She Kills Monsters

2016

She Kills Monsters: Lighting Design Reflection at Santa Fe Playhouse

As the lighting designer for "She Kills Monsters" at the Santa Fe Playhouse, directed by Malcolm Morgan, I was tasked with creating a lighting scheme that could capture both the ordinary world of Agnes and the extraordinary, fantastical realm of Dungeons and Dragons where her late sister Tilly found solace. The play, by Qui Nguyen, offers a vivid exploration of grief, identity, and the escapist joy of fantasy role-playing games, weaving through humorous and poignant moments with ease.

Performance Overview:
"She Kills Monsters" is a heartfelt narrative that unfolds through Agnes’s discovery of Tilly’s Dungeons and Dragons notebook following her tragic death. Agnes, initially an outsider to the world of gaming, embarks on a quest that reveals her sister’s hidden life, filled with magical creatures, epic battles, and deep-seated camaraderie. The play ran from Thursday to Sunday with varying ticket prices, including special events such as a Gala and a preview night.

Challenges in Lighting Design:
One of the central challenges of lighting "She Kills Monsters" was distinguishing between the real world and the fantastical world within the game. The lighting needed to transition smoothly from mundane to magical, guiding the audience through Agnes's journey into the vibrant world Tilly cherished.

Design Approach and Techniques:
To achieve this, I employed a dynamic lighting palette that utilized vibrant colors and sharp contrasts to signify shifts into the game’s realm. In scenes set in reality, the lighting was more subdued, employing naturalistic tones and softer transitions to reflect everyday life. As we moved into the fantastical sequences, the lighting became bold and dramatic, with deep purples, striking greens, and fiery reds to represent different elements of the game, from dark dungeons to enchanted forests.

Special effects such as strobe lights and focused beams were used to enhance critical moments of action and magic, such as battles with dragons or encounters with mythical creatures. LED lights and programmable spotlights allowed for quick changes and intense color shifts, vital for keeping up with the fast-paced narrative and the energetic performances of the cast.

Impact on the Production:
The lighting design played a crucial role in the storytelling of "She Kills Monsters," not only enhancing the visual spectacle but also deepening the emotional impact of the narrative. By visually cueing the audience to the shifts between reality and fantasy, the lighting helped bridge Agnes’s understanding of her sister's world, illustrating the power of imagination and the profound connections it can forge.

Audience and Cast Feedback:
Feedback from audiences highlighted the effectiveness of the lighting in enhancing their immersive experience. The actors also benefited from the distinct environments crafted through lighting, which helped them navigate their dual roles in the real and fantasy segments of the play. The successful interplay of light with the narrative and performances helped make "She Kills Monsters" a memorable production at the Santa Fe Playhouse.

This project was a testament to the power of lighting in theatrical storytelling, particularly in a play that traverses between the realms of the real and the imagined, making it a deeply fulfilling experience for me as a designer.