The curtain will rise this weekend on a play directed by a UWindsor staff member for Korda Artistic Productions.

Valerie Bonasso, University Players props master and scene shop co-ordinator, directs She Kills Monsters, opening Sept. 8 at the KordaZone Theatre, 2520 Seminole St. Written by Qui Nguyen, the play tells the story of Agnes Evans, a young woman who loses her parents and younger sister in a car accident.

When she finds her sister’s journal detailing adventures in the fantasy game Dungeons and Dragons, Agnes teams up with the other members of the gaming group to learn more about the sister she barely knew.

Bonasso says the story affected her deeply from the first time she read it.

“This play has two completely unapologetic female heroines and several other strong female characters that I find so inspiring,” she says. “It deals with grief from a place of honouring the person who has been lost and remembering them in the most authentic way. And it's wrapped up in the rich, imaginative setting of a Dungeons and Dragons game that brings audiences on a unique and heartwarming adventure.”

Applauded for its nuanced portrayals of LGBTQ2S+ characters, She Kills Monsters examines issues that affect youths and the adults in their lives.

“I hope people find a little of themselves in this story and enjoy the fun of the game along the way,” says Bonasso.

She is assisted in her directing duties by Kristen Siapas, marketing co-ordinator for the School of Dramatic Art.

She Kills Monsters runs Sept. 8, 9, 14 to 16, and 21 to 23. Find details and tickets at kordamonsters.eventbrite.ca.