She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Edition

by Qui Nguyen

A comedic romp into the world of fantasy role-playing games, in a new edition created specially for High School performing groups! She Kills Monsters tells the story of Agnes Evans as she leaves her childhood home in Ohio following the death of her teenage sister, Tilly. When Agnes finds Tilly's Dungeons & Dragons notebook, however, she stumbles into a journey of discovery and action-packed adventure in the imaginary world that was Tilly's refuge. In this high-octane dramatic comedy laden with homicidal fairies, nasty ogres, and 90s pop culture, acclaimed young playwright Qui Nguyen offers a heart-pounding homage to the geek and warrior within us all.

Genres: Plays, Fantasy, Young Adult, LGBT, Read For School, Drama, Fiction

72 pages, Paperback

First published November 14, 2012

Reviews

[Blaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chuck. Look, I’m no Time Lord, but I don’t think this module is just a game.
Agnes. What?
Chuck. I think this is actually your sister’s diary. She just wrote it in geek.
…
I know, Agnes. But, look at me, whoever that chick is, she’s still just a fifteen-year-old girl growing up in the middle of Ohio. If she’s in the closet, she’s gonna be in there deep.

Update 10/25/2021: Reposting this review because of this news story that an Ohio high school just cancelled a production of this play because parents and a local pastor complained—in 2021–that one of the main characters is “possibly gay.” As always, the people who need to open their minds to a new idea are the last to do so. The only positive thing to come out of this story is that the kids started a Go Fund Me to put on the play off-campus and have already received more than double the money they needed. Still, just when you think this world is done disappointing you….

Original review: So, last weekend I watched a couple of friends’ kids perform in a high school production of the Young Adventurers Edition* of She Kills Monsters. And I was completely blown away, not just by the two of them, who slayed as Tilly and Steve, but by the story itself. Still thinking about it days later, I read a copy of the script.

Set in Athens, Ohio in 1995, She Kills Monsters revolves around Agnes, a high school senior, who is still grieving the death a year earlier of her little sister, Tilly. Agnes finds a Dungeons and Dragons campaign Tilly had written before she died, and Agnes convinces the local D&D expert Chuck to help her play it. While in the campaign, Agnes is able to interact with Tillius, the alter ego Tilly wrote into the story. As she gets deeper into the story, Agnes realizes that the sister she once found so annoying had a far more complicated life than she realized.

The majority of She Kills Monsters is really funny, with banter and sword fights and space for a great deal of physical comedy (done well, Steve the Mage is a scene stealer). But at its core is a story with real emotional depth about loss and regret, bullying and acceptance. Those moments sneak up on you, but when they come, they are earned, subtle, open-ended, and thought-provoking. Highly recommended, especially for any high school or college looking for their next play to perform.

*This play has an interesting backstory. When first written and performed in New York off-off-Broadway, the story involved a young teacher in her 20’s, and several plot lines were modified in some fashion. Eventually, the author rewrote the play, changed Agnes and other character to high school students (thus, the “young adventurers” edition). You can apparently still see the original version in production in some locations that must have bought old copies years ago. Currently, only the Young Adventurers edition is available for sale.

[Liz Dial]

Extremely Brennan Lee Mulligan voice: “Why do we tell stories? To try and make sense of a world that can be terrifying and enormous…I don’t know that your story will long be known. I don’t know who will remain to tell it, but it did happen—and it did matter.”

Read this as a recommendation and lend from Zoe! Felt extremely Seen and Known when she handed it to me and said, “You’re gonna love this.”

And, reader? I did! What a delightful play about a grieving girl trying to connect with her deceased sister through her nerd sport. D&D and role-playing games are extremely important to me for the same reasons they’re important to the characters in the play. What are we but stories? And sharing them with each other?

I would love to see a staging of this. I love the potential for projection art or shadow puppets or just full-on puppets to represent the monsters and creatures the in-game party battles.

The play is set in the late 90s and does a very Of That Time portrayal of high school dynamics without much exploration of that beyond the arc of our main character, but in a way it kind of added to the whimsy of the world. I’m also curious about the original version of the play (since this is the one formatted for young performers) and what differs. Also, desperate to know what playwright Qui Nguyen thinks of Dimension 20: Fantasy High.

[Doug Levandowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this on a rec from a friend who's very into theater. I thought the dialogue seemed strained, but then again, I thought that about The Humans until I saw it performed. But I didn't think this read all that well.

[Taylor Pedrayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

my school is doing this play next year so i read the script to get familiar with the story. hope i get a part ‼️‼️

[Jonah Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Haha! Yes! Plays count as books! Loophole!

I read one whole book today 😌

[ava g · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this and cut it into a forensics duo piece and loved it. Made me laugh out loud constantly, and the story broke my heart - in a good way. Loved this and would love to see it produced.

[Marcie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a real gem of a play. I like the framework set-up. I liked that I laughed out loud throughout, and I liked that I cried the last few pages. Definitely going to try to get our local theater to consider it for next season.

