She Kills Monsters
Louis B. Mayer Theatre’s transformation into a Dungeons and Dragons game board. Photo by Bergin Russell
Geometric blocks, ramps and medieval architecture have converted the stage of the Louis B. Mayer Theatre into a three dimensional, living game board for this year’s SCU Presents production of “She Kills Monsters,” directed by Lazlo Pearlman. The play, written by Emmy Award winning playwright and screenwriter Qui Nguyen, is a heartwarming and deeply dorky story about the power of sisterhood, grief and Dungeons and Dragons.
The play, set in “a time before Facebook” —also known as 1995—follows the story of Agnes, portrayed by Kennedy Dawson ‘’25, who lives a normal but boring life in Athens, Ohio, with her parents and nerdy little sister Tilly, portrayed by Emma Fox ‘’27. Agnes often ignores her little sister, who is into the fantasy roleplay game Dungeons and Dragons, and decides to focus on the more important things in life: boys and being popular. All is well until the fateful day when her parents and Tilly are killed in a car crash, leaving Agnes behind with her enormous grief and all of Tilly’s things.
The story follows Agnes as she tries to reconnect with Tilly through playing a Dungeons and Dragons campaign written by her sister before her death. Action, adventure and grappling with her own grief leaves Agnes to realize maybe she doesn’t know her sister at all. The rest of the show contains a fabulous cast of characters who follow Agnes on her mystical quest to steal back a lost soul. Tilly’s companions Lilith, Kaliope and Orcus, played by Caroline Gruenbaum ‘’28, Audrey Thomson ‘’26 and Tony Baldacci ‘’25, respectively, allow Agnes protection and the opportunity to discover who her sister really was.
Besides the touching and laugh out loud performances from the cast, this show really shines in its production and stage design. I was extremely impressed by the living game board set, which allows the actors to explore the space while they battle monsters. Another highlight of the set was the three large screens encased within structures resembling D&D dice that project visuals for the audience to immerse themselves into the journey. Whether it’s a magical fairy glen, a demon’s lair or the top of a steep mountain, the audience feels as if they are there too.
The addition of lighting and sound in tandem with costumes helped me understand this show all the better, as it stands in a unique niche of fantasy board games, 90s nostalgia and a touching story about grief.
“She Kills Monsters allows people to embrace their nerdy side in the absolute best way possible,” said cast member Karys Imai ‘’26, “It is truly such a unique show: there’s a ton of onstage sword-fighting action, shocking twist events, and a lot of funny moments. The entire play goes by super quickly with a heartfelt storyline at its core about the strength of familial love.
Catch “She Kills Monsters” at The Mayer Theatre until closing on March 9, 2025.
