The theater program’s student-directed spring play emphasized themes of action and adventure

A Modern Tale

+ by Rory Dungan

The student-directed spring play emphasizes action and adventure

In a shift from the classic comedies of the past spring plays, “She Kills Monsters” is a modern, action-packed show.

The plot featured Agnes, a teenager, who embarks on an adventure created by her deceased younger sister. The game she plays, Dungeons and Dragons, is one that is played by millions in real life.

“Agnes, who I’m playing, is a senior in high school,” senior Kate Edmonds said. “Her younger sister, who’s a freshman, just died in a car accident. Tilly, the younger sister, is more nerdy and into Dungeons and Dragons, and Agnes is more of the stereotypical cheerleader.”

Agnes journeys through Tilly’s D&D module while learning more about the sister she was never close to in the real world.

The show is completely student-directed. Senior Jacob Parker is the head director and senior Claire Laws is the stage manager and the unofficial assistant director.

“Technically, I’m in charge of communications between actors, the director and crew heads,” Laws said. “A lot of what I do is facilitating communication between crews. I also help [Parker] out with giving extra advice with blocking or acting. It’s basically just a hodgepodge of everything that there isn’t really a person for, and it falls to me.”

Parker’s job as the director entails working directly with the cast during rehearsals to perfect the show.

“Most days, what I do is come in around 3 [p.m.] for rehearsal, and I will give notes and essentially give my vision for the show and collaborate with the actors,” Parker said. “I work with them to form the best show possible. I try to provide movement around the stage, as well as create a cohesive unit and bring everyone together for the final production.”

In an unforeseen turn of events, director Jason Coats was forced to take medical leave for the remainder of the year due to ongoing issues with COVID-19. As a result, the cast and crew are dealing with unexpected change.

“The person I work most closely with is our sponsor and technical director, Judy Tuckness,” Parker said. “We call her ‘Mama T.’ She’s the technical director, but for this show she has also become our sponsor since Coats is on medical leave. We have a lot of meetings about how we want specific things to look, as well as making sure everyone is behaving professionally.”

However, the loss of Coats is not the only recent change in the theater department. Edmonds, who moved from California to Kansas last summer, is playing her first lead at Northwest in “She Kills Monsters.”

“There’s definitely some pressure,” Edmonds said. “I’m surprised I got cast as the lead since I’ve been here for less than a year. I’m not dreading it, but I need to get on my memorization because, if you’re not memorized, the rest of the show won’t look good.”

So far, Edmonds enjoys working with the rest of the cast and crew.

“Sometimes you have more chemistry with some actors than others, but I really like the whole theater group in this production,” Edmonds said. “It’s on the smaller side, [and] there are about 12-15 people in the cast. Everyone is very supportive and encouraging.”

The rehearsal schedule, which spans several weeks, is one that Edmonds is already familiar with.

“We always start out with character work, and that goes for any high school,” Edmonds said. “Then we get into blocking and running the show, and you have to be off-book about halfway through the rehearsing time period. Blocking is the director’s vision of where the characters are moving or where the actors are moving onstage.”

Since the show is directed strictly by students this spring, both Parker and Laws play a vital role in the culmination of the production.

“This show is completely student-directed, so if me and Jacob weren’t here, there wouldn’t be a show at all,” Laws said. “I make a meaningful contribution here, and I really like seeing the product. There’s something rewarding about show night, the months of putting work into something finally coming together.”

Laws encourages students to see the show because its modern themes make it more appealing to a teenage audience.

“It should be a really fun and engaging and fun-towatch show for all audiences, so if you’re going to come to a show at Northwest, come to this one,” Laws said. “It’s going to be good.”

Junior Sophia Mendus paints a stage prop May 6 in the Greg Parker Auditorium. As the set designer for the spring show, Mendus creates set pieces that are functional for the play and manages their construction. “We have around 15-20 set pieces,” Mendus said. “”It’s taken us two months of being at the school Monday through Friday until 7 p.m. to build and paint them all.” + photo by Micah Reeves Reciting her lines, sophomore Zoe Connor holds a prop sword May 6 in the Greg Parker Auditorium. Connor plays the main character role of Tilly Evans. + photo by Micah Reeves

Meet the Cast and Crew

CAST

Agnes Kate Edmonds Tilly Zoe Conner Chuck Jayce Lamb Miles Jade Taylor Orcus/Ronnie Asher Demo Vera Danie Eaves Kelly/Kalliope Lillian Bowen Lily/Lillith Olivia Williamson Tina Anistyn Kempf Gab Gracilyn McMannessi Farrah the Fairy Cat Sanders Steve Nat Rogers Narrator & female swing Morgan Tate Monster ensemble & male swing Thomas Johnston Monster ensemble

Elaine Gast Rose Cox Grace Allen Emma Sheerbush Margo Schuerman

CREWHEADS

Lights crewhead Matthew Kucharczyk Sound crewhead Drew Jaime Publicity crewhead Alyssa Kempf Costume crewheads Autumn Posey Savannah Miner Props crewheads Caleb Anderson Cody Sprague Set crewhead Sophia Mendus Hair and makeup crewheads Elaine Gast Rose Cox

Stage managers Xavier Williamson Claire Laws

Jacob Parker Claire Laws Grace Allen Ashley Bonewits Ethan Jones Katelyn Doering Zoe Conner Kate Edmonds Lily Reiff Morgan Tate Nat Rogers Fawn Torres Mattaya Hager Catherine Ancell Layla Harris