Misery running at Grande Prairie Live Theatre

Oct 29, 2024 | 7:00 AM

Grande Prairie Live Theatre is performing a Steven King classic just in time for Halloween.

Misery follows an author as he is rescued from a car accident by his biggest fan, who soon turns into his worst nightmare in this stage adaptation of the King novel by playwright William Goldman.

Play director Adrian Tanasichuk says directing the thriller has been a fantastic experience.

“What helped was the fact that I had a good assistant director and of course the cast,” he says, “there’s only three in the cast and the best thing to do is to pick the best people and I’ve got a wonderful cast, you couldn’t get a better cast than the three that I have.”

Tanasichuk says the show features a mix of horror and comedy combined with a unique set not seen often on the GPLT stage.

“I think that sort of helps to ease the pain of watching the more dramatic and scary parts,” he says. “And another thing that’s really interesting, and I won’t say too much about the set, other than it’s very unique.”

He says he is a big Steven King fan and was eager to take up the challenge of directing the show.

“Misery’s always been one of my favourites and when I watch the movie with Kathy Bates and James Caan, I was very intrigued,” he says. “And when I found our that, it was a play, I was quite intrigued and wanted to do it. And then of course the playwright himself is well known; [William Goldman] wrote the lord of the flies.”

The show runs every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from now until November 9 at Grande Prairie Live Theatre.

by Nathaniel Leigh