This past weekend, Keene State’s Theatre and Dance Department performed HOOKMAN, an existential slasher play written by Lauren Yee in 2015.
According to Concord Theatricals, HOOKMAN is about a first-year college student named Lexi, who struggles with homesickness, roommate shenanigans and the loss of her best friend from back home when a hook-handed serial killer begins attacking and slashing the faces of students around campus. HOOKMAN deals with coming of age, grief, post-traumatic stress, survivor’s guilt, loss and acceptance.
The play was co-directed by Adjunct Theatre Faculty Hallie Flower, with junior Janet Sesay playing Lexi, the main protagonist and senior Melina Martello-Munoz playing Jess, Lexi’s high school best friend who was tragically killed in a car accident. “It’s really kind of becoming of age in a coming to understanding,” said Flower.
“It’s just a very different show than what I’ve been in previously. This will only be my third play ever, and the plot and story of a man really entice me and a new director also entices me. It’s always really fun to work with a different creative team,” said Sesay, who was also involved with After The Blast in 2024, directed by Tyler Keyes and The Creation of the World and Other Business in 2025, also directed by Keyes.
Martello-Munoz said that she had never been involved in a play before and had only worked on musicals, with HOOKMAN being her first play production.
“I am so excited for this show to happen,” said Martello-Munoz. “I’m so excited for everyone to witness all this story we created together and what [Flower] has directed and yeah, just excitement all around.”
HOOKMAN played at the Redfern Arts Center Wright Theatre from Oct. 14 to Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m., as well as a matinee performance on Oct. 17. Due to the sensitive content involved in the play, a content warning was on display upon admission.
The reception for the play was generally positive. “The play was amazing,” said sophomore Molly Cronin. “It was the perfect mix of humor, jump scares, and an incredible story.”
“The play was very engaging, especially as someone who does not typically enjoy plays,” said sophomore Amara Challinor. “The humor had me laughing and screaming the whole show. Ten out of ten.”
Liam Thorne can be contacted at
lthorne@kscequinox.com
