After a lack of in-person shows due to the events of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Stevens Dramatic Society (SDS) is back in full swing with their newest production, She Kills Monsters. Gianna Callegari, the Senior Member at Large on the SDS e-board stated, “She Kills Monsters is a journey of overcoming grief. As an audience member, you will be transported to a world of fantasy as the story’s protagonist mourns the loss of her sister, and aims to find out more about her late sister’s life.”
Written by Qui Nguyen, the play is set in 1995 Ohio, and tells the story of two sisters, Agnes and Tilly, played by Stevens students Kiera Kennedy and Trinity Lundemo, respectively.
Agnes is extremely ordinary, while Tilly, by expressing herself through liking magic and defeating evil, is everything but normal. Tragically, Agnes’ family dies in a car crash, leading to Agnes deciding to learn how to play Dungeons & Dragons (DND) in order to find out why Tilly loved it so much. Agnes, through playing this game with her sister’s character, Tillius the Paladin, swiftly learns things about Tilly that she didn’t know before. In the game, each character is reflected by someone who was a part of Tilly’s life. She Kills Monsters uncovers lessons of coping and dealing with loss as Agnes advances in her DND skills. In the game, each character is reflected by someone who was a part of Tilly’s life, revealing unknown pieces of Tilly’s personality to Agnes. The people who play the game are free to express and be whoever they want, providing them with a safe, open community space.
When asked about the decision for choosing She Kills Monsters, SDS President Charlie Beall explained, “We wanted to choose a show that would be a lot of fun to put on and incorporate a lot of movement especially after being stuck in our dorms and apartments for a year and a half, and this show had lots of humor and exciting moments, particularly in fight choreo […] this show I think does a really good job portraying grief and how difficult and messy it can be to overcome it, which is very timely over the past year […] We hope the show conveys this forward-looking message about overcoming and conquering grief and doing so in a unique way.”
When asked about her experience with this production, Lundemo said, “First, this show has been an incredible experience and I love the cast and crew dearly! This is my first semester in SDS, and my first play (ever) so it has been a great learning experience. SDS is welcoming, kind, and extremely talented, and I feel very lucky to have gotten cast with a role in SKM. Performing live after a long time with no theater is surreal, and I can feel everyone else’s excitement too. I took a chance auditioning, and I am so happy I got cast as Tilly. I have grown a lot as an actor, performer, and person with this role, and I can only hope that I convey her as the great character she is.”
Agnes’ boyfriend, Miles, is played by Stevens student Nicolas Re. When asked how it feels to be back performing live theatre again, he explained, “Being back is kinda crazy. I’m always engaging in live theater (whether it’s as a viewer of a performer) and having that taken away for the past two years has really sucked. I honestly thought it would be more of a slow transition back into it, but everyone was so excited to get back that we were really able to just pick up where we left off and it feels great!”
Lundemo further explained that “My favorite part of playing Tilly is how she has a young and imaginative spirit, which I find in myself. I love the story that SKM tells, and think that the cast does a fantastic job playing each character.”
Re added, “My favorite part about playing miles is probably how over the top he gets to be while also staying grounded at certain points. It’s fun to see his character arc throughout the show.”
The rest of the student-organized cast is as follows: Chuck – Christopher Oliver; Vera – Leticia Gonzalez; Orcus – Cameron Clifford; Kaliope – Carolyn Wang; Lilith – Micaela Cardile; Steve – Alexander Markoulis; Narrator – Derek Petti; Farrah the Fairy – Luke Magette; Evil Tina – Rachel Germain; Evil Gabbi – Rachel Seasonwein.
Callegari additionally explained SDS’s decision on putting on the show: “When picking the show, the e-board and I incorporated the society’s opinions, interests, and feedback into our decision. We also wanted to make sure we picked a show that could be modified along with COVID-19 safety rules, and have tried to make the process safe for everyone involved. We also thought that She Kills Monsters had a breathtaking message of grief and loss that the audience might relate to after returning from the pandemic.”While the performers do not have to wear masks, all audience members must wear masks throughout the duration of the show. Performances of She Kills Monsters will be held on Thursday, November 11, at 9 p.m., Friday, November 12, at 8 p.m., and Saturday, November 13 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. in the DeBaun Auditorium. The show is free with Stevens ID, $3 for other students and seniors, and $7 for general admission.
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