Arcadia University will present a production of the play “She Kills Monsters” by Qui Nguyen. The production, directed by Philadelphia-based director Justin Jain in his debut at Arcadia, will run April 10-13.

“She Kills Monsters” follows main character Agnes Evans in 1995 as she discovers a Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) campaign created by her late sister, Tilly. As she packs up Tilly’s bedroom, Agnes immerses herself in the fantasy world, encountering monsters, mythical creatures, and characters that reveal deep truths about Tilly’s life, struggles, and identity. 

Set designer Chris Haig, puppet designer Elizabeth Dapo, and Arcadia’s resident costume designer, Mary Folino, will help bring the show to life. 

“Artistic Director Kevin Glaccum reached out to me and proposed the idea of directing at Arcadia University,” Jain said. “He gave me the freedom to choose the play, and ‘She Kills Monsters’ was an immediate pick. As an Asian-American Pacific Islander artist, I am passionate about uplifting AAPI voices in the theater, and Qui Nguyen’s work is a perfect fit. His plays often explore identity while also offering universal themes, and ‘She Kills Monsters’ is one of those pieces. It was a no-brainer for me to propose this as my directorial debut at Arcadia.”

The play moves between the real world and the fantasy world in D&D. Because of this, the play–as written–takes place in several locations: a high school, a game shop, Agnes and Tilly’s home, and within the world of Dungeons and Dragons. However, Jain wanted to take a more tangible approach, so he decided to set the entire production within the confines of Tilly’s bedroom. 

“For me, Tilly’s bedroom is a key element of the play—it is a physical space that represents both her past and Agnes’s grief,” he explained. “As the narrative progresses, it feels as if the room itself is a character in the story. It comes alive with monsters, magical creatures, and D&D adventures that emerge from unexpected places—monsters popping out of bedroom dressers, succubi flying in from the windows, and even paladins coming from the audience itself.

“I hope that the audience feels the weight of the room, not just as a physical space but as a symbol of memory and loss. For me, revisiting my childhood bedroom every time I go home brings up a deep sense of bittersweet nostalgia. I want the audience to walk away with a similar feeling—reflecting on their own experiences of growing up and the spaces that have shaped their past.”

To make this approach work, Haig, Dapo, and Folino knew they would have to get creative in order to portray both the real and fantasy worlds in the small space.

“We found that often teenager’s rooms in that era were depicted as attic bedrooms, so we’ve set Tilly’s room in the attic,” Haig said. “This gave us lots of fun angled walls and windows to play with. Without spoiling too much more, the set has a bunch of secret, surprise elements hidden within it to help bring us into the fantasy world while never fully leaving the bedroom.”

Other wondrous elements in the show will be on display via puppets and costumes, which were all created specifically for this production.

“Puppets make up the fantastical monsters of the D&D world in the show, and are physical representations of the battles Agnes is mentally and emotionally struggling with during her process of grief,” Dapo explained. “Each creature looks like it could have come from an object in the room, or has some element of the world integrated into it.”

“The characters in the D&D world are costumed as fantasy warriors from that genre, such as demons, elves, paladins, and other monsters,” added Folino, who made all of the costumes on campus with the help of Theater Arts students. “In the scenes that take place in the ‘real world,’ the characters are costumed in period 1995 clothing, which grounds us in reality. The contrast between the two really emphasizes the shifts in and out of the fantasy world.”

For Jain and Dapo, this is their first time working on a production at Arcadia, but not their first time working together. The two are part of the WHYY TV series “Albie’s Elevator.”

“While on set, Justin asked me to be a part of ‘She Kills Monsters,’ an opportunity I was enthusiastic to be part of,” Dapo said. “I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work with this incredible team at Arcadia. They are passionate and thoughtful about creating the most immersive, dynamic, and engaging experience for their students and it’s exciting to see the next generation of theater artists emerging from a program that truly has their interests at heart.”

Haig previously worked at Arcadia designing the sets for “Into the Woods,” “Spring Awakening,” and “Big Love.” He and Jain went to college together and have collaborated several times over the years.

“I’m always happy to get the call from Kevin [Glaccum] to come do another show,” he said. “This production really exemplifies the collaborative art of theatre as almost everything you see on stage is a mix of work from all the designers, performers, and folks behind the scenes. It’s going to be a magical show, not to be missed.”

For tickets, visit: https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/arcadiautheater/she-kills-monsters.

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*Bold signifies a current Arcadia student