Misery at Yellowtree Theatre
I was at opening night of Misery at Yellowtree Theatre. Not only was it opening night for Misery, but opening night for Yellowtree’s 18th season. That is pretty exciting! Yellowtree’s 2025/2026 season is off to an exciting start! Another treat to going to opening is the play itself. What a play! What a story! What a performance!
You may find the title of the play to be familiar. It is. The play is based one the Stephen King book, and William Goldman (Princess Bride, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All The President’s Men) turned the book into a play in 1987. I think everyone is familiar with the 1990 movie that featured James Caan and Kathy Bates. I still have not seen the famous movie. Need to put that on my to do list.
I did see the play Misery back in 2023 at Yellowtree. This production is brought back by popular demand. It is directed by original director John Catron with an all new cast. This productions cast puts on a master class in acting. Dustin Bronson as writer Paul Sheldon and Laura Esping as Annie Wilkes take us on a journey with this play.
The story is Paul is a famous writer of a series of books based on the character Misery. The play begins with Paul injured in a bed at a cabin that belongs to Annie. Annie is a nurse who happened to be there when Paul had his car accident in the Colorado mountains during a blizzard. We learn that Annie is his number one fan. She saved his life and is nursing him back to health. As the play goes on, Annie goes from caring nurse to prison warden. She is not going to let her patient/favorite author go. Especially when at the end of the newly release 9th issue of the Misery series the character Misery dies. Annie keeps the injured Paul as a prisoner until he writes a 10th book and brings Misery back to life.
This play is gripping and keeps you engaged the entire time as you watch Paul try to figure out his escape. The role of Paul is physically demanding, with his injuries as he tries to move about with broken legs, and later shattered ankles. How did Paul get shattered ankles? Well Annie figured out he was getting out his room. While he was sleeping she strapped him to the bed, drugged him and then took a sledge hammer to his ankles. “She’s a nurse and knows what she is doing”. He can’t leave with broken ankles, but he can still type on the typewriter. As long as he writes this book to Annie’s liking, she’ll keep him around/alive. Paul is afraid, as he should be. He’s all alone with his number one fan.
Once spring begins to arrive, with the melting of the snow, the Sheriff finds Paul’s car not from Annie’s cabin. He begins to put the clues together and believes that Annie has had Paul at her cabin all along. She kills’s the Sheriff. He knows too much and can’t be allowed to take Paul from her. Not now, not when the 10th book of the Misery series is so close to being completed.
Dustin Bronson acts with a passion in showing us the pain his character is in and how physically demanding the simple tasks are with the limitations of his injured body. Laura Esping is amazing as she goes from kind caring nurse, to cruel kidnapper. She even cut the wires to her own phone, so Paul can’t call for help. The acting a powerhouse with the play Misery.
I really liked the ending of the play, where Paul is at a press tour talking about 10th book. Mentions that his editor believes he should write a book about the circumstances behind the creation of the 10th book. We in the audience watched the story unfold. I agree that would for a great story. How did Paul escape from Annie? You will have to watch the play to find out.
What I don’t remember about the scenery from when I had seen this production in 2023. Above the scenery that makes up Annie’s cabin, is pages of manuscript on the wall. It all ties in to book writing. I really liked that element in the Justin Hooper’s scenic design.
This play is gripping. It keeps you engaged. If you are familiar with the movie, even if you are not familiar with the movie, this play is for you! There are performances through October 19, check out www.yellowtreetheatre.com for tickets.
