Taking a Close Look at 'She Kills Monsters'

Although Thomas Nelson's performance of "She Kills Monsters" is in April, roles were decided last week. A series called "A Peek Behind the Curtain" will follow cast member Hannah Styron from auditions to the closing performance. A 20-year-old Thomas Nelson theater student, she plays Agnes Evans in the production, and will provide insights into the play, her role, the role of others and what goes into putting on such a production.

This will be her fourth show as a performer at Thomas Nelson, and she was stage manager for "Romeo and Juliet." For "Chicago," she played Veronica and was an assistant choreographer.

For the current production, she auditioned specifically for Agnes because it was a role that was relatable to her.

"In the prologue, Agnes is described as average. The moment I read that, I was like, "That's me,'" Hannah said. "I really feel average sometimes, especially my stature and everything. I just feel average. I have brown hair. I have brown eyes. I'm just average."

The play is about an older sister who, following the death of her younger sibling, discovers more about her by playing "Dungeons and Dragons." That also appealed to Hannah, who admits to being "a really huge nerd" and loving the role-playing game.

"I think the story is such a great story," she said. "In my opinion, it's not a D&D story. It's a story about relationships, and the story about Agnes and Tilly's relationship."

To learn more, look for Hannah's insights in the coming weeks. The play is scheduled for April 3, 4, 5, 9, 10 and 11 at the Dr. Mary T. Christian Auditorium in Templin Hall. Ticket information is available at tncc.edu/performingarts.

A few more things to know about Hannah:

Family: Two older brothers and an older sister.

Hometown: Born in Portsmouth, lives in Hampton.

High school: Home-schooled.

Previous Thomas Nelson performances and roles: Ensemble in "The Grand Duke," Little Red Riding Hood in "Into the Woods," stage manager for "Romeo and Juliet," assistant choreographer and Veronica in "Chicago."

Other interests or hobbies: Theater takes up so much of her time. But she would love to get into cosplay. She enjoys sewing her own costumes, and reading anything she can get her hands on.

Favorite movie: Currently it's Marvel's "Avengers: Endgame"

Favorite TV show: Currently going though "Diary of a Future President," "The Witcher," and "Critical Role."

Favorite author or book: The Blood of Kings trilogy by Jill Williamson.

Favorite quote: It's from Twelfth Doctor Peter Capaldi in "Dr. Who": "Remember hate is always foolish and love is always wise … laugh hard, run fast and be kind."

I think it's just so true. Love is always wise.

Classes you are taking: Choir, a small business management class, theater workshop, American Sign Language at Tidewater Community College.

Something most people don't know about you: Since she was home-schooled, she was not involved in plays in high school. She is a relative newcomer to theater.