Dragons, trolls and wizards, oh my. If you’re not a fan of adventure and excitement, then the upcoming production of “She Kills Monsters” may not be for you.

The UK Department of Theater and Dance will be holding performances this weekend of Qui Nguyen’s show “She Kills Monsters” in the Guignol Theater of the UK Fine Arts Building.

The show centers around the life of Agnes, a teenage girl who had recently lost her whole family in a tragic accident. After the accident, Agnes is struck with the realization that she didn’t really know her late sister, Tilly, and sets out to discover who her sister was, using a notebook Tilly left behind. 

The notebook contains directions on how to play the well-known board game Dungeon and Dragons, with a little twist. Tilly had created her own version of the game using people from her own life as characters. 

“All of the characters that come into this Dungeon and Dragons module are people that she (Tilly) knew in real life, her friends, her enemies, the people who were mean to her and the people who inspired her. It’s the story of her life,” said theater sophomore Kelsey Reese, who plays Tilly. 

Related: Law student curates lecture series

The setting of the show toggles between Agnes’s real life in the early 90s and the fictional world of magic that Tilly had created in her notebook. According to cast members, the alternate setting has inspired impressive dragon costumes and thrilling combat scenes. The cast has been training with movement specialist Andrew Ray to use weapons and portray violence on stage in a way that is completely safe for the actors involved.

“This show has been difficult because it involves a lot of stage combat,” said theater senior Madeline Williamson, who plays Agnes’s guidance counselor Vera in the show. “A lot of fighting happens on stage which can be very scary because we’re fighting with real weapons. There’s everything from swords and shields to quarter staffs and battle axes.”

The show also speaks out on relevant social issues such as bullying and acceptance through Agnes’s journey to understand and accept her sister more fully. 

“I want people to see the show and know that no matter what you’re doing, if you’re passionate about it, there’s going to be other people doing that too, and you can find those people and make relationships,” Williamson said. 

The cast has been working off the clock to make sure the show is ready for its debut this Thursday. According to Williamson the cast rehearsed for three to four hours six days a week to get prepared. Williamson added that they recently had a tech rehearsal that lasted close to seven hours as well. 

The show will run from Thursday, Oct. 27 to Sunday, Oct. 30. Performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with additional showings at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. 

IF YOU GO

What: “She Kills Monsters”

When: Thursday, Oct. 27 through Sunday, Oct. 30

Where: Guignol Theatre of the UK Fine Arts Building

Tickets: $10 for students, $15 for adults