Misery Program

STATEBILL DEPARTMENT OF THEATER

By William Goldman

Based on the novel by Stephen King MISERY is presented by Special Arrangement with Dramatists Play Service Inc., New York.

CREATIVE TEAM Direction

Chris Berchild Scenic Design

Costume Design

Lighting Design

Jim Koehnle

Grace Muñoz

Luke Francis

Sound Design

Makeup & Special Effects Design

Fight Choreography

Spencer Hinton

Carter Buehl

Brandon Wentz

Stage Management

Addison Roop

Original Broadway production produced by Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures in association with Castle Rock Entertainment, Liz Glotzer, Mark Kaufman, Martin Shafer, and Raymond Wu. World Premiere produced at Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope, PA. (Jed Bernstein, Producing Director)

CAST Annie Wilkes............................................................................................Koryn Gooch Paul Sheldon................................................................................. Aengus McCullough Buster.......................................................................................... Brenton Kessinger* * = Member of Alpha Psi Omega, the national collegiate theater honor society

PRODUCTION INFORMATION This show runs approximately 100 minutes.

There will NOT be an intermission.

Video and/or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited by law.

WARNING This production contains flashing lights, haze, loud noises, and depictions of staged violence.

SETTING Annie Wilkes’ secluded house in Silver Creek, Colorado 1987

SPECIAL THANKS Stephanie Alexander | Kathryn Godard | Melinda Roberts | Jerry Strain The MISERY Book Club THTR 177: Stagecraft | THTR 174.002: Introduction to Theater

A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR Bringing horror to the stage is both a challenge and a thrill. Theater is immediate and intimate—we sit only feet away from the actors, acutely aware that they share the same space and air we do. Unlike film, the stage cannot rely on quick cuts or special effects to create fear; it must conjure tension through performance, rhythm, and atmosphere. MISERY is perfectly suited to this medium, because its terror arises not from spectacle, but from isolation.

This stage adaptation of Stephen King’s MISERY unfolds in a single, confined setting—a back room in a remote Colorado house cut off by a winter snowstorm. That limitation becomes its greatest strength.

In the stillness of one room, every sound, every breath, every small act of cruelty is magnified. On stage, this intimacy traps the audience alongside the characters, forcing us to share their dread, helplessness, and desperate will to survive.

While Stephen King’s novel sprawls inside the shifting thoughts of its characters, the stage version distills his story to its brutal essence. Stripped of subplots and inner monologues, what remains is a raw exploration of two people locked in a psychological battle—an author and his “number one fan,” bound together by need, obsession, and fear. Isolation here becomes both physical and emotional: two minds circling one another in a room that feels smaller with every scene.

Isolation is one of King’s most enduring themes—whether in a remote resort, as in THE SHINING, or a small town, as in SALEM’S LOT. In MISERY, he examines how solitude can erode identity and feed obsession. In our hyper-connected world—where communication is constant but often superficial— this idea resonates more strongly than ever. King reminds us that silence and separation can reveal who we truly are but also awaken the darkest corners of the human mind.

This production invites you to consider that paradox: what happens when isolation stops being restorative and becomes dangerous? What does it mean to be truly “cut off” from family, friends, work, and safety—for an audience that rarely is? Tonight, as we turn off our phones and sit together in the dark, we return—just for a while—to that most ancient and shared fear: being alone.

