Healing quest

Fun.

Different.

Challenging.

Important.

Those single words from the cast and director describe “She Kills Monsters.”

Jay County Junior-Senior High School Drama Club’s production of the 2011 drama-comedy play by Qui Nguyen is scheduled for this weekend, with shows at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $5 and will be available at the door.

The play has been one that director Cain Bilbrey, and former and current students, have targeted for several years. Growth in the number of students participating in the drama program helped open the door to staging the show this year.

“The other reason I want to do it — the subject matter that's in it, I think, is important to not just our students, but our community,” said Bilbrey. “And hopefully we are going to present it in a way that everyone feels we stayed true to the playwright, but we're also presenting it in a way that is not beating you over the head …”

The play involves grief, as Agnes Evans deals with the death of her sister Tilly and her parents in a car accident that occurred a year before the events of the show, as well as regret, self-discovery, acceptance, belonging, courage and healing. As she processes the loss of her family, Agnes finds a module for the game “Dungeons & Dragons” written by her sister.

Through the game, she learns more about the sister to whom she never paid much attention. She comes face-to-face with Tilly’s demons — literally and figuratively — like bullying, shame and loneliness, and the challenges of her relationship.

“It's like a journey of not just finding out about her sister,” said junior Ali McGraw, who plays Agnes, “but finding out about herself and dealing with all of the stresses in her life.”

The show shifts between Agnes’ real-life world and the fantasy world of “Dungeons & Dragons,” with most of the actors play dual roles.

Senior Jacob Kellogg handles two of those roles, playing Orcus, demon overlord of the underworld, in the game and one of Tilly’s classmates in real life.

“I like the D&D aspect of it,” Kellogg said. “I like the fact that I get to play a demon for most of the show. It's fun.”

It will also be his first straight play after performing in musicals for both the high school and Jay County Civic Theatre. He was Gomez Addams in the school’s May production of “The Addams Family.”

“Doing a play is very different,” he said. “It's interesting. I've enjoyed it. …

“I think in a way, you have to think about your character more than what you do in a musical, because in a musical, music tells the story. (In a play), you are telling the story with purely spoken words. I find it slightly more challenging for it.”

Agnes Evans (Ali McGraw) does battle with Orcus (Jacob Kellogg), demon overlord of the underworld, in “She Kills Monsters.” Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday, at Jay County Junior-Senior High School. (The Commercial Review/Ray Cooney)

 

Bryn Weaver narrates the action, with Aeroelet Cooke portraying Tillius the Paladin (Tilly’s character in the game). The cast also features Cheyenne Ladewig as Lilly (Tilly’s close friend) and Lilith Morningstar (a demon queen), Ava Franks as Kelly (another friend) and Kaliope Darkwalke (a dark elf tracker), Liam Serjern as Miles (Agnes’ boyfriend), Lucy Smith as Vera (another friend), and the duo of Skylah Honeycutt and Danica Myers as Evil Tina and Evil Gabbi (evil cheerleaders), respectively.

Bilbrey said he’s been impressed with the way the cast has handled the dual roles and approached the sometimes-difficult subject matter.

“I've had some kids I've been working with for three, four years now,” he said. “And to watch the maturation and the maturity level that they're putting, not just backstage, but on stage — I don't have to tell them as much. I say, ‘Hey, you work this out.’”

As Agnes continues to work her way through Tilly’s game module, the lines between reality and fantasy blur. Agnes not only learns about her sister and the pain she felt, but also confronts her own regrets.

Playing the role of Chuck “DMBiggs” — the DM stands for Dungeon Master — Hayden Hale introduces Agnes to “Dungeons & Dragons” and guides her through her journey. He said he has many favorite aspects to the show as he makes his first foray into theatre.

“It's really hard to choose,” he said. “I mean, probably the most fun scene is the final scene where everything … finally fits everything just fits together.”