Fame has its definite drawbacks, and it鈥檚 a lesson Paul Sheldon learned the hard way.

His legs are broken, bones protruding at jaunty angles as a result of a wintry car crash somewhere in rural Colorado. But mangled bones are the least of his worries as his captor and number-one fan, Annie Wilkes, turns tormentor.

That鈥檚 the premise of Stephen King鈥檚 chilling psychological thriller Misery, which Arts Club Theatre Company brings to the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre stage Jan. 30.

鈥淚 had sort of known about it from quotes from the movie: 鈥榗ockadoodie鈥� and 鈥楳r. Man,鈥� but I hadn鈥檛 seen it because I鈥檓 not a horror fan,鈥� said Lucia Frangione, who dons Wilkes鈥� homely garb in the two-hour production.

Despite her aversion to the genre, it鈥檚 a role Frangione has put to purpose after recently reading Misery, which King wrote after battling and eventually overcoming a cocaine addiction.

鈥淎nnie Wilkes embodies his addiction. Cocaine was his number-one fan,鈥� Frangione said. 鈥淲hen I read it, I thought it can鈥檛 be horror; it鈥檚 a psychological thriller.鈥�

While King may have been actually writing about the harrowing struggle of living with an addiction, Misery at its roots is a story meant to entertain and terrify, Frangione said.

And it鈥檚 a story that rose to Hollywood fame with the 1990 film adaptation that won Kathy Bates four awards, including a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama, for her portrayal of Wilkes.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 watch it because I didn鈥檛 want to compare myself to Kathy Bates,鈥� Frangione said of the film. 鈥淲hen you play something iconic like this, it鈥檚 big shoes to fill.鈥�

Though, it鈥檚 a story and set that comes alive on stage.

鈥淲hat we do have over the movie is it鈥檚 live,鈥� Frangione said, adding that audience members have lauded the Arts Club Performance above the film adaptation. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 get so gruesome (in live theatre). It鈥檚 more about the psychological horror. There鈥檚 a bit of humour that balances out the play as well.鈥�

Set largely in Wilkes鈥� home and with a focus on the bedroom of Paul Sheldon (Andrew McNee), Frangione said the set is brought to life with set design by Lauchlin Johnston, costume design by Stephanie Kong and lighting design by Andrew Pye.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 why it lends itself so well to (theatre) adaptations. It primarily takes between two people in one location,鈥� Frangione said. 鈥淭his was a rare opportunity for the Arts Club to really have fun with the sets and props. It鈥檚 very much a character in the play, the house itself.鈥�

For Frangione, Misery is also an opportunity to test out a role that is primarily dominated by male characters.

鈥淭his is the first time in my career I鈥檝e played a real villain,鈥� said the 30-year theatre veteran, adding that female villains often fall under the femme fatale archetype. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just a real joy to experience that for the first time.鈥�

And with Annie Wilkes, often regarded as one of King鈥檚 most horrifying antagonists, Frangione relishes in that villainous experience.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been very fun to make people leap in their seats.鈥�

Arts Club Theatre Company presents William Goldman鈥檚 Misery, based on the novel by Stephen King, as part of the 2017/18 theatre series Jan. 30 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available for $45 adult, $42 senior 60-and-up and $40 student through the Ticket Seller, 250-549-7469, .