The Truman theatre program slays dragons

Under the menacing glow of red stage lights, Morgan Youngstrom stood face to face with the fifth and final head of the fearsome dragon Tiamat, whom her character, Agnes Evans, had been hunting. As mist pooled at her feet, she swung her sword and landed the finishing blow, vanquishing the beast. Tiamat’s head toppled onto the stage, and the victorious Agnes sank to her knees. The win came at the cost of accepting the death of her sister, Tilly Evans, played by Aliza Carlson. 

The falling action of “She Kills Monsters,” a play put on by the Truman theatre program in the past few weeks of April, is bittersweet and paints a metaphorical picture of the last stage of grief. The play, written by Qui Nguyen, follows the ordinary young woman Agnes as she grapples with the death of her family and learns about her sister through the role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons. In telling this emotionally impactful story, the Truman theatre program confronted a Tiamat of their own – a final boss they wouldn’t have defeated without innovation, passion and a close community of cast, crew and faculty.

The beginning of this D&D journey started years ago when Cat Gleason, assistant professor of theatre and the director of the production of “She Kills Monsters,” saw the play while teaching for the University of Missouri.

“I was completely enamored by it,” Gleason said. “I love that it’s a female protagonist, I love that she is queer and I love that it’s about sisters – and then it’s sword fighting and fantasy on top of that.”

After moving to Kirksville in 2019, Gleason worked as a staff member in the library and advising center at the University until a position opened up in the theatre program. Since her first official semester as a faculty member in fall 2022, Gleason has directed six shows and has produced showcases every year. 

When taking on “She Kills Monsters,” Gleason said she knew it was going to be a lot of work to navigate aspects such as stage direction of fights, puppets, lighting and even dance choreography. The crew also encountered setbacks with faculty members in the program being unable to help due to personal circumstances, Gleason said, which they combatted by involving remote designers and bringing in fight coordinators from outside of the University. 

“It was [challenging], but this was such a great group in our rehearsal room. It just was always a positive place to be,” Gleason said.

One member of the cast, Youngstrom, is a senior this year. Since acting in her first musical her sophomore year, Youngstrom said she has made many friends through the theatre program and has even made plans to pursue acting in Chicago with some of them after she graduates. 

Youngstrom said throughout this process she has enjoyed watching her castmates grow and seeing their creative spin on the show. During her time at the University, Youngstrom said she has grown by gaining confidence in portraying the characters she plays on stage thanks to classes she’s taken and past production roles she’s had. Playing Agnes in “She Kills Monsters” is Youngstrom’s final performance in the University.

“Closing night for me is [going to] be a little sentimental … but it’s been so fun, and honestly, I’m glad I got to end it with this show,” Youngstrom said. “[Gleason] was actually the first person I met on campus, so getting to end it all with her [is] like a full circle moment.”

Gleason said it’s hard to see some of the seniors graduate because many of them have been working with her since her first show at Truman. 

While this curtain closes for Youngstrom, another one opens for her co-star, Carlson. As a freshman, “She Kills Monsters” was her introduction into college acting. Carlson said in comparison to her time acting in middle and high school, her colleagues are more experienced and professional. Carlson said it was intimidating, but the kindness shown to her by everyone working on the production helped her get settled in.  

“All the directors, the staff, the cast, the crew – everyone is very friendly,” Carlson said. “They have a community that they’ve built, and it’s very welcoming – even if you’re just coming in for the first time. They’re very supportive.”

Carlson said she would like to continue to act in more productions while continuing her studies at the University and hopes to see more students come to shows. Carlson said it’s difficult to sell tickets, but she thinks that if more people came, they would grow to love the productions. While people at the University are welcoming and loving of theatre, Carlson said, there is a stigma around theatre for people who aren’t involved. 

Sophomore Devin LaRue, who played the male lead Chuck Biggs in “She Kills Monsters,” echoed Carlson’s sentiment. LaRue said students in theatre are stereotyped as being loud and annoying, but they are more than that. 

“We’re loving and caring and passionate people who care so deeply about one another,” LaRue said. “Working with a group of people that trust you and that care about you and want you to succeed … is really nice.”

Since his freshman year, LaRue has worked on every production through various roles, including scenic design, technical director and assistant stage manager. “She Kills Monsters” was his first return to the spotlight in a year. 

LaRue said in the future he wants to be particular about auditioning for roles that hold valuable messages for him, and with themes like D&D, family ties and respecting people no matter who they are, “She Kills Monsters” was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

LaRue is a Dungeon Master both on and off-stage, with involvement in multiple D&D groups on campus. Gleason said one night he even taught the game to some of the crew and faculty. 

The cast worked together and collaborated in other ways. Senior Lauren Cavanah and sophomore Alex Smith served as both actors and costume designers. Lillie McLaughlin, the assistant director for “She Kills Monsters,” was also the fight captain.   

“There [are] a lot of schools [that] really want you to stay in your lane,” Gleason said. “We want people to do everything. We want them to try everything so that they really find out what they love when they go out into the world.”

After conquering “She Kills Monsters” together, the cast, crew and faculty of the Truman theatre program will move on to other adventures. They will be ready to face whatever succubae, gelatinous cube or five-headed dragon life throws their way because the connections they make, the myriad of skills they acquire and the lessons they learn in the theatre program prepare them to kill monsters.