[Alicia Fenney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, quick-witted dialogue sprinkled with throwback 90s references and music. At its heart is a story about finding meaning after loss. Although I knew it was coming, the ending left me in a puddle of tears! Can't wait to see this on stage. Such cool potential in puppetry and projection.

[Zachary Pareizs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this version way more effective than the original.

[Little Batties · Rating 3 out of 5]

This play is like Jennifer's Body ate American Pie and then threw up Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Dialogue

There were points were the dialogue was atrocious. It felt so forced and unnatural. While this may have been taking place in the 90s, it still didn't feel like these were real characters at times. Sure. There were some great one-liners, but overall it felt like it missed the mark. Although this would honestly probably get laughs if this were to be performed on stage, it hits a little different when reading through for pleasure.

It also needs to be mentioned that some of this dialogue was highly sexualized. While I can appreciate a nice double entendre, there is a time and place for it, and this may not be the most appropriate play for teenagers to perform in high school. Although there are some students/guardians that might be okay with this, there are others that would not be. It would best to have admin approve this play before an actual performance.

Characters

As mentioned above, the dialogue made it hard to see some of these characters as actual people. The way certain characters were written through their dialogue perpetuated negative stereotype types, especially with D & D players. However, there are a few moments where these characters have real moments, particularly with how Agnes goes through different stages of grief and trying to navigate that.

Story

First off, this story should come with a trigger warning considering some of the language used could be triggering to the readers, thespians, and audience members. However, this triggering language is part of what makes the story painful (a different kind than the dialogue causes) and interesting. It adds a dimension and depth that might not be there otherwise. You get to see how characters learn and react to one another, including how different people are perceived because of their words and actions.

It's fun to see Agnes play her first D & D campaign in order to get to know more about her little sister. It gives us a chance to learn things about her too. It made me want to keep reading despite the issues I had with the dialogue. It has cute and sweet moments, ones that are not always expected.

Overall, if you get over the painful dialogue, this story is fun and interesting. It definitely has the potential to catch students' attentions (for better or worse). So, if you are looking for something exceedingly different for your classroom, this play might be for you.

[Geordie · Rating 2 out of 5]

After the death of her nerdy sister Tilly, Agnes, a popular highschooler, tries to connect with her again through the D&D games she played and adventure she created that exposed her pains and insecurities.

There's plenty I like in this story; D&D, dealing with grief, snark, and realistic sounding teenager dialogue. Heck, I wanted to give it an extra star or two just to spite the pearl-clutching Karen who had written aghast notes in my used copy about the language and sexuality ("teenagers saying dick and ass-hat, gasp!!").

Unfortunately, except for an occasional joke that manages to land, the story is not well-told. Not the action ("they fight, it is awesome"), or the humor ("whatchoo talking about?"), even the intriguing premise of grieving for/reconnecting with a dead sibling through their hobby and writing ends up a superficial round of finger pointing and a lackluster conclusion. It's a real disappointment, as I feel a deeper writer could have really said something about teenaged grief, loss, and closure. The closure here was that the D&D adventure ended and Agnes just kind of patted the memory of her dead sister on the back and walked away.

[Rachel Rauch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this play while taking a playwriting class is an interesting experience. From just a casual viewpoint, I can see how it would be a very cool concept and story, but there are also a LOT of production elements that are described making it more like a novel. And then from a Dnd standpoint, there are things that stood out to me as unrealistic. Where there were so many moments where the rules weren’t mentioned or were loosey goosey but then absolute in some moments where it shouldn’t matter then the game continued as if nothing happened. I was also left slightly confused at the end. I thought the play was going to be about Agnes joining an already established campaign and party. Meeting Tilly’s friends and playing together, so I was kind of confused when it just ended up being her and Chuck playing. Then some of the content felt dated even for a play that takes place in 1995. While I understand that’s when it’s set, the writing didn’t feel like it had been written in 2016. The jokes felt like they were written for a 1995 crowd. It was also a really dark set up for a comedy. I didn’t hate it, but I don’t think it’s my favorite. Entertaining but not my favorite play.

[Kelsey Dangelo-Worth · Rating 2 out of 5]

When cheerleader Agnes’ geeky little sister dies in a car crash, she goes on an epic D&D quest found in her locker, in order to get to know Tilly better. Full of traditional YA tropes (being an outsider, bullying of the geek, complex love stories, the conflict between siblings and cliques), the play would be a lot of fun for a high school theater department. There’s lots of playful humor, epic battles with opportunities for special effects, and good teenage drama. The play itself, though, isn’t a particularly compelling read for the classroom or stand-alone. It depends a lot on stage directions such as (“the best battle scene ever happens”), and the characters need more than their lines to really emerge. There’s nothing very original here, and much feels like the writing skills of my students. But, that is just from reading it. I think it would work much better in production and would be fun for a high school group to perform and craft. It certainly would be refreshing and original compared to many overdone staples. [Two stars, it was ok]

[zoe · Rating 2 out of 5]

really interesting to finally read this full script YEARS after seeing the entire play live. i can't remember if i saw the YA edition or not, but i remember being so turned off by the show years ago. revisiting it now, i like it...a little more?

i know many say the YA edition is far better than the original, but i still find this to be awfully clunky, unresolved, and a bit exhaustive. while there is some great emotional payoff at the end, there's so much to get through to get there that just feels like a drag on paper.

it's crazy to me how much feminine sexualization there is in this script. seriously. when you imagine a middle-aged man writing it for young performers to put on, it feels even worse. i get that that's a huge issue in gamer culture, but it's really so unappealing here. we don't need every other line to talk about how hot someone is, especially when this is likely a cast full of minors.

i don't know. i don't entirely get the hype here. i think what it's trying to do is really clever and important, but the execution makes it falter.

