Sachse High School students have spent the last several weeks preparing for the curtain to rise on the first production of the school year.

The fall play, titled “She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurer’s Edition,” was written by Qui Nguyen in 2011 and is a comedy-drama with elements of fantasy and adventure. 

Theater Director Heather Jernigan said the story follows Agnes Evans and her quest to connect better with her sister, Tilly, who died . While going through Tilly’s belongings, Agnes discovers a module her sister wrote for the popular roleplaying game, “Dungeons and Dragons.”

With the help of a local dungeon master, Chuck, Agnes is able to learn more about her sister whom she was distant from while they were alive. The play alternates between reality and the game as Agnes navigates her own grieving process.

Sachse High School senior Quinn Linehan said she really excited to portray Tilly on the stage because they are both lesbians.

“I’m really thrilled to be playing this character because I really relate to her,” Quinn said.

While Quinn has been in six productions at the school, Tye Baker, a junior, is starring in her first ever production. Tye plays the dungeon master Chuck Biggs.

Tye says she enjoys playing a male character as someone who does not identify with a specific gender.

“This is one of the first plays I’ve ever been in,” Tye said. “I love the whole cast, the environment and our directors who have all made me feel welcome.”

Another student involved in the production, Aida Ephraim, says she enjoys how modern the play set in the 1990s is compared to older work, adding that she feels it helps the cast and characters connect better with the audience.

Jernigan, in her 19th year in theater education, says “She Kills Monsters” has been a play she has wanted to put on for the past nine years. However, given the play’s subject matter, she was unable to stage a production while she taught in middle school the past nine years.

She also feels the play connects to her actors because it is set in high school.

“Even though it flips back and forth between reality and the game, these characters are still dealing with the same things high school kids deal with,” Jernigan said. “They’re dealing with being in relationships and managing that, and dealing with real life things.”

The cost to attend is $5 for students and $10 for adults.

“Besides the dragons, monsters and fight scenes, this play is about losing loved ones, escaping reality and finding those people that make your path in life worthwhile,” Jernigan said.

For the full story, see the Sept. 29 issue of The Sachse News.