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JOSHUA ERICHSEN Producing Artistic Director

MISERY

 by William Goldman

Based on the novel by STEPHEN KING

Original Broadway production produced by Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures in association with Castle Rock Entertainment, Liz Glotzer, Mark Kaufman, Martin Shafer, Raymond Wu

World Premiere produced at Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope, PA (Jed Bernstein, Producing Director)

Directed by
MICHAEL GLAVAN
 
Scenic Design
JOSHUA ERICHSEN
Lighting Design
FRANKIE CASTROVILLARI
Costume Design
KATE JOSEPH
Sound Design
BOB SEVERNS
 
Managing Director
BETH KNOX
Production Stage Manager
BREANNA ANTONIADES
Technical Director/Sound Op
ROSS CARMICHAEL
 
 
Guest Services Manager
TYRA GRISAK
House Managers
TYRA GRISAK, MOLLY MORIARTY, MISSY HAYS

“MISERY” is presented by arrangement with Broadway Licensing, 440 Park Ave South, 11th Floor, NY, NY 10016   BROADWAYLICENSING.COM

 

 

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Director's Notes

I just want to note my deeply felt appreciation to the artist who came to audition for this show.  As a new director who somewhat “newly” relocated in NE Ohio after the pandemic, in a new space, and in a new theatre - the amount of trust and sense of play that the artist community in this region so generously brought to the room was profound.  It was hugely energizing for me in this process to be able to meet and work with such a wide range of artists and, frankly, re-shaped how I saw this show.  

A lot of people know this movie and/or book, and so in the theatrical retelling of this story, I really wanted to highlight what was important about this mode of storytelling in a blackbox; to me, it’s that radiant buzz, that quickening heartbeat, that cooly-felt hallowing sensation when isolated in a room with another person.  Without spoon-feeding, the audience understands the victim and oppressor relationship of this story - so as a team we sought to complicate that trajectory and offer a wider gradient of humanity acknowledging that the world is not just composed of saints and sinners, villains and heroes, but people who define what is sacred very differently.

-Michael Glavan

 

Cast

JACKI DIETZ

Annie Wilkes
CRAIG JOSEPH

Paul Sheldon
MARK SWINERTON

Buster

Creative Team

MICHAEL GLAVAN

Guest Director
JOSHUA ERICHSEN

Producing Artistic Director
BETH KNOX

Managing Director
TYRA GRISAK

Guest Services Manager
BREANNA ANTONIADES

Production Manager/Stage Manager
FRANKIE CASTROVILLARI

Lighting Designer
ROSS CARMICHAEL

Technical Director

Production Team & Front of House

COSTUME TEAM

Kate Joseph

 

SET CONSTRUCTION

Ross Carmichael (TD)

Michaela Muckelrath

Natalie Steen

 

BACKSTAGE

Maxwell Lord-Fry

 

FRONT OF HOUSE

Ushers:

The Amiot Family

Diana Collum

Julie Connair

Pat Donald

Sam Dorto

Sandy Feilen

Krista Gibson

Ingrid Green

Barbara & Steve Hostetter

Hannah Jolly

Joe Lamancusa

Mary Jane Phillips

Hannah Roberts

Kathy Rogers

Sandy Rosetta

Jo Roten

Jennifer & Tim Rowles

Joyce Ryan

Nancy Shanklin

Carol Warner

Mary Ann White

Judy Whitman

Jill Williams

Karen Wilson

Laurie Zupp

Special Thanks:

George McCarty

 

