Theatre UAB will present “She Kills Monsters,” a high-octane dramatic comedy from acclaimed young playwright Qui Nguyen, from March 26-30 at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Theatre UAB is the performance company of the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Theatre.  

This romp into the world of fantasy role-playing games 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, she stumbles into an action-packed adventure in the imaginary world that was Tilly’s refuge and embarks on a journey of discovery. Filled with homicidal fairies, nasty ogres and ’90s pop culture, Nguyen offers a heart-pounding homage to the geek and warrior within us all.

The play contains strong language and mild adult themes. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. March 26-29, with a 2 p.m. matinee Sunday, March 30, in UAB’s Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $20 and $15; $15 for UAB employees and senior citizens; $10 for UAB students. Purchase tickets at AlysStephens.org or call 205-975-2787.

Theatre UAB’s “She Kills Monsters” is directed by Santiago Sosa, along with student co-director Michael Rafael Mercado of Killen, Alabama. Dramaturg for the production, Owen McManus of Huntsville, Alabama, researched Dungeons & Dragons, the fantasy tabletop role-playing game first published in 1974. Marketed as “the world’s greatest role-playing game,” D&D established many of the conventions that mark the genre and still dominates the market today. Players create characters who team up and embark on adventures in a fantasy world using their wits and combat abilities to explore, fight monsters, solve problems and search for treasure, McManus wrote.

This production features lots of choreographed stage combat, and the cast has been in rehearsals for many weeks. Students are led in training for the play’s many fight scenes by fight co-directors Sosa and Kirk Kirkpatrick of Birmingham, Alabama, and Patrick Wilson of Atlanta, Georgia, the assistant fight choreographer and fight captain.

The cast is Olivia Scott of Panama City, Florida, as Agnes; Molly Bush of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as Tilly; Hayden Pack of Albertville, Alabama, as Chuck; Kirk Kirkpatrick of Birmingham, Alabama, as Miles, Bugbear and Kobold; Lauren Parrish of Bessemer, Alabama, as Lilly/Lilith; Ava Chen of Parkland, Florida, as Kelly/Kaliope; Owen McManus of Huntsville, Alabama, as Ronnie/Orcus; Edgar Martinez of Scottsboro, Alabama, as Steve; Isabella Newton of Pinson, Alabama, as Farrah the Fairy, Kobold and Bugbear; Charlie Brownd of Cumming, Georgia, as Bugbear and Kobold; KK Murphy of Columbus, Ohio, as Evil Gabbi; Kiersten David of Chelsea, Alabama, as Evil Tina; and Khaliyah Williams of Bessemer, Alabama, as Vera and Beholder.

Wilson, Brownd and David serve as understudies, along with Ryder Dean of Pleasant Grove, Alabama; Ryan Chalmers of Atlanta, Georgia; and Nathan Fuller of Helena, Alabama.

Kirkpatrick, Newton, Brownd, Murphy, David and Williams are the production’s puppeteers.

Stage management is by Selby Whaley of Birmingham, Alabama, with assistant stage managers Case Warner of Edwardsville, Illinois, and Kris Brooks of St. Petersburg, Florida.