If you ever saw “Misery” the movie, you may well want to see it on the VLT stage

By Randi Bjornstad

It’s a simple plot with a very small cast, and given that the original book was written by Stephen King, you can assume that it has an element of horror attached.

The play is Misery, and it opens May 9 and runs through May 25 at The Very Little Theatre.

Here’s the plot in a nutshell: A popular romance novelist named Paul Sheldon crashes his car and is rescued by a woman named Annie Wilkes, who considers herself his No. 1 fan. Maybe that’s the reason that when he wakes up in her isolated home, he soon discovers that she has taken him captive and won’t allow him to leave. The plot thickens as he continues to convalesce, during which time Wilkes reads his latest book, in which Sheldon kills off a character who it turns out happens to be Wilkes’ favorite, Misery Chastain.

The VLT cast includes Scott Smith as Paul Sheldon, Mari Kenney as Annie Wilkes, and Dave Smith as Buster.

The play was written by William Goldman and is directed by Adam Leonard.

Note: According to VLT, this show “contains mature, adult language, themes, and violence, not appropriate for all audiences.

Misery at The Very Little Theatre

When: Evenings at 7:30 p.m. on May 9-10, 16-17, and 22-25; matinees at 2 p.m. on May 11, 18, and 25

Where: In the Stage Left performance space at The Very Little Theater, 2350 Hilyard St., Eugene

Tickets: General admission (no reserved seating); $22 except $17 on Thursday, May 22, available online at thevlt.com or through the box office at 541-344-7751