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The dramatic comedy “She Kills Monsters,” written by Qui Nguyen, not only embodies today’s “nerd culture,” but also combines it with the aesthetic of the ‘90s.

Ben Gonzales, WSU clinical assistant professor, directs a play every year through WSU Performing Arts. This year, Gonzales is directing “She Kills Monsters” to open this weekend and run through Mom’s Weekend.

The play stars sophomore communication major Mallorie Jordan as Agnes and sophomore fashion merchandising major Sara Wagoner as Tilly, Agnes’s younger sister. Agnes, who works at her old high school, is an unassuming 25-year-old with a saddening past: her whole family, younger sister included, died in a car crash five years earlier.

It has taken Agnes years to finish cleaning out the old family home, but as she’s cleaning, she finds a game similar to Dungeons & Dragons that her sister wrote. Agnes is able to learn more about her sister through the fantastical game Tilly created.

Gonzales said he was able to identify with this story personally, and when he first read the script, he became very passionate about making sure this story was told.

“‘She Kills Monsters’ takes place in 1995 and it’s about overcoming tragedy,” Gonzales said. “In 1995, I was diagnosed with cancer, and because I couldn’t run around outside at the time, I played Dungeons & Dragons. So many aspects of the play just made me very nostalgic.”

Gonzales believes this play is perfect for Mom’s Weekend because it will be easy to connect with the themes, the setting and the nature of it.

“It’s funny, it’s fast-paced, and it’s full of nostalgia from the mid-‘90s that a lot of parents will probably be able to identify with,” Gonzales said.

This show is also full of fight scenes, crass humor and gruesome deaths, so it’s not something only mothers will enjoy. Freshman history major Jake Sullivan is the stage manager for this production, and his favorite part involves the gruesome deaths.

“There’s a character, Steve, who dies in increasingly grotesque and fantastic ways every time he’s on stage,” Sullivan said. “He has this squeal, this death squeal. It is absolutely the best thing I’ve ever heard.”

Sophomore business management major Josie Lamothe acts in the show and wrote all of the dance choreography.

“I play a more minor role that’s there for the comedic relief,” Lamothe said. “Autumn Crane and I are succubus cheerleaders who are full of snark. I like to say that she’s the mean b—- and I’m the dumb b—-.”

Lamothe wasn’t originally supposed to be the dance choreographer, but because of her cheerleading background, Gonzales offered her the job when the first teacher fell through.

“Weeks late, we found out Ben’s friend couldn’t do it,” Lamothe said. “Ben gave me the songs and told me I needed to have the choreography done in three days. It was a lot of work, but it was so fun and I’m very passionate about it so that made it easier.”

“She Kills Monsters” is a technically challenging play for everyone involved. Sullivan said “people managing and all the odd jobs” are difficult.

“Calling the on-stage lights and sound effects is definitely the hardest,” Sullivan said. “It all has to be very specific. If I’m even a half a beat off, Ben will know and I’ll get a ‘Jake, come on!’ from him.”

Gonzales believes the hardest thing was conquering difficult stage directions with creative solutions.

“The stage directions are absolutely crazy. Some of them are like ‘she explodes’ or ‘gelatinous cube appears.’ It’s written very cinematically,” Gonzales said. “It would be so much easier with film and cuts and special effects, so we’ve had to overcome a lot.”

“She Kills Monsters” will open at 7:30 p.m. tonight in Jones Theatre at Daggy Hall. Shows will also take place at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on April 1, 7:30 p.m. on April 7, and 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on April 8. Adult tickets cost $10 and senior, youth, and student tickets cost $8. Groups of eight or more are $6 per person.

“By the end of the play, Agnes has learned more about who Tilly is and what it means to really love your family,” Sullivan said. “I hope that, even though this is a comedy and it’s supposed to be funny, the audience understands that it’s also about loving your family while you can.”