Feature Photo By: Yucheng Zhang – Lisitte Mora (left) and Donovan Strouse (right) perform an action scene. This play had a lot of combat scenes that aren’t usually seen throughout the past productions at Rangeview.
Not many people are going to get it and I think that’s okay. She Kills Monsters was a unique play that Rangeview has ever seen. It might’ve been because of the intricate jokes, the small but talented cast, or the concept, but it proved to be worthwhile.
This year’s APA straight play She Kills Monsters, was a fantasy adventure based off of Dungeons and Dragons, that touched on issues like sexism, homophobism, etc. Even with the play’s underlying deep messages, the production was able to deliver its meaning in a comical yet entertaining way.
Directed by Mrs. Anderson, the play was her debut as an official teacher of APA. She’s had experience beforehand, but this show served as the first under her direction within the class.
She Kills Monsters was a difficult play to master, there wasn’t a musical number to reel the audience in, nor captivating settings; rather, the set built served a purpose to make the play as engaging as possible.
“She Kills Monsters was a serious technical challenge in a lot of ways — the sound design, set design, prop design, the lighting,” senior and actor Jakob Lutz expressed. “I think this show owes a lot to the people with the vision to make it happen, and the techs that saw it through.”
Indeed the show was technically detailed. From the simple yet elegant setting to the props the characters wielded.
The show focused on the relationship between Agnes (played by senior Donovan Strouse) and her sister Tilly (played by senior Lisette Mora). Through this role-playing game called Dungeons and Dragons, Agnes discovers the identity of her sister who has passed away in a tragic accident. Agnes becomes captivated by the friends her sister surrounded herself with and ultimately, found herself unknowingly.
Having been able to see the play from its earliest productions to the final performance was an exciting adventure. The cast, technical theater, and Mrs. Anderson were able to put it all together to form such a meaningful play.
“I had seen this play before but I enjoyed this rendition of it. The cast portrayed the characters and emotion really well and the production and effort were clearly shown,” senior Karely Nava Chavez recapped.
Indeed the play was different, and of course, not everybody will understand it’s humor, but I loved it.
She Kills Monsters did something not many plays could do: it tackled the harsh realities of the world and transformed it into a story of self-discovery and heightened awareness of the world.
Conclusively, the cast killed the performance. The raw emotions of the actresses and actors shown through the cast members. Everything was put into place and had a purpose which is rarely seen in many theater productions. I’m glad I saw such a worthwhile play.
