She Kills Monsters

This is an interesting modern play that I'm glad I found. The "adult" play and the "Young Adventurers" editions differ slightly which makes sense, but a few of the changes do not.The basic story of both is a woman/ high school senior trying to cope with the loss of her sister and parents by reading a D&D module written by the younger sister in lieu of a traditional diary. The story deals with loss and coping. The story also deals with cultural allusions, pop culture, and other post-modern touch stones that both separate and bind subgroups. The play also deals with teen bullying, sexuality, and other themes.It is an interesting play that needs a fairly large cast capable of handling the comedy, the pacing, and the physicality. Every character doubles as a monster or two. The cast probably needs to begin rehearsals working on stage falls and stage combat to prepare for the action scene choreography. Meanwhile, the director needs to be able to orchestrate staging for quick scene changes and possibly other multi-media elements.The Young Adventurers Edition lowers the age of the cast into the high school realm--rather than a school teacher, a guidance counselor, and an adult Miles. That makes sense. Oddly, the plays ending narrations change the outcome of the relationships between Agnes and Miles. In the adult version Agnes moves on. In the Young Adventurers version Agnes and Miles stick it out--which seems to darken their relationship. Both editions include LGQBT themes and struggle with masking and hiding, although how they handle it differs between editions. Not all of the changes seem to streamline the material for the Young Adventurers readers/actors.

It's an interesting play. I have the adult script also. I like the earlier version of this rewrite for younger performers better than this one. Yes there is another version floating around out there in the universe, but this is the current copyrighted version. I've had the pleasure of seeing it performed by a youth theater group and would definitely recommend it.

The cover told me I'd laugh reading She Kills Monsters, but it didn't tell me I'd also cry. (Which means, obviously, it's better than Cats.) In a manner not unlike Community's brilliant D&D episodes, Nguyen uses the framework of tabletop fantasy roleplaying games to literalize an emotional journey. Agnes realizes she didn't really know her geeky younger sister, who's been killed in a car crash. This younger sister left behind a D&D module (a scenario for play), and by playing through it, Agnes learns who her sister really was. The play warps back and forth between fantasy and reality with style, setting up wonderful parallels between the fantasy versions of the characters and their real selves.There's just so much to love here: the sharp dialogue, the foregrounding of women's stories in a genre and game that's been traditionally (unfortunately) all too male-centric, the awesome stage combat opportunities (again a field where women tend to be marginalized), and finally those moments when reality and fantasy bridge for stunning emotional payoffs that made my hairs stand on end. There's a few beats here where the fantastic and the real collide in huge emotional payoffs that made my hair stand up on end.I haven't read the "Young Adventurer's Edition," but I imagine this could work beautifully in a high school group: Geography Club with swords and dragons and six women/three men. Smart and insightful about both geek culture and teen LGBT issues, this play would be right in the wheelhouse of student groups both in high school and college. (Not that it's a "school" play—this stands on its own. But I imagine it will have a strong and long life in educational theatre for many reasons.)I'm a sucker for theatre that plays with the fantastic: not the absurd, but straight-up sci-fi/horror/fantasy tropes. A theatre that's in dialogue with pop culture is a more vibrant theatre, one that is a part of the conversation, not apart from it. And like the best genre fiction, She Kills Monsters uses the fantastic to look at the real, and does it from an angle that can make it all seem fresh.

I saw this play in high school and now am reading it for a class that’s why I bought this play. Inside however was tha play the shape of things? I don’t know if somehow covers got switched or what but something got mixed up?

Love this play. Had never heard of it, but someone told me I should read it. What's not to love, current story, vampire cheerleaders, giant man eating jello, a life journey. It's a play, so not going to give story away, buy it and read it yourself.

I ordered this to see the young adult version to see how it differs from the regular script. Great condition, fast delivery. Great read especially for those who enjoy D & D.

Great play. I have read it a few times and still find it funny and heart warming. I have seen it in a theater competition and it can translate well. ATTENTION TEACHERS: This is not a play suitable for most high schools to read. The competition piece is HEAVILY cut. There is lots of strong language in the full play. However, it is worth the read.

Fun script. I read both versions and this one's content is definitely better for high school kids than the full version.If stage combat and theatrical magic is not your thing, then you probably do not want to stage this play... but you might want to read it for the fun...on the other hand, if you want a contemporary action packed FUN show - this is the one for you!

Fun to do for sure