MISERY Takes the Stage at ACT: First Look, VIP Opening Night and New Backstage Experience
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 14, 2026
Media Contact:
Coburn Goss, Artistic Director
Argenta Contemporary Theatre
501-353-1443
Previews begin tonight for Stephen King’s psychological thriller, followed by VIP Opening Night Friday, October 16.
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — After weeks of rehearsal, design, and technical work, Misery steps into the spotlight tonight at Argenta Contemporary Theatre.
Previews begin October 14–15, followed by a VIP Opening Night Friday, October 16 at 7 PM. ACT is also releasing a first look at the finished production through new photography by Brandon Markin, while audiences can now go beyond the performance with a new $10 post-show backstage tour exploring the revolving set, practical effects, props, scene changes, and stagecraft behind the production.
Starring Mary Twedt as Annie Wilkes, Coburn Goss as Paul Sheldon, and Jason Scott Morgan as Buster, and directed by Brandon P. Eells, Misery places audiences only feet away from Annie and Paul as her isolated home becomes the setting for an escalating battle of obsession, control, and survival.
Adapted for the stage by Academy Award-winning screenwriter William Goldman, Misery follows bestselling novelist Paul Sheldon after a devastating car accident leaves him injured and dependent on Annie Wilkes, his self-proclaimed “number one fan.” What begins as rescue quickly becomes captivity when Annie discovers what Paul has done to her favorite fictional character.
First Look at MISERY
ACT is releasing new production photography by Brandon Markin, offering audiences a first look at the finished scenic world, performances, and atmosphere of Misery ahead of VIP Opening Night.
Cast
Mary Twedt — Annie Wilkes
Coburn Goss — Paul Sheldon
Jason Scott Morgan — Buster
Understudies
Erin Callaway — Annie Wilkes Understudy
Jon Hatton — Buster Understudy
Creative & Production Team
Brandon P. Eells — Director / Co-Scenic Designer
Jon Hatton — Technical Director / Co-Scenic Designer
Shelly Hall — Costume Designer
Mike Stacks — Lighting Designer
Scott Minor — Sound Designer
Lauren Nicholas — Props Designer
Brett Ihler — Fight Choreographer
Sara Cooke — Production Coordinator
Jazmine Denney — Stage Manager
Wyatt Hamilton — Assistant Stage Manager
Thomas Drake — Sound Engineer
Rick Nicholas — Props Specialist
New for MISERY: Post-Show Backstage Tours
For Misery, ACT is introducing a new post-show backstage tour experience for $10 per person.
Led by Wyatt Hamilton, Assistant Stage Manager for Misery and ACT’s Operations Manager, the tour invites audiences onto the stage after the performance for a closer look at how the production works.
Guests will explore the show’s motorized revolve, which rotates among three principal spaces: the bedroom, kitchen, and front porch. The tour also includes a look at props and furniture storage, how scenic transitions are accomplished, the production’s special-effects blood, and other technical elements used to create the world of Misery. Each tour concludes with an informal Q&A.
The new experience gives audiences a closer look at the collaboration, craftsmanship, and technical problem-solving behind the production.
Performance Information
Misery runs October 14–November 1, 2026, at Argenta Contemporary Theatre in North Little Rock.
Previews: October 14–15VIP Opening Night: Friday, October 16 at 7 PM
Content Warning: Misery contains strong language, violence, and disturbing situations.
Performance Schedule:
Wednesday, October 14 — 7 PM — Preview
Thursday, October 15 — 7 PM — Preview
Friday, October 16 — 7 PM — VIP Opening Night
Saturday, October 17 — 2 PM
Saturday, October 17 — 7 PM
Sunday, October 18 — 2 PM
Thursday, October 22 — 7 PM
Friday, October 23 — 7 PM
Saturday, October 24 — 2 PM — Erin Callaway as Annie Wilkes
Saturday, October 24 — 7 PM
Sunday, October 25 — 2 PM — Erin Callaway as Annie Wilkes
Thursday, October 29 — 7 PM
Friday, October 30 — 7 PM
Saturday, October 31 — 2 PM
Saturday, October 31 — 7 PM — Jon Hatton as Buster
Sunday, November 1 — 2 PM — Closing Performance
Tickets and backstage tour reservations are available at www.argentacontemporarytheatre.org/.
Content Warning: Misery contains strong language, violence, and disturbing situations.
About Argenta Contemporary Theatre
Argenta Contemporary Theatre creates bold, contemporary live performances in the heart of North Little Rock’s Argenta Arts District. Through professional quality productions, new creative partnerships, and education programs for students and adults, ACT brings artists and audiences together around stories that entertain, challenge, and connect our community.
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