This weekend, the 2024 fall play, She Kills Monsters, opens. 

She Kills Monsters follows the journey of English teacher Agnes Evans as she deals with the death of her little sister, Tilly, through her favorite game, Dungeons and Dragons. Agnes and Tilly are complete opposites and never connected while Tilly was alive. Agnes attempts to connect with her late sister by playing with a campaign that Tilly had written before her death and gets to know who she truly was in the process. 

This play marks Mr. Dallimore’s directorial debut at PCDS. Though he has directed many plays in the past, he has described the experience so far as “a little overwhelming, but also really gratifying” for him. He chose this play because of its themes of loss, sorrow, love, and what love looks like these days. He said, “ it’s been so much fun because they’re just fantastical characters. The play is very touching and sweet, but it’s also extremely funny.”

Though the play is comedic, it also deals with many heavy themes. In particular, “there are issues that are brought up in this play around queer culture… that are hard for people to still accept.” Sensitive topics like stigma about LGBT culture should be something “we should be talking about and dealing with instead of running away” because of how real and relevant it can be in high schools.

Along with heavy emotional themes, there is no shortage of raunchy jokes. Dallimore says theater communities should be “a safe place to wrestle with more mature themes” and how some of the play’s content is “going to be offensive to some, and that is often the way it is with theater. It’s not about pleasing everybody all the time.”

As Angnes embarks on her journey into Tilly’s world, she realizes just how little she knows her sister. “We think we know [the people around us], but we don’t, and that we should maybe be a little more accepting of who our family, our friends, our neighbors, even our enemies are.”

She Kills Monsters promises to be a blend of humor and heart. Mr. Dallimore along with the rest of the cast and crew bring this story to life in a way that keeps it light-hearted without lessening the quality of its message. This play is a bold first choice for Mr. Dallimore but sets the tone for theater that challenges important conversations. Don’t miss the chance to witness this heartfelt adventure on November 1st and 2nd.