[BlackHawk79 · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars

I had to read this for English, and normally I like what we read but this was NOT it.

As a teenager, the dialogue these teenage characters had was some of the worst I've ever heard. Never in my life have I heard a teenager speak the way the characters spoke sometimes. I feel like this play was terribly written, and what was supposed to be funny was completely unfunny to me. I could tell the whole thing with Steve was supposed to be funny, but it didn't hit for me. I was cringing instead of laughing.

I will say, the deeper meanings and topics the play gets into later on are good. I liked that they were discussed, and I think the way DND was used for Tilly to discuss said topics was incredibly smart. That being said, the childish manner in which the play was written was too large of a disturbance in my reading enjoyment for me to rate this play higher. Maybe the original version is better, but I didn't read that version.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

It definitely wasn't something I would have read if I wasn't making resources for it for school, but it was decent.

I liked that it was about nerd/geek things and D&D. It's something many students will relate to or find interesting. It wasn't a hard read, especially since it's a topic I'm familiar with.

I wasn't impressed with the writing. It was a bit awkward at times. I also felt there were weird gaps at times.

*****spoilers*****


I did not like the ending. I thought Tilly being Tiamat was confusing and awkward. She didn't dig into this idea enough. The fight was also anti-climatic since I was just reading it rather than seeing it I guess. Even then, not a fan. I felt like there should have been more after the fight as well. I actually checked to see if I'd lost some pages. It just felt unsatisfying.

[Serai · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the story, and as a huge dnd fan it really brings me immense joy. However, I still feel like even the young adventures version is a little too mature for my high school kids. Most specifically, there are multiple instances of a slur being used to describe a character. I understand historical context, but we are already being asked to suspend disbelief just by reading a fanciful play like this. Might as well not include a harmful word MULTIPLE times.

[Michael Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It walks the line between I hate it and I love it. With some value and quality in its idea, its intent is sometimes lost in its very CW writing. I found myself questioning if the writer had ever spoken to a nerdy kid in the 90’s, or a popular kid in the 90’s. While ultimately more good than bad, this play is worth a read and maybe a production or two. I don’t think this work will stand the test of time and does little to leave a truly lasting impression.

[alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to keep reading and rereading this lovely little play about death, grief, role-playing in DND, being queer, and more. I appreciated Agnes’ character development over the course of the play too. The blending of the real and gameplay in this play was also done very well. I recommend, for theatre-lovers and DND-lovers alike.

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is excellent. A quick, fun read with plenty of humor and very cool, clever world-building and transitions between the worlds. It faces some of the realities of grief (rage, isolation, searching for answers) in swallowable amounts and leaves you feeling hopeful that there is a way forward. I highly recommend reading this play.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this play and I think it would be brilliant to stage. I wish the middle bit was a little less in your face, but it made it's point. I could never convince my community theatre to do this show, sadly, but I'm glad I had the chance to direct it in my mind as I read it.

[Haley Honeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, heart-breaking, and bad-ass! This play is jam packed with action when popular senior Agnes finds her geeky dead sister's D&D module and sets off on an adventure to get to learn more about her and the things she loved.

[Marian Urteaga · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You’re not real. You’re gone… Yes. But this story remains. And isn’t that essentially all that life is - a collection of stories?”

This was so good and fun and beautiful.

“And soon the world finally embraced geeks not as outsiders, but as awesome.”

[Phoenix Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly beautiful. Being a DND nerd myself, watching this play and reading the script was amazing. It's comedic, dramatic, action-packed and fun, all while keeping the accuracy of 1st and 2nd addition DND. It was a truly fun and emotional experience and is now 100% my favorite play!

[Peeps Peoples · Rating 1 out of 5]

This star rating has nothing to do with how this book was written, it just wasn’t a match for me. I’m not into D&D, so I think I missed the mark, but I’ll be on the lookout for someone who is and who loved this play/book so I can hear about all it was meant to be.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the "grown up" version better but still what a fun play.

[Edie Walls · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this because my theater is going to do it soon, and I enjoyed it a lot! I'm excited to see it staged because I think that will change the impact of many of the scenes.

[Jennifer Hartigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think so of the dialogue will work better when read out loud. A lot to like here, and I am forever in favor of the evil cheerleader succubus archetype.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this play's quirkiness and 90's humor. I see so much of myself in these characters and I ached at the end for the two sisters. Loved!

[kyra · Rating 4 out of 5]

trying to not cry in the middle of campus right now… this play was emotional but very nice. Themes of confronting death always get to me