The cast and crew list for this year’s production of Puffs has recently been posted, and the cast wastes little time as they begin the process of preparing for the show.

After last year’s evident successes with CLUE and The Little Mermaid, Potomac Falls drama is beginning to prepare for their first production of the school year, the annual fall play. The cast list and the crew leadership lists for the show were posted on Sep. 9, and the cast has already started the process of preparing for the show. This year, the drama department will be putting on their production of the show, Puffs.

According to Playbill, Puffs is a play written by Matt Cox that provides a unique perspective about life at Hogwarts from a new set of students who attended school during the same time frame as Harry Potter. It takes place in the Wizarding World, however, it has distinct differences from the renowned series in order to avoid copyright infringement issues and other legal problems that could arise. It is a comedy featuring a young wizard, Wayne, who is sorted into Hufflepuff along with two of his friends. It follows its own storyline, while still referencing key parts of the books and films so viewers can remain immersed in the complex universe of Harry Potter. 

Cast members are already looking forward to bringing Puffs to life. “It’s been really fun. I enjoy having a comedy play as it makes it more interesting,” said cast member and sophomore, Kat Gross. “Pretty much everyone has been really positive about [Puffs,] and everyone in our cast is super talented.”

This year, many underclassmen are playing larger roles, according to Theater Director Corinne Fox. “It’s nice to see them stepping up and taking on this big responsibility,” said Fox.

There were 50 people who auditioned for a role in Puffs, with over 30 students landing roles. Two of the main characters are played by sophomore Landon Ulrich and junior Ben Shumaker.

There are numerous adjectives that this cast could use to describe Puffs; however, cast member, junior Ayyoob Saeed suggested ‘clever’ as the one word that best illustrates the show. “From the way the comedy is set up, to the interaction, subversion, and expansion of characters, and the overall whimsical fun of the show, the show really is quite clever,” said Saeed.

Puffs debuts on Friday, Nov. 18 at 7:00 pm and Saturday, Nov. 19 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Tickets for Puffs can be purchased online on the Potomac Falls Drama Website. According to Fox, viewers can look forward to an immersive experience with unique sets, talented actors, themed concessions and an adorned lobby that should help tie the whole production together.