The Monsters

Dallas Theater Center brings The Monsters to the Wyly Studio Theatre starting October 9, running through November 1. It's the regional premiere of Ngozi Anyanwu's play, which first debuted Off-Broadway at Manhattan Theatre Club to critical acclaim and a New York Times Critic's Pick. Since then, it's played at La Jolla Playhouse and Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and this is its first time on a Dallas stage.

The story follows Lil, a scrappy young fighter, and her brother Big, an accomplished figure in the local MMA scene. They've been apart for sixteen years, and when they reconnect, Lil has to master her stance, her strikes, and her stubborn streak to earn his respect. The two spend the play trying to mend a thorny past in the ring they both love. It's billed as a play full of heart, humor, and the fierce love only a sibling can give.

Akron Watson plays Big, and DTC Company Member Tiana Kaye Blair plays Lil. The production is directed by Delicia Turner Sonnenberg. The play runs an hour and a half with no intermission, and it includes extensive MMA choreography on stage, so the fighting is a real part of what you'll see. After every performance, Akron Watson leads Stay Late, DTC's post-show conversation with the cast and crew.

Ngozi Anyanwu is a multi-hyphenated storyteller who also wrote LEROY, LUCY, LAST OF THE LOVE LETTERS, and GOOD GRIEF. The Monsters runs from October 9 to November 1 at the Wyly Studio Theatre, part of the Dallas Theater Center at 2400 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201.