Andy Dufresne, played by Elijah Conger, left, speaks to Red, played by Ike Eastwood, in the stage adaptation of “The Shawshank Redemption,” opening at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players Theatre in Marietta. Tickets are $13. (Photo provided)

The stage adaptation of “The Shawshank Redemption” opens at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players Theatre in Marietta.

The show is the story of Andy Dufresne, a banker convicted of murder who forms a friendship with fellow inmate Red while enduring the harsh realities of prison life. Dufresne must find a way to keep himself and his hope alive.

The adaptation is not the exact story from the movie.

“This show is based more off of the 1984 novella by Stephen King than it is the movie. So it is a little different,” said George Gaston, making his directing debut.

The cast is talented and professional, he said.

From left, Chris Glaser as Entwistle, Mack McHale as Brooksie, and Elijah Conger as Andy Dufresne rehearse a scene from “The Shawshank Redemption,” opening 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players Theatre in Marietta. (Photo provided)

“We have some veterans and new people,” Gaston said. “Everyone has been working for months now to get this down. It’s going to be an awesome production.”

Among the newcomers to the stage is Mark Hiatt. Hiatt plays Byron Hadley, the condescending prison guard who believes all of the inmates should pay a price for their transgressions.

Hiatt worked at the Noble Correctional Center. The movie is among his favorites, so he auditioned.

“I’ve never done anything like this before. I worked 14 years at Noble Correctional Institution in Caldwell. I decided I would bring that experience to my role here,” Hiatt said. “I thoroughly enjoy working with the castmates and learning from the veterans, and I hope to maybe do more shows in the future.”

Another new face to the Players stage is Elijah Conger, who stars as Andy Dufresne. Conger also has performed with the Actors Guild of Parkersburg.

Ike Eastwood as Red in the Mid-Ohio Valley Players production of “The Shawshank Redemption.” The show opens on Friday. (Photo provided)

“Andy is a dry person. It’s been difficult to find where to pull emotions through and see where he allows himself to get emotional, especially in a place where you do have to dull your emotions in front of everyone else in order to survive,” Conger said.

“The cast and crew have worked exponentially hard to get it to where it is. It’s been a lot of late nights. This cast is committed to their character, and the crew is committed to bringing this to life. It’s just a really uplifting story,” he said. “It carries some dark themes but it shows that as long as you carry that hope with you, it will shine through in the end.”

Ike Eastwood plays Red, a man serving a life sentence for murdering his spouse. Eastwood also is a veteran at Players Theater and with the Actors Guild.

“Red has been an inmate for a long time at Shawshank. He’s known for being calm and being able to find anything for anyone,” Eastwood said. “He becomes a close friend to Andy, and he watches and supports Andy’s resilience throughout the years.”

Eastwood said he is excited to work with a talented group.

From left, Elijah Conger as Andy Dufresne and Tim Tuten as Boggs in “The Shawshank Redemption,” the next show opening at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players Theatre in Marietta. (Photo provided)

“There’s nothing like bonding over making a show come to life together,” he said. “I can’t wait for people to see all the hard work we have put into it.”

The cast, in addition to Conger, Eastwood and Hiatt is George Faber as Warden Stammas, Tim Tuten as Boggs, Mack McHale as Brooksie, Chris Glaser as Entwistle, Sterling Mayer as Rooster, Jeremy Lewis as Rico, Caleb Bland as Rommy, Chase Mayer as Dawkins and Orion Way as Pinky.

The assistant director is Nicholas Rake.

“The Shawshank Redemption” runs 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, as well as Oct. 3 and Oct. 4, and at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5. TIckets are $13 and are available online at midohiovalleyplayers.com or at the box office two hours before each show at the theater, 229 Putnam St.

The show is sponsored by The Locker Room Sports Bar and is produced with permission by Playscripts Inc, a Concord Theatricals company.

From left, Andy Dufresne played by Elijah Conger and George Faber as Warden Stammas in “The Shawshank Redemption” at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players in Marietta. (Photo provided)