“She Kills Monsters” Performance Review

Story posted February 17, 2022 in CommRadio, Arts & Entertainment by Erell Williams

The No Refund Theatre put on yet another incredible show called “She Kills Monsters” which was written by Qui Nguyen and directed by Kelly McGarrey.

The show centers around Agnes Evans (Jenna Meleedy), a high school teacher who lost her younger sister, Tilly Evans (Lizzy Scipione) and her parents in an accident.

Her journey focuses on her discovery of her sister’s old, unplayed Dungeons and Dragons campaign. She receives help from her friend, boyfriend and students from her sister’s past to mourn and heal.

The performance, which allows the audience to experience a journey of grief through humor and tragedy, is filled with immense talent, and getting the chance to see these students act is a true honor.

To say that the show was simply funny is not enough praise. From the comedic timing to the hilarious character developments, the show grabs the heart of those who went to see it.

There is no doubt that all of the actors in this performance worked hard to make the show run smoothly. All of the scenes felt smooth and even mistakes were, impressively, made to work out for the better.

The relationship between the main actors of the cast, Agnes and Tilly, was strong and realistic which made it easy to absorb the show as a viewer.

Chuck, played by Quintin Sulkowski, and Vera, played by Ella Bradner, were especially fun to watch. The details added to their characters are great examples of how every detail added to a performance can make a difference. All of the details in the show added a kind of “replay value.”

Throughout the show, it is clear that the main theme is grief and it presents an unusual perspective of getting through it. Most anyone can relate to the topic and the feeling of getting to know someone better after they have already passed.

The humor mixed in well and it never went overboard or seemed like it was making light of the topic. It comfortably meshed as a natural aspect of the scenarios and left sensitivity to the themes.

Not only was the topic presented amazingly, but the presentation overall was fantastic.

The costumes and setup were creative and fun matching the unique watching experience. Even though the set was fairly simple the sense of professionalism surrounding everything involved made the show feel equal to a big stage.

It is also important to note that the No Refund Theatre budget relies on donations and a portion of money acquired from the University Park Allocation Committee. To make the story come alive with the set while also providing it all for free is a considerable feat.

Some of the deeper messages throughout the show reach viewers in a significant manner. The grasp of real-life experiences from diverse backgrounds was astonishing and unexpected. It genuinely made the show have a larger emotional impact.

Overall, the show was an enjoyable way to get a chance to delve into serious topics while maintaining entertaining aspects. More brilliance will certainly be expected from future NRT performances.

Erell Williams is a first-year majoring in broadcasting journalism. To contact her, email exw5303@psu.edu.

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Erell Williams

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Erell Williams is a first-year student, and her intended majors are Broadcasting Journalism and Chinese. She grew up in Douglassville, Pennsylvania. She is a member of the CommRadio News and Arts department. To contact her, email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).