“She Kills Monsters” brings fantasy world to life

Orcus, the slacker demon, watches “Friends,” ignoring the adventurer’s interruption.

Abigail Poag, Staff Writer

Zany hairdos and 90’s references abound in She Kills Monsters, a play by Qui Nguyen performed in Lowe Theater on Nov. 10 and 11.

Set primarily in a Dungeons and Dragons module, sisters Agnes and Tilly Evans, played by  seniors Nicole VerMeulen and Katy Schafer, battle troll-like Bugbears, evil cheerleaders and a host of other malevolent creatures, all recreated in great detail on the stage.

“I noticed the high standards for the props when the Beholder came out,” freshman Ian McFarlane said. “It was really elaborate and very large, and it was only on stage for three seconds, so [I could tell] a lot of time and effort was put into it.”

With side characters ranging from the elf Kalliope played by senior Grace Vincent to demon queen Lilith played by senior Mei Leebron, She Kills Monsters allowed for elaborate costumes that brought the characters to life.

“Lilith, Kaliope and Tilly[‘s costumes] were powerful but also very liberating,” parent Michelle Varma said. “The costumes did a great job reflecting the characters.”

Switching between the real world and the D&D universe, the play featured quick stage-changes and transitions between scenes.

“I liked how there was almost no scenery, and it was all done through props and costumes,” McFarlane said. “It was the way things could fade in and out.”

Under the direction of technical director BJ Garmon, members of the student-led club Johnnycake crafted many of the props and costumes used during the production. Other students also served as crew members in the show, controlling the lights, sound and stage direction.

“During tech week, we had [rehearsal] Sunday through Saturday everyday, and we just ate dinner and joked around and hung out in the Green Room,” freshman sound tech Anna Clearman said. “It was good to talk to people I had never really talked to before.”

While the eye-catching set captivated the audience, it did not detract from the ultimate significance of the show.