By: Lizzie Jackson
The second play this year from Parkland Theater, She Kills Monsters written by Qui Nguyen, is an action-packed adventure dealing with grief and moving on. And it’s a show you don’t want to miss.
She Kills Monsters, directed by Michael O’Brien is the latest production from Parkland Theater. This performance features comedic running gags, fantastic prop work and an amazing story about what we leave behind for those we love.
She Kills Monsters tells the story of Agnes Evans (Emma Petitt) who, after a car accident claims the lives of her whole family seeks out energetic high schooler Chuck Bates (Douglas Malcolm) to play the last game of Dungeons and Dragons that her sister Tilly (Jess Schlipf) wrote before she died.
Petitt’s performance of Agnes is stellar, as she pulls viewers along in processing Tilly’s death and the aspects of her sister’s life she never got to know.
Malcolm does a fantastic job of using his character Chuck to provide levity while still welcoming Agnes and viewers into a world that is a refuge for all kinds of people who just might not fit in with the normal.
The crew of this show has put their heart into set design with modular backgrounds and hexagon floor patterns. Sound designer Maggie O’Brien has put together a rocking 90’s soundtrack that clearly evokes the time period. And the crew has also worked incredibly hard to pull off amazing transitions for climactic fights.
The cast has put a piece of themselves into the production as well. Some making their own props, others choreographing dances or helping with the puppets that are crucial to making the final battle come alive. If you catch a peak at Tilly’s notebook, you can also see drawings done by Schlipf.
When asked about their favorite parts of the play, cast and crew alike both talked about how the cast’s chemistry with one another worked so well to provide some truly great scenes that started as improv but have become an integral part of the production. Things like the adventures of the great mage Steve, played by Spencer Hazen and an incredibly poignant final scene between Agnes and Tilly.
Mariah Smith, who plays one of the cheerleader antagonists, evil Gabbi had this to say about the play: “The play is so great because it hits everything, you’re getting like these action scenes, you’re getting this really heartfelt relationship and like its gut wrenching at times and it’s so warm at times and then you also have like all of these hilarious moments.”
So often adaptations of Dungeons and Dragons fall flat, relying too much on hackneyed tropes and inscrutable references while abandoning the zany antics and amazing adventure that the game is truly about. And the cast of this play had worked incredibly hard to preserve that. Viewers should keep their eyes on the whole stage; they might just catch a bugbear funeral or a Dungeon Master performing for his player.
She Kills Monsters has completely sold out for the shows running November 4th through the 7th, so get your tickets soon for the performances next week. This is a show you won’t want to miss!
