(MONTVILLE, NJ) -- The Barn Theatre presents Misery weekends from January 16 to February 1, 2026. The play by William Goldman is based on the novel by Stephen King in which a romance novelist is kidnapped by his obsessed fan, Annie Wilkes, who demands he write a new Misery novel.
Misery follows successful romance novelist Paul Sheldon, who is rescued from a car crash by his “number one fan,” Annie Wilkes, and wakes up captive in her secluded home. While Paul is convalescing, Annie reads his latest book and becomes enraged when she discovers the author has killed off her favorite character, Misery Chastain.
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.
Performances take place Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm; Sunday matinees at 2:00pm. (note: Saturday, January 17 is a 2:00pm matinee). Tickets are available for purchase online. The Barn Theatre is located at 32 Skyline Drive in Montville, New Jersey.
The cast includes Bridge Burke Weiss (Annie Wilkes), Dale Monroe, Jr. (Paul Sheldon), and Brendan Naranjo (Buster).
The crew includes Director Joe Guadara; Producers Erin Gilgur & Omar Kozardsky; Stage Manager Michael Yoder; Set Construction Lawrence Gabriel; Set Decor Camille DiLorenzo, Lighting Design Alan Van Atwerp; Sound Design Jeff Knapp; Props Emma Ferentinos; Specialty Props Nick Livigne; Make-Up and Hair Leala Mills; and Fight Choreographer George LaVigne.
Misery is presented by arrangement with Dramatist Play Service.
William Goldman is one of the most influential and successful writers of his generation. Film credits include “Masquerade,” “Harper,” “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” “The Stepford Wives,” “All the President’s Men,” “The Princess Bride” (based on his novel of the same name), “Last Action Hero,” “The General’s Daughter,” “Marathon Man” (based on his novel of the same name), and many, many others. He co-wrote two plays with brother James Goldman: BLOOD, SWEAT, AND STANLEY POOLE and A FAMILY AFFAIR. As a novelist, Goldman has penned several American classics including, but not limited to, “Soldier in the Rain” (1960), “Father’s Day” (1971), “Magic” (1976), “The Color of Light” (1984), and “The Silent Gondoliers” (1984). He has also written many articles for acclaimed publications on the topic of screenwriting and several non-fiction books, including “The Season: A Candid Look at Broadway” (1969) and “Adventures in the Screentrade: A Personal View of Hollywood and Screenwriting” (1983). Awards: Academy Award, Writers Guild Award, and British Academy Award, for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, 1969; Academy Award and Writers Guild Award, for "All the President's Men," 1976. Education: Oberlin College, Ohio, B.A. 1952; Columbia University, New York, M.A. 1956.
