkeley Rep School of Theatre.  

The MISERY creative team also includes set design by Gillian Ortega (pronouns: she/her), properties design by Kevin Davies (pronouns: he/him), costume design by Greet Jaspaert (pronouns: she/her), lighting design by Edward Hunter (pronouns: he/him), and sound design by Samuel Fiedel (pronouns: he/him).

The cast of Palo Alto Players' MISERY  includes: 

Annie Wilkes: Maria Marquis (pronouns: she/her)

Paul Sheldon: Christopher Mahle (pronouns: he/him)

Buster: Zachary Vaughn-Munck (pronouns: he/him)

Annie Understudy: Lisa Burton Guevara (pronouns: she/her)

Paul/Buster Understudy: Christian Vaughn-Munck (pronouns: he/him)

Tickets for MISERY can be purchased online at paplayers.org, by phone at 650.329.0891, or by visiting the Box Office (Tuesday through Friday, 11 am - 4 pm) at the Lucie Stern Theater, located at 1305 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto. In-person performances at the Lucie Stern Theater open on January 20 and continue through February 4, with a preview on January 19. In-person performance times are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, select Saturdays at 2 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm. This production is recommended for ages 17 and older. MISERY is rated R and contains onstage violence, gunshots, and strong adult language.

Every ticket purchase directly supports the actors, creative team, and staff for this production, and ensures that Palo Alto Players can remain a vital part of this community. For more information about tickets and Palo Alto Players' current health and safety policies, visit paplayers.org.

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