The Cameron University Department of Art, Music, and Theatre Arts will continue its 2022-2023 “Monster of a Season” with “She Kills Monsters” by Qui Nguyen. The production will be presented in the University Theatre from Thursday, February 23, through Sunday, February 26. The curtain goes up on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday at 2 p.m. in the University Theatre.
Tickets are $13 for adults and $10 for seniors, military, Cameron faculty and staff, and non-CU students. Cameron University students receive one free admission with their CU I.D. Tickets can be reserved by calling the box office at 580-581-2346 or purchase online at https://www.cameron.edu/art-music-and-theatre/events/buy-tickets.
In Athens, Ohio, in 1995, extraordinarily ordinary schoolteacher Agnes Evans stumbles upon a Dungeons and Dragons module left behind by her younger sister Tilly after the latter unexpectedly passed away in a car crash as a teenager. Wanting to get to know her sister better, even postmortem, Agnes tentatively enlists the help of others to play the game while seeking advice from her school guidance counselor friend and largely avoiding her commitment-shy boyfriend. In the process, together with her late sister, she meets, confronts, fights with, and, sometimes, slays elves, demons, fairies, gelatinous cubes, evil cheerleaders, and others based on real people who had been in her sister’s life as friends and enemies. Ultimately, Agnes, “the girl who never left home,” must confront her real demons, acknowledge her sister for who she was, and, finally, battle a dragon before she can proceed on with her own, no-longer-quite-so-ordinary, life.
The production is recommended for mature audiences and may contain content that some audience members may find objectionable. Children below age 5 are not permitted in the theatre.
The cast includes Shalyn Bowles, Geronimo, as Agnes, the protagonist who is searching to reconnect with her dead sister Tilly, played by Kyleigh Elvina, Lawton. Maliah Davis, Lawton, plays Vera, the school guidance counselor and voice of reason. Curtis Myers, Lawton, plays Miles, Agnes’ boyfriend. Also in the cast are Victor Quinones, Lawton, as Chuck, Agnes’ new dungeon master, who helps guide her through the game, in which the “great mage” Steve, played by MacEwan Sanders, Lawton, repeatedly struggles and fails to succeed. Victoria Spruill as Lilith and Jaiden Standridge as Kaliope, both of Duncan, form part of Tilly’s and Agnes’ squad of adventurers alongside Dakota Maggard Weeks, Lawton, as Orcus. Along the way, the group battles with Farah the Fairy, played by Gabriella Aguilar, Lawton, and cheerleaders Evil Tina and Evil Gabbi, respectively played by Araia Heathcott, Lawton, and Shayson Lenee’, Comanche. Heathcott also provides the framework for the production as the narrator.
Helping the production through its technical elements are Francis Waweru, Nairobi, Kenya, as stage manager. Carmen Head, Alvarado, Texas, serves as lighting designer. Cast members Spruill, Elvina and Bowles do double-duty as properties designer, assistant sound designer and assistant costume designer, respectively. Alumna Sidni Blalock, Duncan, returns as makeup designer.
During the performances, Sydney Dalby, Cache, and Merlin Phillips, Duncan, are on wardrobe. Skylar Edwards, Lawton, works as soundboard operator with Allee Passmore, Lawton, as light board operator. Alexzander Ernest, Lawton, serves as house manager, and Jared Long, El Paso, Texas, Rhia Pettigrew, Lawton, and Trey Ticeahkie, Lawton, comprise the production’s running crew. Cast member Lenee’ coordinates public relations.
Guiding the students through the production are assistant professor Dr. Natalie McCabe as director, assistant professor Ben Williams as technical director, adjunct instructor Jean Tartiere as fighting director, associate professor Eric Abbott as costume designer, and Joseph Roberts as theatre facilities manager.
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PR# 23-017