CHRIS BERCHILD, Director

PRODUCTION TEAM Production Manager & Lighting Supervisor ���������������������������������������������������������������Michael Jackson Technical Director, Scene Shop & Properties Supervisor �������������������������������������������������� Jim Koehnle Costume Shop Supervisor �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������Alexis Pritchard Assistant Stage Managers ��������������������������������������������������������������������� Ellie Martz*, Michaela Wallen Fight Captain �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������Brenton Kessinger* Intimacy Consultant �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Julie Dixon Dramaturgy ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Basia Bryan Lead Scenic Coordinator ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ Sophia Greenwood^ Scenic Coordinator ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������Addison Roop^ Lead Scenic Carpenters ����������������������������������������������������������������������Paul Bontrager^, Gavin Kunst^ Scenic Carpenters ������������������������������������������������ Marley Clodfelter, Cannon Roop^, Dakota Uselton^ Scenic Artists ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������Natalie Brower^, Layla Kanazeh^ Scenic Run Crew ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������Jason Blackburn*, Mason King Costume Shop Staff..................................................... Quinn Brickley^, Carter Buehl^, James Jordan^ Brenton Kessinger*^, Baylee Millis^, Maura O’Toole^ Wardrobe Head............................................................................................................Sadie Murrihy Wardrobe Run Crew.........................................................Aubrey Bennett, Grace Caldwell, Josie Smith Electricians ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Paul Bontrager^, Luke Francis*^ Electrics Crew..........................THTR 102: Intro to Theater Production, THTR 274: Theater Technology Light Board Operator ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ Basil Dhaenens Sound & Projection Assistants ��������������������������������������������������������Spencer Hinton^, Adam Nethery^ Sound Board Operator ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������Sam Wiley Properties Coordinator �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Sophia Greenwood^ Properties Artisans..........................Georgia Calhoun^, Layla Kanazeh^, Sophia Morse, Addison Roop^ Administration ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������Crystal Johnson Assistant Company Managers ������������������������������� Georgia Calhoun^, Koryn Gooch^, Spencer Hinton^ Marketing Director & Front of House Supervisor ������������������������������������������������������������������ Alicia Jay Marketing Assistants �������������������������������������������Rebecca Baxter^, Tharon Hibbard^, Cannon Roop*^ Poster Design.......................................................................Sage Lundquist - www.sagelundquist.art Box Office Manager...................................................................................................Crystal Johnson Box Office & Concessions Staff..............................................................Rebecca Baxter^, Sky Wood^ House Managers................................Asher Bulanda, Caleb Cheatham, Noah Gable, Sophia Greenwood Ushers ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ISU Student Volunteers * = Member of Alpha Psi Omega, the national collegiate theater honor society ^ = Student Employee in the Department of Theater

WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST & CREW CHRIS BERCHILD

Director

CARTER BUEHL

Makeup & Special Effects Designer

LUKE FRANCIS

Lighting Designer

KORYN GOOCH

Actor: Annie Wilkes

Chris is the chairperson of the Indiana State University Department of Theater and is proud parent (along with Tresa Makosky) of Tycho John and Bianca Róisín.

Chris has directed and designed numerous productions at ISU and Crossroads Repertory Theatre. His projection design work can be seen regionally at Indiana Repertory Theatre and the Phoenix Theatre. Chris thanks you all for supporting collegiate theater at ISU! Carter Buehl is a Theater major and Arts Administration minor from Bloomington, Indiana. Carter works in the costume shop for the Department of Theater. Recent credits include ACCOMPLICE, AIRNESS, and REEFER MADNESS (Indiana State University) and THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL (Crossroads Repertory Theatre).

Carter is planning on attending graduate school after graduation.

Luke is from Port Jefferson, New York. He is a senior Theater major with a focus in Technical Direction. His recent credits as a Technical Director are BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, the world premiere of GLÜ, and DISNEY’S FROZEN (Timber Lake Playhouse). Luke has previously worked as the Assistant Lighting Designer for REEFER MADNESS (Indiana State University). Luke is excited to be making his collegiate debut as Lighting Designer for MISERY. This will be Koryn’s (she/her) third production at Indiana State University.

Previously, she has played Danny/Diana in SENSITIVE GUYS, The Nina in AIRNESS, Dora Lumley in PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK, and Evil Tina in SHE KILLS MONSTERS. Koryn is a junior English Literature major and a Theater minor.

SOPHIA GREENWOOD

Properties Coordinator

This will be Sophia’s (she/her) fifth production with the Indiana State University Department of Theater. She has previously been a lighting designer for DANCE SHOW, A2 for REEFER MADNESS, Properties Assistant for AIRNESS, and sound operator for HAMLET at ISU. She also has choreographed for ANASTASIA and MARY POPPINS in Dubois County, IN. Sophia is a senior Music Liberal Arts major from Santa Claus, IN.

WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST & CREW SPENCER HINTON

Sound Designer

BRENTON KESSINGER

Actor: Buster

Spencer is a sophomore Theater major at Indiana State University. This is their fourth time working in sound on a mainstage show here. They have previously assistant designed on HAMLET and REEFER MADNESS. They have also previously worked in Sound Engineering at Crossroads Repertory Theater’s SPONGEBOB: THE MUSICAL and THE WIZARD OF OZ. They hope you enjoy the show!

Brenton (he/him) is a junior Theater and English Literature major from Owensboro, Kentucky. His previous Indiana State University acting credits includes HAMLET (Claudius) and AIRNESS (D. Vicious). He strives to involve himself in many theater related organizations, two of which include (but are not limited to) the Student Theater Association as Vice President and Alpha Psi Omega as Secretary.

JIM KOEHNLE

Scenic Designer

ELLIE MARTZ

Assistant Stage Manager

Jim has worked in the technical theatre industry for over 25 years. Jim spent nine years as the managing director, technical director, and resident scenic designer for Seagle Festival; some credits include SWEENEY TODD, THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, FALSTAFF, ROMEO AND JULIET, WITH BLOOD WITH INK, and the world premiere of ROSCOE. Jim received his BFA in Production Design and Technology from Ohio University, and his MFA in Scenic Design from Kent State University.

Ellie, from Chesterton, Indiana, is a senior Cybercriminology and Security Studies major with minors in Dance, Forensic Investigations, and Law Enforcement Evidence. This is her fourth production at Indiana State University, but she has danced in two other shows. Most recently she worked on REEFER MADNESS as an assistant stage manager.

AENGUS MCCULLOUGH

Actor: Paul Sheldon

Aengus is a junior at Indiana State University. He studied Music Vocal Performance for two years before becoming a Theater major in spring of this year. MISERY is his second production with the ISU Department of Theater, previously playing Jack in REEFER MADNESS in the spring of 2025. Aengus aims to be a performing actor, auditioning for plays, musicals, and television.

WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST & CREW GRACE MUÑOZ

Costume Designer

SADIE MURRIHY

Wardrobe Head

ADDISON ROOP

Stage Manager

Grace is a costume designer and technician from Chicago, IL and has previously worked at Opera Saratoga in Saratoga Springs, New York. Grace has also worked regionally at The Drury Lane Theatre, Crossroads Repertory Theatre, Maples Repertory Theatre, Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre, Constellations Stage and Screen, and the Lilly Theater. She earned her BA from Eastern Illinois University and her MFA in Costume Design from the University of Idaho.

This is Sadie’s (she/her/hers) fourth show with Indiana State University Department of Theater, and this is her third time doing wardrobe. Her first acting role at ISU was ensemble in REEFER MADNESS. Prior to coming to Indiana State, she acted in shows at Rock Creek Community Academy (Drew, STEPSISTERS; Grace Farrell, ANNIE JR.).

MISERY is Addison’s first show as Stage Manager. Addison is a sophomore Theater major, and this is her third show with the Indiana State University Department of Theater. Previously, Addison has assistant stage managed REEFER MADNESS and HAMLET for Indiana State University. Addison also assistant stage managed THE WIZARD OF OZ with Crossroads Repertory Theatre.

MICHAELA “MACK” WALLEN

Assistant Stage Manager

This is Michaela’s (they/them) first time serving as an assistant stage manager for Indiana State University Department of Theater. They’re a member of the Student Theatre Association and write scripts for their semester events such as Fright Fest and New Play Festival. Michaela has acted in shows at Maple Avenue Theatre (PETER PAN, MUSIC MAN, and NEWSIES) as well as Terre Haute North Vigo High School (PUFFS and LIZZIE BORDEN OF FALL RIVER).

BRANDON WENTZ

Fight Choreographer

Brandon is an alumus of Indiana State University. He has acted with Crossroads Repertory Theatre; some recent credits include Professor Marvel/The Wizard in THE WIZARD OF OZ, Benedick in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, Charlie in THE FOREIGNER, and Cyrano in CYRANO DE BERGERAC. Brandon can be found at his recording studio in Indy, home of Critshow Studios, where he produces TTRPG podcasts and audio dramas.

