Riverdale's Fall Play "She Kills Monsters" Goes Virtual
The cast of “She Kills Monsters” rehearses remotely for their upcoming performance.
Photo courtesy of Maya Fernando
Riverdale students will be virtually performing “She Kills Monsters” for the upcoming school play. This pertinent tale of loss and acceptance tells the story of a girl named Agnes coming to terms with the death of her younger sister, Tilly. The sisters were never close, but when Agnes discovers Tilly's passion for Dungeons and Dragons, she immerses herself in her sister's game.
Ms. Lexie Frare, Middle and Upper school drama teacher and the director of “She Kills Monsters,” was familiar with the play beforehand. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” Ms. Frare said. “It was one of the first plays re-written during the pandemic so I’m happy to have the opportunity to do it now.” The play’s Zoom adaptation was “pared down to a one-act so it’s not super long and you don’t have to stare at your screen for a long time,” Frare noted.
The theatre, dance, and film department felt it was imperative to keep theater alive during this time when artists across the world are torn away from their work. Ms. Frare said, “there was something really important to all of us at TDF to keep the live spirit of performance alive.” The play will be a webinar so the actors perform in real-time and the audience can enjoy the show without the use of cameras or microphones. Junior Maya Fernando expressed the technical team's importance in the show by saying “they do so much for us, but especially online it is a whole other level. So much of this can happen just because of their hard work. They are so amazing.”
The cast has been working to maintain a remote connection. Ms. Frare set up a Dungeons and Dragons game where each cast member had a player similar to their character. Ms. Frare remarked that “playing the game has given us more time to create the story we want to tell and better understand the world we are creating it in.” Fernando, who has performed in previous Riverdale productions, mentioned that “theater at Riverdale creates such a camaraderie which I miss, but we are bonding in a different and new way which is also special.”
When introducing the overarching theme of unity in the play, Ms. Frare described, “the content in this show directly connects with Riverdale's mission to foster a more inclusive community. Themes around sexual orientation, bullying, peer pressure, and disability are all discussed.” The play uses stereotypes to help bring an understanding to those who are excluded for being different. Ms. Frare explained, “Tilly does not feel safe or accepted in her life, so she creates a world in this game to belong somewhere. This play is all about belonging and creating a place where we feel safe.” Fernando connected this notion to our community, saying, “This is connected to Riverdale because of the values of unity and breaking down the walls between different types of people.”
Theater is a critical part of Riverdale’s culture and plays an important role in our lives. Fernando explained, “simply because of this digital format, this show is unique, so people should take this opportunity to see a different form of theater. Art is necessary for everyone, whether you use Netflix, Spotify, or are a theater performer, so please come support this form of art made by your community members.” Freshman Gillian Churchland further explained, “you’ll leave feeling happy because it's funny and lighthearted, but it also has strong themes that we need reminders of.”
Uniting as a Riverdale community to support our artists is of the utmost importance, especially in today’s world. Come see “She Kills Monsters” and experience this beautiful and revolutionary production.
