Two Raymond residents are prominently involved in the Lake Region Community Theatre production of Stephen King's play “Misery” and say the local adaptation of the 1990 psychological horror film retains its highly suspenseful moments.
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| Mary McCormick of Raymond, left, and Chris Madura of Raymond are involved with Lake Region Community Theatre's production of Misery running from Oct. 22 to Oct. 25 at Lake Region High School. McCormick portrays Annie Wilkes in the play, based on the Stephen King novel and 1990 film. Madura is the play's director. SUBMITTED PHOTO |
The play is directed by community theater veteran Chris Madura of Raymond and will run for five performances over four days from Thursday, Oct. 22 through Sunday, Oct. 25 at Lake Region High School in Naples. Presenting sponsor for the production is Maine Community Bank supporting Lake Region Community Theatre, a nonprofit organization that stages several musicals and plays each year using Lakes Region residents as talent.
Madura said he was part of a small group who approached the LRCT board about the possibility of producing Misery.
“I’ve been interested in directing for quite a while, so when the opportunity came up, I asked the board to consider me,” he said. “I’ve spent years working on different aspects of theater, and directing was something I really wanted to take on.”
His first experience with Lake Region Community Theatre was back in 2008 playing a Wickersham Brother in the LRCT summer production of Seussical the Musical.
“I’ve been involved with the organization in one way or another ever since,” Madura said. “It’s been a big part of my life for nearly 20 years.”
According to Madura, his first theater experience was in sixth grade when I played John in Peter Pan at Crooked River Elementary School.
“Since then, theater has been a huge part of my life,” he said. “Over the years I’ve been involved in almost 50 productions, both onstage and behind the scenes. I’ve spent a lot of time performing, designing and building sets, stage managing, and helping with different aspects of productions both for LRCT and Lake Region High School. I really enjoy the creative process and seeing everything come together, whether I’m onstage or behind the scenes.”
“LRCT doesn’t have a theater of its own, and while we’re incredibly fortunate to be able to use the Lake Region High School auditorium, we have to work around school events and other activities when scheduling rehearsals,” he said. “We also have a very limited amount of time to get our set into the space and prepare everything before opening night. There’s definitely some pressure that comes with bringing a Stephen King story to the stage, especially here in Maine. With Misery, so much of the tension comes from the actors and the relationships between their characters. We’ve really focused on making those interactions feel natural and believable. Sometimes the quietest moments can be the most unsettling and finding that balance has been an important part of the process.”
Madura grew up in Naples and has lived in Raymond since 2020. He works as a Customer Service Representative at Maine Community Bank in Windham and what he hopes to take away from this experience of directing Misery is learning to trust the process.
“As a director, you have a vision for how you want things to look and feel, but you also have to give your actors the freedom to explore their characters and make their own choices. It’s been a lot of fun working with Mary, Andy, and Brad,” he said. “They’ve each brought something different to their roles, and it’s been really rewarding to watch their characters develop throughout rehearsals. It’s definitely been a learning experience but one I’ve really enjoyed. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity.”
McCormick was born in Boston, grew up in Northern Virginia, and spent her high school years in Atlanta, Georgia. She attended college at the University of San Diego and received a master’s degree in teaching from Santa Clara University. Her family moved to Raymond in 2007 after she graduated from high school, but she moved to Raymond permanently in 2024.
She saw LRCT’s production of Beauty and the Beast in the summer of 2024 and decided to audition for 9 to 5 the next summer.
“Although I was anxious about being new to their community, I was so touched by how quickly they embraced me,” McCormick said. “Misery is my third production with LRCT. I was first cast as Judy in 9 to 5 and this summer I was Atina as well as a tapping seagull in The Little Mermaid.”
Taking on the role of Annie Wilkes, who works outside of community theater as a teacher, has been a significant opportunity for McCormick.
“Annie is a very complex character, and I’ve really enjoyed challenging myself to successfully depict each aspect of her. I hope to do her justice,” she said. “The most difficult aspect of preparing for this show has been the time required to memorize all of Annie’s lines. It has not been difficult with only three cast members because I have worked closely with both individuals as well as our director in other productions, so I have a very strong sense of trust and respect for each of them.”
“I look forward to continuing to work with LRCT for years to come in any capacity, on stage or off,” she said. “LRCT is an incredibly loving, welcoming, and supportive group of people and I am honored to be a part of their productions.”
“Each role I’ve had the pleasure of portraying has given me the opportunity to explore and express different types of personalities,” McCormick said.
Show dates and times for Misery at Lake Region High School are 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22; 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and students ages 14 and over. <
To learn more about Lake Region Community Theatre, visit lrctmaine.org <