Meet the Company


JACKI DIETZ (Annie Wilkes)
Jacki is happy to be working with such a great group of artists. She hopes you enjoy the show. Special thanks to her husband for being the absolute best.
CRAIG JOSEPH (Paul Sheldon)
Craig is pleased to return to the Players Guild stage. Previous directing credits here include The Elephant Man, Doubt, Steel Magnolias, Hairspray, and Legally Blonde, and favorite acting roles include Charles Guiteau in Assassins and Lord Farquad in Shrek, the Musical. He also maintains a freelance acting and directing career around the Midwest with credits at Dobama Theatre, Karamu House, Ensemble Theatre, Resonance Works, and Writers Theatre, among others. By day, Craig is the Interim Literary Director at Cleveland Play House and the Founder and Artistic Director of Seat of the Pants Productions (www.seatofthepants.org). He’s also a proud member of a cohort of theatre artists called The Greenhouse, and a certified teacher of the Michael Chekhov Acting Technique. Thanks to his friends and family for their support, to the fabulous team of this production, and to all of you for supporting live theatre.
MARK SWINERTON (Buster)
is a Medina, Ohio native and a graduate in the MFA in Theatre for Youth Program at Arizona State University. He received a BAC in Musical Theatre from Bowling Green State University. Mark works at the Cleveland Play House (CPH), where he is a CARE Teaching Artist at Stevenson School. He has performed and directed all over Northeast Ohio at Workshop Players (Amherst), Hudson Players, Old Towne Hall Theater, Willoughby Summer Theatre Festival, and the Fine Arts Association (Willoughby). He would like to thank the cast and crew of Misery, and his family and friends for their continuing support. Keep Smiling!
MICHAEL GLAVAN (Guest Director)
Michael is an actor, director, writer, and teacher who has worked across NE Ohio, regionally across the country, and in NYC. Directing NYC: The world premier production of Joey and Ron at the Players Theatre NYC, Name of Bird Theatre Co.’s Macbeth: Two Truths, and a slew of theatrical pieces as part of Fast and Furious, a monthly performance series at the Tank NYC. Milwaukee: Richard III with the Mad Rogues, formerly Bard and Bourbon. Ohio: Laurel School’s She Kills Monsters, Dobama’s Marilyn Bianchi Kid’s Playwrighting Festival, Godspell and [title of show] at Kent State University, and assisted for Dobama’s The Other Place,. Next year Michael will be directing with Seat of the Pants for their production of Bach at Leipzig, a hilarious farce comedy by Itmar Moses. He is a proud member of Ohio’s theatremaker’s collective, The Green House. Love and thank you to this team and JN.
JOSHUA ERICHSEN (Producing Artistic Director)
Father of two amazing daughters, the oldest studying architecture, the youngest on her way to taking over his job. Husband to his dream girl wife for twenty years - they met at the PGT! Sibling to a brother and a sister, and son to parents, who, lucky for him, chose to take their children to live theatre and expose them to this amazing world of storytelling. Blessed beyond measure to have this amazing job and to be able to call the Players Guild Theatre his home for twenty-three years! During that time he has had the privilege of producing, directing and designing countless productions.  Favorite credits include, Players Guild: Titanic, Next To Normal, Jesus Christ Superstar, Memphis, Ragtime, Hunchback…, Assassins, Cabaret, Les Miserables, A Christmas Carol (’04-present), The Full Monty, A Few Good Men, 1776 and Jekyll & Hyde.  Ohio Shakespeare Festival: Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Nights Dream, Twelfth Night, The Comedy of Errors, and The Tempest.  Other credits include: Romeo and Juliet (Magical Theatre Co), Joseph… Dreamcoat (Natl. Tour), and served as producer for An Evening with George Takei, starring Mr. Takei.  Additionally, Josh is a magician/illusionist who created his own show. Josh is a graduate of Kent State University, and is a recipient of the Spotlight Award for Outstanding Contributions to Theatre. Love to my family and my beautiful wife and daughters for their unconditional love and never-ending support!
josherichsen
BETH KNOX (Managing Director)

Beth is in her tenth season at the Players Guild Theatre.  She earned her degree in Business Management and Marketing from the Ohio State University.  Beth spent the majority of her career in management in the cosmetic and fashion industry in the Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and NYC markets for brands including Ralph Lauren, Oscar de la Renta, Yves St. Laurent, Paloma Picasso, and Giorgio Armani.  Her background also includes grant writing, event planning, and fundraising. Beth is a co-founder, Executive Producer, and playwright for Red Fig Productions.

TYRA GRISAK (Guest Services Manager)

Tyra is absolutely thrilled to be a part of this exciting season!  This is Tyra's seventh season with the Players Guild Theatre.  With a career in the Cosmetics Industry as a special event manager, make-up artist, and account coordinator, Tyra couldn't be prouder to be a part of the Players Guild Theatre staff as Guest Services Manager. The arts and dance have always been a passion of hers, and it is her sincere pleasure getting to know the numerous talented performers in our community, and the incredible Volunteers that give a hand towards the theatre's success.

BREANNA ANTONIADES (Production Manager/Stage Manager)
Breanna is starting her fourth season at the Players Guild and is excited to take on her new role as Production Stage Manager for the theatre! Prior to her work here, Breanna earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Studies with a concentration of Theatre Production and a minor in Theatre Performance from Kent State University, graduating Summa Cum Laude. She also worked as a theatre technician, stage manager, assistant director, and even performed in a few of the shows during her time at Kent State. While she has worked at a few other theaters in the area, the Guild has become her second home and she could not be happier that she gets to work in a career she is so passionate about. 
FRANKIE CASTROVILLARI (Lighting Designer)
Frankie joined the Players Guild family in the summer of 2019 with Rock of Ages and has been around ever since. By day Frankie works at Vincent Lighting Systems as a Project Manager and by night he is a lighting and set designer in the Cleveland/Akron area. In addition to his role as lighting designer here at Players Guild Frankie also serves on the Board of Directors for the Brecksville Theatre. Frankie’s work can also be seen at Cassidy Theatre, Magical Theatre Company, and Western Reserve Playhouse, to name a few.
ROSS CARMICHAEL (Technical Director)
graduated from York College of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Theatre. Since then, he has worked professionally as an actor, a director, and in technical theatre. Technical credits: Technical Director (Gamut Theatre Group) Scenic Designer (Gamut Theatre: Hamlet; The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; Every Christmas Story Ever Told; Pericles; A Streetcar Named Desire; TYA) Production Manager (Gamut Theatre, Powerhouse Apprentice Company); Carpenter (Ohio Shakespeare Festival, Gamut Theatre, York College of PA) Lighting Designer (Ohio Shakespeare Festival, Gamut Theatre) Directing credits: FoodPlay Productions.