OPEN AUDITIONS – Misery

“Misery” auditions will be held on December 9th at 6:30 PM, December 10th at 6:30 PM, and December 13th at 1:00 PM. All auditions will take place at the Garfield Center for the Arts at 210 High Street in Chestertown.

As told in the best-selling novel and academy award winning film, “Misery” follows successful romance novelist Paul Sheldon, who is rescued from a car crash by his self-identified “number one fan,” Annie Wilkes, and wakes up captive in her secluded home. During his recovery, Annie reads his latest book and becomes enraged when she discovers Paul has killed off her favorite character, Misery Chastain. The guest room he is recovering in becomes his jail cell as 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.

The play, by William Goldman (who was also the screenwriter of the “Misery” film adaptation), is being produced by the Garfield Center of the Arts and is directed by JW Ruth. The play calls for a small cast of 3 adults, but the director will be looking to cast additional actors to be ready as understudies while lending a hand backstage. The auditions will consist of readings from the script.

GCA is putting out a casting call for the following roles:

• Annie Wilkes – 40+ female – One of the most iconic villains in King’s catalogue and the greater genre of horror, a nurse in training, and devoted fan of the Misery Chastain romance series. After fatefully rescuing the author of her favorite novels, her initially kind and caring demeanor fades away to the psychotic, obsessive, and violent underbelly at the heart of the “number one fan”.
• Paul Sheldon – 40+ male – The famed novelist of the Misery Chastain romance novels and unfortunate victim of a snowstorm induced car wreck, and subsequent capture by his “number one fan”. Paul believes he has finally written an end to his Misery series, but after Annie’s “convincing” is set to resurrect his character and his series. Throughout his ordeal, Paul battles with addictive desires—for painkillers, and for the escapism fiction offers—which leave him vulnerable to Annie’s attempts to manipulate him.
• Buster – 40+ male – A local sheriff tasked with looking for the famed novelist that had gone missing nearby. A search of the area leads him to the doorstep of Annie Wilkes. Though written as a male, the character could be played by a female actor.