Puffs

April 2021

Making of Mainstage Documentary

Poster

Design by Oliver Parson

A Note from the Directors

      Now let’s get one thing straight- I am 100% a Ravenclaw, my co-director identifies as Slytherin…but this year, we have never felt more like Puffs.  
      Amidst a pandemic, my perfectionist spirit was beaten and broken from constantly changing Covid protocols to sudden shut downs and multiple cancelations of this very show. Suddenly my merry band of misfits and I were learning firsthand how important it is to fail, and fail…and fail. Because failure really is just another form of practice, and all of those failed attempts at making it to an opening night made our cast and crew embody the common characteristic of the classic Puff--the optimistic underdogs who never fail to get up when they are pushed down. We became a group of badger-loving, underappreciated misfits who make it to opening night even if it takes 6 months, 3 re-stagings, constantly interchanging understudy’s, stand ins, date changes and students picking up new roles each week and taking on responsibilities or lines of quarantined castmates(and directors! Yikes!). We’ve been through it all! And it hasn’t been easy, but this cast endured through loyalty to one another, teamwork, and perseverance in the face of failure that could only come from a Puff. Even when it felt insurmountable or impossible, these kids saw it through to the end and we could not be more proud of them. 
      Puffs is a story about the Hufflepuffs throughout the seven years of Hogwarts. If you are a fan of the books, as myself and my co-director are, you know that we rarely focus on this house throughout the series. While Puffs can be the butt of many a joke, they are there when it counts most. In a story where everyone else seems to get the attention, the Puffs teach us how important it is to not get lost in other’s glory and remember that we truly are the hero in our own story. In a year like no other, I think we could all take some helpful advice from the Puffs, so I’ve made this handy checklist to help you live your life like a Puff:

• ​Nap. Do it often. Be excited about napping. Napping is awesome.​
• Badgers! Get a badger! Badgers are great!
• Always bunk really close to the kitchen, you never know when you’ll need to snack. 
• Failure is a part of life. Its how we learn. Give yourself a break. Then get back up.
• We are at our best when we ban together in support of each other. Loyalty is key.

Production Photos

"Heroes. Made. Not born. Except, sometimes...they are born. On a gloomy night, in a far away, magical land called: England."
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For seven years a certain boy wizard went to a certain Wizard School and conquered evil. This, however, is not his story. This is the story of the Puffs...who just happened to be there too. A tale for anyone who has never been destined to save the world.

--Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic, Matt Cox

She Kills Monsters

Performed February 2020

Trailers

Poster

Design by Elliot Batta

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A Note from the Directors

     This is a story about grief. In fact, this is a comedy about grief. Because grief is a funny thing…though it can hurt and haunt us, it also has a way of comforting us in the most unusual circumstances. This is the story of tremendous loss, where comfort is found through an unusually magical and mystically vivid process of grief, set to a solid 90’s soundtrack.
     Set in 1995, one year after the tragic and sudden death of her little sister, Agnes finds herself feeling lost in a world of high school popularity that once fulfilled her. When she finds her sister’s diary and digs deeper into her dungeons and dragon’s module, Agnes finds comfort in a world where social status is not predisposed and strength is not determined by stature. In this magical realm, Agnes gets to fight side by side with her sister in a quest to take back her sister’s soul from the five headed dragon who has captured it. Throughout this symbolic process, Agnes finds a side of her sister that she never knew and realizes what a true hero she truly was to those around her.

     She Kills Monsters is a geeky and deep centered exploration of how high school trials and tribulations shape who we are, how we identify and how we experience the world around us. Through this tale of heartache, trial, adversity and adventure, we learn that true heroism lies in one’s ability to break through normative expectations, embrace other’s perspectives and have the courage to explore our own identities. Our show aims to empower students by shedding light on the sensational struggles and terrifying triumphs high school brings for all on the journey of self-discovery. Our production specifically highlights the importance of advocating for one another and standing united in the face of bullying and self-doubt. Our ultimate goal is to bring people together as a community to empathize and better understand one another, explore what we each stand for and find ways to support each other on our own, individual adventures.
     And we thought- What better than a heartfelt tale filled with combat, dragons, and 90’s nostalgia to bring us all together?!

Production Photos

"In a time before Facebook, World of Warcraft, and Massive Multiplayer Online RPG's, there once existed simply a game. Forged by the hands of nerds, crafted in the minds of geeks, and so advanced in its advanciness it would take a whole second edition to contain all its mighty geekery."
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--She Kills Monsters, Qui Nguyen