She Kills Monsters
at Indian Creek

Reviewed on November 17, 2019

Wyn Wyatt
Patapsco
Submitted for publication to Maryland Theatre Guide

Five pairs of glowing red eyes pierce into you, you start to sweat as you gather your courage and hold up your shimmering sword. The shrieks and roars shake the ground, but you maintain your stance. This is it. Breathe in. Breathe out. And the final fight begins.

"She Kills Monsters" performed by Indian Creek School was an "edge of your seat" experience sure to make anyone want to go home and play their own D&D adventure. Between killer fairies, bug bears (Are they bugs? Are they bears?), and the infamous Tiamat, this show was a roller coaster of emotions from start to finish. And while, yes, fighting dragons and ripping out people's throats is, like, totally awesome, "She Kills Monsters" also tells us that our stories will live on, even after we die. And while not all of us can be as cool as Tillius the Paladin, each of us has a unique story to tell.

With being such a tech-heavy show, Indian Creek did a phenomenal job at handling all of the different aspects with ease. A few highlights include the short, stop motion film shown in the beginning of the show. Not only were all the shots incredibly detailed and unique, but it created a sort of cinematic set up for the show that set the show apart from an "ordinary" high school play. Lighting and sound cues were always on point and everything flowed seamlessly from one to the next. Overall, despite the many challenging technical details to this show, everything was beautifully executed.

The cast of "She Kills Monsters" had such developed characters and chemistry with one another, that there wasn't an ingenuine moment onstage. The two sisters, Agnes, played by Grace Walworth, and Tilly, played by Ava Rouse, perfectly displayed both sides of a sisterly bond…and we all know what that means. Yes, you love them, you care for them, you laugh with them, but then sometimes you want to bang their Smashing Pumpkins CD right over their head. Grace and Ava carried the show, making every moment one to remember. Another stand out performance was by Justine Krizan as Kaliope. Not only did she embody the "elven supermodel" attitude essential to the character, she also added a British dialect that was well done and consistent throughout the show. Her comedic timing never failed and she created a very likable character with an interesting twist.

Every cast and crew member in Indian Creek's production deserves recognition. These were incredibly professional and passionate actors/technicians whose love for "She Kills Monsters" shone through onstage.

Now let's get back to the adventure, shall we?

Elizabeth Moore
Annapolis
Submitted for publication to The Gateway

Grab your character sheets and roll your twenty-sided dice… Indian Creek School's production of "She Kills Monsters" is here to throw you back to 1995! As a fairly "normal" girl, Agnes finds a "Dungeons and Dragons" campaign written by her younger sister, Tilly, who has recently died in a car crash. When she decides to play the game, she realizes how little she knew about her sister when she was alive, and begins to understand the struggles of a sixteen-year-old outcast. Debuting in 2011 by writer Qui Nyguen, the show brings together the nostalgic elements of the nineties, witty humor, and a love of a simple game to a message of sisterhood, friendship, and hope.

The production was executed with thoughtful precision, featuring remarkable elements that meshed together to great effect. The intensity and rigor of the show was in no way a small feat, especially for a high school production, and Indian Creek approached it head on. Sound, lights, design, characters, and stage combat were showcased in the school's arsenal of talent, putting together what was truly an impressive production.

Grace Walworth as Agnes delivered in what was a very tricky role to portray. The depth and intensity of the character would be quite a challenge to any actor, and Walworth was able to bring her own take to the table. Together with Ava Rouse (Tilly), there was an incredible chemistry and a true feeling of sorority. Rouse was especially notable in her multifaceted interpretation of Tilly, delivering an energy that showcased the character's comedic and light side, while also her serious one. To add to this, Kyle Huey demonstrated mastery of comedic timing in his role as Chuck, showing us a lively portrayal of the nerdy Dungeon Master.

The rest of the party- Jay Krizan (Kaliope/Kelly), Katie Spencer (Lilith/Lily), and Parker Harris (Orcus/Ronnie)- were a delightful addition to the storyline, wholly embracing every aspect of their characters, both light and dark, to great effect. Their dedication and execution of their roles brought the storyline to a high level of quality, making the audience not only laugh, but holding them to the edge of their seats. Most importantly, however, Sean Lonergan (Steve) had the audience chanting "STEVE!" with him whenever he graced the stage, in a hilarious rendition of his character.

As aforementioned, the show was a technically complex production to pull off. However, the set design and lighting created a wonderful ambiance for the story, and the costumes and makeup looked straight from a cosplay getup for Comic-Con. This production also featured a heavy amount of stage combat, another element which is extremely difficult to execute, but the choreography was very well done, and the action sequences flowed beautifully. Between each scene, an iconic nineties soundtrack played, and the addition of sound effects was also very well-executed to heighten the action sequences and paint a more realistic picture.

Overall, this production was a holy grail of nerd and nineties culture, delivering a lovely and empowering message to all.

Nina Encarnacion
Annapolis
Submitted for publication to The Tribruin

Buried under the guise of perilous monsters and thrilling adventure is the story of a group of geeky teenagers attempting to navigate the pitfalls of adolescence in Indian Creek Upper School's production of "She Kills Monsters". The show highlights the poignant themes of death, sisterhood, bullying, and sexuality, prevalent throughout the fantasy-filled show and brings to life relatable and heartfelt characters.

When the painfully normal life of Agnes Evans is irreversibly altered by the death of her entire family in a car accident, a regretful Agnes attempts to better understand the life of her nerdy younger sister. Agnes explores the world of Dungeons and Dragons with the help of one of Tilly's old friends, Chuck, as the Dungeon Master. Although wary at first, Agnes becomes fully engaged in the game. She discovers her own strength while battling fantastical monsters, and grows close to a gang of misfit teenagers within the game. As the story progresses, the line between fantasy and reality becomes blurred, but the strength of the relationships remain.

Grace Walworth portrays an uncertain Agnes with ease, and is able to shift from a concerned older sister, to an angry girlfriend, to a young teacher attempting to defend the deceased Tilly from malicious teenage cheerleaders. Meanwhile, Ava Rouse as Tilly is able to become an empowered Paladin warrior and gracefully attack fearsome monsters, without forgetting that she is still a teenage girl, navigating love and loss. The pair beautifully convey the complexity of the nuanced relationship between sisters as they quickly transition from fighting with, and mocking one another to showing each other endless compassion and love.

Moments of comedy are abundant throughout the show, highlighted especially by Sean Lonergan in his numerous appearances as the nerdy yet brave Steve. He rouses the audience with his various death scenes while in the Dungeons and Dragons game, and elicits giggles as the awkward highschooler seeking help from the apathetic guidance counselor played by Jordyne Hebron as Vera.

To introduce the plot, a stop motion LEGO animation by James Moutsos set a precedent for the creativity prevalent throughout much of the special effects. Emma Kornmeyer's lighting design and Colin Abbott's sound effects seamlessly bridged the gap between the real and fantasy worlds. To further immerse the audience into the 90s setting, classic hit songs from the time played during scenic transitions and action sequences. Within the gameplay, several monster costumes were designed by Annabell Derrick, Leah Corkran, and Jordan Cann which are impressive and accurate to the Dungeons and Dragons game, which allows the audience to fall deeper into the story.

Indian Creek's "She Kills Monsters" reminds us that life is temporary, but the connections we make, the relationships we cultivate, and the "collection of stories" we leave behind are what will endure.