She Kills Monsters slays the stage
November 11, 2022
The Neuqua Valley Theatre program is back on stage with the fall play; She Kills Monsters. This play is a drama-comedy, following an average high school teacher named Agnes (played by Abby Laipple) who recently lost her younger sister, Tilly (played by Onora Kirpanos), who was into less conventional things. When Agnes finds her sister’s Dungeons & Dragons notebook, she is taken into a different world filled with adventures and crazy creatures in an attempt to connect with her sister.
When looking for the perfect production to put on for Neuqua’s fall play, Will Schaub, the director, said, “I was looking for something that would entertain high school students. I’m always thinking of the students who think that they don’t like theatre, and I’m always looking to change peoples’ minds.” She Kills Monsters definitely does just that, as it is an intriguing play that ropes in all people from all different backgrounds, whether they have a love for theatre or not. As for what he hopes the audience gets out of seeing such a unique play, Schaub says “I would like students leaving to think ‘wow, theatre is fun, and it’s not just something that I have to go see for extra credit.’”
This play is like no other, as there are crazy assets such as huge dragons, intense fight scenes, a very tall set and even a dance battle. Nick Lapetino who plays Miles, Agnes’s boyfriend, says, “It’s nothing like what Neuqua has ever done before. The play is a lot more mature, including the many dirty jokes said throughout the show.” According to Lapetino, the fight scenes and dance battle took a lot of collaboration and practice to master, but the actors definitely did a great job doing so.
Another unique aspect of the rehearsal process was the brief production period. The cast and crew had a short amount of time to put together such an exceptional play. Choreographing an entire fight scene is definitely not easy, especially within a four-week rehearsal schedule. “It made us all work really hard to get our lines memorized and our blocking down,” said Lapetino. “You definitely don’t want to be the weak link who brings the show down. Everyone has worked so hard to hit their mark, get their lines done, and be there for the cast as often as we can.” The efforts put into the show definitely do not go unnoticed.
There are still two chances left to watch She Kills Monsters, Friday and Saturday at 7 pm. More information including ticket sales can be found on nvhstheatre.com.