The cast of “She Kills Monsters” slayed the stage this weekend in the student production of the show where Dungeons and Dragons meets Grosse Pointe South’s stage.

The play follows the main character, Agnes, on her path to reconnect with her departed sister, Tilly, through a game of Dungeons and Dragons written by Tilly. Although I didn’t know much about the game going into the play, they did a wonderful job at making references understandable even for those who have never played.

With topics such as bullying, homophobia and LGBTQ culture in the 1950’s, She Kills Monsters covers many controversial topics. At first, the integration of these topics was very blunt and almost startlingly so; but as the show continued, it became an essential part of the story. The play covers the relationship of coming out as a part of the LGBTQ community on your own versus being outed by others. It also covers if being part of the community changes who you are,and that love is the most important thing no matter what.

The play used the background in a way I have only seen in high-level productions. Through using a continuously-running background that helped the viewer follow the story visually, the play came to life even further.

The on-stage set was very simple, but added to the creativity of the production. The back wallwhere the lights were projectedonto had four doors for actors’ easy entry and exit, as well as for giving depth to the small stage. On stage, there was also a desk that stayed on for the whole play, a constant reminder of the game throughout the show.

After preparing for months, the student actors, stage managers and directors’ work paid off. Actors brought out their characters’ depth and transformed them into game players. The costumes in the show brought the characters to life and contrasted between Agnes’s “in-game” and “in-life” characters.

Overall, I think the show was a great example of student talent, even if the plot itself wasn’t my favorite. I can’t wait to see where South’s acting program goes next.