Epic tabletop-themed fighters danced across a wooden stage in the round as the Theatre Collective performed its first play of the 2021-22 school year.

“She Kills Monsters,” by Quin Nguyen, is set in the wondrous world of New Landia,
a fictional teen’s home brew D&D adventure. The show follows Agnes, a high school teacher, putting together the pieces of her dead teenage sister Tilly’s life.

It touches on themes of grief, sexuality and bullying.

“I felt like it was material that is very relevant to students, especially right now,” said Theatre Design teacher and Co-Director of the play Alexis Suggitt. “I also looked at it [the production] in a sense of, maybe this gives even one student a voice that they thought they didn’t have before.”

Junior Claire Donovan played Lilith, Tilly’s girlfriend in the show.

“I like getting to be the strong, powerful, hot character, and I also really like that the story is about self acceptance because so many people struggle with that, and it’s really cool to get to put on a show like this and deal with themes like that in a very fun and upbeat way,” Donovan said.

Suggitt expanded upon why she felt this show was the right one to start off the Collective’s “Year of Magic & Transformation.”

“[I] brought it to the table as a possibility of something to direct in a new year as we return to theater and society is actively looking at some of these relevant issues,” Suggitt said.

The play brings a controversial subject to the audience in the form of a character that many can empathize with, no matter who they are.

“One of the things I love about books and tv shows and theater is that its a way to challenge beliefs and stereotypes that are wrong in a way that doesn’t directly confront people,” Donovan said. “If you directly confront people they’re just going to hold on to whatever they think – it’s gonna make them more convinced that they’re right.”