STEPHEN KING’S MISERIES: THE BIRTH OF ANNIE WILKES MISERY was born from a dream. One had by Stephen King during a long flight to England. In it, he dreamt of a woman: the unnerving and unmovable brute (the “absence of hiatus,” as he puts it) who came to be known as Annie Wilkes.

With her was her pig, whom she named after the main character of a romance novel. King’s unconscious mind brought him the bones of the story that would go on to sell over 800,000 copies: Annie captures writer, writer creates book for Annie, and, in King’s dream, Annie kills writer, feeding him to her pig and binding her new Annie Wilkes edition in his skin.

After landing, King stayed at the Brown’s Hotel and wrote through the night on a cherry-wood desk that was once owned by the famous author, Rudyard Kipling. By the time dawn had cracked the horizon, he had written the first three chapters of MISERY. As he returned to his room, the hotel workers informed him that not only had the desk where the novel was begun been owned by Kipling, but it had also been the very place where Kipling had died of a stroke while writing many years ago.

Misery delves into two different issues that King was struggling with at that point in his life: the feeling of being chained to the horror genre by his adoring fans, and his overpowering addiction to drugs and alcohol. We see these things come up routinely in the novel, with Paul Sheldon acting as a stand-in for King. His reliance on Novril, which Annie used to ease his pain while keeping him steadily reliant on her for his fix, is a mirror of King’s own addictions.

When he was writing the novel from 1985 to 1986, he found his subconscious screaming for help through his writing and his monsters. He describes the novel’s title as being a direct reflection of his state of mind at the time of its creation. While he had recognized that he was an alcoholic as early as 1975 when he wrote THE SHINING, it wasn’t until an intervention held by his wife, author Tabitha King, that he realized that enough was enough. As King puts it, “Annie was coke, Annie was booze, and I decided I was tired of being Annie’s pet writer.”

Another massive theme in MISERY is the concept of fan love. After all, who among us is not the number one fan of someone or something? Even from his early days, King garnered hundreds of thousands of number one fans. These were people who spent hours upon hours poring over his beloved books, which he released consistently within the horror genre. The name “Stephen King” became synonymous with all that goes bump in the night, and people stood eagerly outside bookshop doors every day a new piece of the collection was released to their waiting hands. But in 1984, when the bookshop doors opened and THE EYES OF THE DRAGON was released to those waiting fans, it was met with a large amount of negativity and backlash.

THE EYES OF THE DRAGON is an epic fantasy novel that features main characters from his wildly successful novel, THE STAND, as well as characters and settings from what many fans now consider to be King’s magnum opus, THE DARK TOWER. He had written the story for his daughter, Naomi King, who told her father that she did not like horror; she liked dragons. The extreme backlash that followed the book’s publication made King feel chained to the horror genre. He had built his career on making people afraid, just as Paul Sheldon had made a living off the romance novels featuring Misery Chastain, and the fans of both held strong to the belief that the authors were nothing if they did not stick to what they knew. King felt he was being held captive to the horror genre, and he processed those feelings through the pages of MISERY. Annie Wilkes was the personification of everything King found himself struggling with in the mid-eighties. But the author, much like Paul, found he was stronger than he had initially thought. He boasts over three decades of sobriety, and his work spans across a remarkable field of genres, touching the hearts of countless number one fans across the globe.

BASIA BRYAN, Dramaturg

Are you a Writer? Actor? Director? Technician?

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Meet in the Dresier Hall Blackbox Theater, 10/24 @ 7:30 PM

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THEATER FACULTY & STAFF Chris Berchild........................................ Department Chair | Projection & Sound Design Julie Dixon...................................................................................... Acting | Movement Michael Jackson.................................................. Lighting Design | Production Manager Alicia Jay.................................. Administration & Management | Introduction to Theater Crystal Johnson....................................... Administrative Assistant | Box Office Manager Jim Koehnle................................................ Technical Director | Scene Shop Supervisor Tresa Makosky........................................... Stage Management | Introduction to Theater Teresa McCullough.............................................................................................Dance Grace Muñoz.......................... Costume Design & Construction | Introduction to Theater Alexis Pritchard.....................................................................Costume Shop Supervisor Nate Schmidt..............................................................................................New Media

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