Amarillo Little Theatre is inviting audiences into the dark, unsettling world of Stephen King as it presents “Misery” from Oct. 16 to Oct. 26 at its Adventure Space. The suspense-filled drama, directed by Jo Smith, continues ALT’s 98th season and promises an intimate psychological experience unlike anything else on the Amarillo stage.
Based on King’s 1987 novel, the story follows bestselling author Paul Sheldon, who is rescued from a car crash by his “number one fan,” Annie Wilkes. Her devotion quickly turns dangerous as she forces him to rewrite his latest book. What begins as recovery becomes captivity, leading to a chilling test of will and survival.
Patrick Burns stars as Sheldon, joined by Kayla Fuller as Annie and Bobby McCauley as Sheriff Buster. Smith directs, with Carla Fristoe serving as assistant to the director.
Burns, a longtime Amarillo performer and co-owner of Palace Coffee Company, said the role is one of the most physically and emotionally challenging he has taken on.
“I love physical acting, and Paul’s journey is incredibly demanding,” Burns said. “He spends most of the play in pain — broken legs, a damaged shoulder, limited movement. You have to convince the audience you’re suffering, while still carrying the emotional arc of the story.”
He said embodying that much pain requires more than just technique — it demands emotional vulnerability.
“The hardest part isn’t pretending to be in pain — it’s letting yourself be that vulnerable in front of a crowd,” he added. “You’re exposed the entire time, but that’s what makes it real.”
Burns has appeared in roughly nine ALT productions over the past decade, often performing alongside his wife Krystal and their children. His family first joined the theatre after his oldest son enrolled in the ALT Academy.
“We all caught the bug,” Burns said. “We did our first show together, ‘A Christmas Story,’ and from then on, it became part of our family rhythm.”
That family connection, he said, is what keeps him returning to the stage.
“ALT has given me and my family a second home,” he continued. “Every show reminds me that this community really values storytelling, no matter how dark or strange it gets.”
After a short break from acting, Burns returned this season in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” before stepping into “Misery.” He said the back-to-back roles reminded him how much he thrives on intense, character-driven drama.
“These kinds of shows — the gritty, psychological ones — are my favorite,” he said. “They make you dig deep, get uncomfortable, and find the humanity inside the chaos.”
A devoted fan of Stephen King, Burns said “Misery” resonates because of how personal it was to the author. King wrote the novel while grappling with the pressures of fame and addiction, channeling his fear of being trapped by his own success. More than a decade later, in 1999, King survived a near-fatal auto accident that eerily mirrored his protagonist’s ordeal. He would later describe his recovery as feeling like “living inside Misery.”
Burns said that connection between creator and character gives the story an added emotional punch.
“Paul’s story is about survival, but it’s also about identity,” Burns said. “He’s a man stripped of control, forced to rebuild himself through the very thing that defined him — his writing.”
The story’s adaptation has a long creative history. The 1990 film version, starring James Caan and Kathy Bates, became an instant classic and earned Bates an Academy Award for Best Actress. Screenwriter William Goldman, known for “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and “All the President’s Men,” later adapted the story for the stage in 2012. A 2015 Broadway revival starring Bruce Willis and Laurie Metcalf reintroduced the psychological thriller to live audiences. The play’s confined setting and emotional intensity make it a natural fit for small theatres like ALT’s black box-style Adventure Space.
Burns said the intimacy of the venue amplifies the play’s tension and gives every performance a different energy.
“The Adventure Space is my favorite place to act,” he said. “The audience is right there — they can hear your breath, feel your hesitation. It’s claustrophobic in the best way. They’re trapped in that cabin with us.”
He said that proximity heightens both fear and connection.
“When you’re that close to the audience, there’s nowhere to hide,” he added. “You can feel them breathing with you. It’s terrifying and thrilling at the same time.”
Over six weeks of rehearsals, the small cast has focused on stillness, timing, and emotional truth. Burns said the goal is to make audiences feel every ounce of tension while also seeing the humanity within the fear.
“We want people to come expecting a thriller and leave realizing they’ve seen something deeper,” he said. “There’s humor, tenderness, and empathy in this story — even in the middle of all the fear.”
For Burns, that shared emotional experience is what makes live theater timeless.
“That’s what I love about theater,” he said. “For two hours, you’re sharing something real with complete strangers. It’s not just about escaping — it’s about recognizing yourself in the story.”
Nearly four decades after its publication, “Misery” endures because it taps into universal fears — being powerless, unseen, and dependent on someone else’s mercy. On stage, those themes feel uncomfortably close, especially inside a space as intimate as the Adventure Space.
“At the end of the day, it’s about people — not just pain,” Burns said. “That’s why stories like this stay with you.”
“Misery” runs Oct. 16-26 at Amarillo Little Theatre’s Adventure Space, 2751 Civic Circle. Performances are 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday.
Tickets are available by phone at (806) 355-9991 or online at amarillolittletheatre.org.
A free Ovation Series Talk Back follows the Oct. 19 matinee, offering audiences a behind-the-scenes discussion with the cast and crew.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo Little Theatre’s ‘Misery’ explores fear, control and survival
Reporting by Michael Cuviello, Amarillo Globe-News / Amarillo Globe-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
