Bruce Willis to Make Debut in a Broadway Play with Stage Adaptation of Stephen King's ‘Misery’
Emmy winner and Golden Globe Award winner and veteran film and TV actor Bruce Willis, 59, will be appearing for the first time in a Broadway play with the new stage adaptation of Misery, written by two-time Academy Award-winner William Goldman who also wrote the screenplay for the 1990 film version, based on the acclaimed novel by Stephen King.
Willis will make his Broadway debut opposite stage veteran and Obie Award-winning actress Elizabeth Marvel, 45, who is also known for her roles in such hit films and TV shows as House of Cards, Lights Out, Person of Interest, The Bourne Legacy, A Most Violent Year, Lincoln, among others.
As described in the play's synopsis, Misery follows the story of "successful romance novelist Paul Sheldon (Willis) who is rescued from a car crash by his 'Number One Fan,' Annie Wilkes (Marvel), and wakes up captive in her secluded home. While Paul is convalescing, Annie reads the manuscript to his newest novel 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 if he does not make her deadline, it will."
Misery will be directed by Will Frears and produced by Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures' Mark Kaufman, Castle Rock Entertainment's Martin Shafer and Liz Glotzer with Raymond Wu. The stage play will feature a set design by David Korins, lighting design by David Weiner and sound design by Tony Award winner Darron West. Misery will have a strictly limited engagement in the fall of 2015, at a Broadway house to be announced later.
Producer Mark Kaufman in his press statement said: "Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures has a mission to explore new ways to tell our stories on stage while collaborating with the most creative artists working in theater today. Misery is an outstanding psychological thriller and we have been working closely with William Goldman and Will Frears to develop this play for Broadway. Bruce Willis, who is making his Broadway debut, and Elizabeth Marvel are two great actors who are absolutely perfect to play these characters. I expect this production will be a suspenseful and exciting night of theatre on Broadway."