Southeast senior Katrina Yeager will be embracing the world of Dungeons and Dragons as she directs “She Kills Monsters,”which will premiere Sept. 20 at the Dobbins River Campus Center.

The play, written by Qui Nguyen, is a comedic drama about a young teacher, Agnes Evans, who gets to know her deceased sister by playing Dungeons and Dragons.

Yeager said the central theme behind the play is to show people who are considered “normal” to experience what it is like to be a nerd.

“Dungeons and Dragons is the one thing through the show that brings all of them together,” Yeager said.”There’s a little nerd in all of us.”

Yeager spoke about being an outcast in school and how games like Dungeons and Dragons gave her the opportunity to be whoever she wanted to be.

“In Dungeons you can portray yourself however you want to,” Yeager said. “That’s the big thing about positivity and learning how you can be, and I really connect with that.”

Yeager shared what inspired her to get into theatre. Originally, she had her mind set on another career but one fateful experience changed her direction.

“I had always wanted to be a doctor that was a big thing for me,” Yeager said.

Yeager said she also had been a theatre influence at her school for four years which helped guide her into finding out what path she truly wanted to follow.

“We had an achievement award night for choir, and when they called my name and everybody in the auditorium stood up and started clapping, something clicked in my head and was like”You have to do theatre for the rest of your life”,” she said.

This production was made possible through a program started recently by the theatre department which allows student directors to submit a play proposal. If selected the department will buy the right and provide a space to run the show.

“The department does this because they really think that student influence is so important in theatre,” Yeager said.

Yeager said she will be bringing originality to the show by applying her own interpretation of the work to the sets, costumes and even the casting of actors.

“I tend to do more comedic shows that have more serious twists in them so when I’m deciding who I want for the show I keep a completely open mind,” she said.” I don’t say ‘I want a skinny girl for this part because you never know who’s going to blow you away.”

Yeager said she finds it very empowering working as a female director in the industry

“It’s a male-dominated industry,” Yeager said. “They say ‘No’ a lot, but, it’s our job as women, and empowered women specifically as directors, to kind of push through it. If you can’t find someone who’s willing to give you the opportunity, make it for yourself.”