I discovered this play as I was finishing research on my most recent book: Violent
Women in Contemporary Theatres: Staging Resistance. As opposed to a realistic work grounded
in sociological research (a vantage point I also favor), it presents an intriguing direction for
theatre dealing with violence: a fusion of fantasy games, live action role-playing, and filmic
action heroines. As a longtime fan of Buffy: The Vampire Slayer and him Joss Whedon, the play
immediately appealed to me. Apparently, it did to many others as well. I’m sure when Qui
Nguyen wrote this play in 2012, he had no idea how popular it would become. It’s currently one
of the most produced scripts in high schools and colleges across the country, perhaps prompting
him to rewrite it in 2016.
Aside from the powerful messages in the play that encourage us to live our lives with
greater openness, compassion, and humanity, one of the things I most enjoyed about reading
it—and even more so about seeing it—is that I don’t believe I have ever laughed and cried as
much while watching a performance. The skillful interweaving of substantive comedy and drama
in a single play is rare. It’s also uncommon (despite of variety of feminist waves) to have so
many strong, prominent female characters fill a theatrical work. Even more surprising is that the
women fighters are not just victims, as they are in most plays. That such a dynamic exists
significantly because the piece is set in a fantasy world is somewhat disheartening and telling….
I look for the day when our definitions of masculinity and femininity are not tied to violence in
destructive ways, when social expectations don’t demand that men prove their toughness through
violence, nor that women prove their peaceful natures by merely submitting to it. Recognizing
the social construction of gender is a first step. Maybe one day we can make it our goal to all be
true keepers of the peace.
Sometimes She Kills Monsters has felt like a Tiamat to those of us working on this
beautiful and complex show. But the labor has definitely been worth the reward. We share this
with you as our dream.

Nancy Taylor Porter