“Misery,” based on Stephan King’s novel by the same name, is being performed at the Straz Center in Tampa now through Nov. 8.
Summer Bohnenkamp is reprising her role as Annie Wilkes. She first played the character about nearly four years ago, when the theater sold out about 17 performances, so Jobsite decided to bring the performance back to a bigger stage at the Straz Center.
King’s novel “Misery" was published in 1987, and the movie adaptation released in 1990 follows the obsessive fan trope. King’s villains in his novels are either supernatural or are ordinary people. Wilkes is an example of an ordinary person who is the villain in the story.
Bohnenkamp plays Wilkes, who is obsessed with the novelist Paul Sheldon, who crashes his car and ends up in Wilkes's home. She then refuses to let him leave.
The novel gets its name based on one of Sheldon’s book characters, Misery Chastain. Wilkes is invested in the character and believes all of Sheldon’s characters are real.
Bohnenkamp recently joined "Florida Matters Live & Local" to discuss the play with host Matthew Peddie.
The following interview transcript was edited for clarity and brevity.
What about the “Misery” story line hooks you in?
I am a big horror fan, but this is also funny. It’s really fun to play somebody who's so over the top, and the switch flips from super friendly to funny to angry to a little dangerous.
How do you play a horror character without turning into a cartoon villain?
Part of that comes from rehearsing and being on stage for a long time, and that's what a great director is for, to keep you honest and make sure that you're not making choices that diminish the character. You have to have some respect for Annie. You have to care about her at least a little. There are parts where it's really sad how she feels. So there is a balance, and there are some over-the-top moments certainly.
Kathy Bates, the actress who played Annie Wilkes in the 1990 film adaptation, gave an Oscar-winning performance. Do you feel extra pressure when playing a role that people have a strong memory of already?
The pressure is certainly real, whenever you're playing a real person historically or a character that people are really familiar with, or a lot of people have quite a big affinity for the film and for the book. But I think it's easier when you come to a part with a new vision of a character rather than trying to ape someone else's performance, which it would be awfully easy to fail at.
What can the live version of “Misery” do that the film version can’t do?
Live is always going to be different. Film is very reliable. You're going to watch the exact same thing over and over, and it is a product that's set in stone. And theater is something that can evolve. By the time you've been up and running for four weeks, the show won't be exactly the same as it was when you first get started.
Does the audience feed off your energy as they are watching the show?
As actors, you can see the people sitting in front of you. And making someone laugh, cry, gasp, whisper to their friend or repeat a line, it really just means that they're excited. They are enthusiastic enough to blurt something out, and as an actor, that is a win.
What is an example of your character switching from warm to scary?
Annie doesn't have a lot of subtlety. She is easily triggered by things where she feels betrayed, or when she feels that the characters in Paul Sheldon's novels, in particular Misery, have been wronged. She reacts in violent ways when she gets very scared. She's afraid Paul's going to leave. She takes some severe action to make sure he can't leave.
What are you hoping the audience takes away from the performance?
I hope they were entertained. I think it's fun. It's a little bit scary, it's a little bit funny, and it's a bit nostalgic for a lot of folks who have an affinity for the film or the book.
For more information on the Jobsite Theater production of “Misery,” visit jobsitetheater.org.
This story was compiled from interviews by Matthew Peddie for "Florida Matters Live and Local."
