Auditions: Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic

Puffs is a tale for anyone who has never been destined to save the world. 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. 

This fast-paced, clever play looks at a familiar adventure from a new perspective – of three potential heroes just trying to survive a rather dangerous school alongside a group of well-meaning, loyal outsiders with a thing for badgers. This hilariously heartfelt tale asks what it means to be a “side character” in an epic adventure. 

Auditions for Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic, directed by Allyssa Hynes, will be held as follows:

Date & Times:

• Thursday July 13th from 7pm – 9 pm
• Tuesday July 18th  from 7pm to 9pm
• Call backs (if needed) will be Thursday July 27th from 7pm to 9pm
• If unable to attend in person, you can submit a video audition via YouTube and completed audition form to puffs@whatconj.org by July 18th

Location: 15 Frank E. Rodgers Blvd. South, Harrison, NJ (the former Holy Cross High School)

Production Dates: October 21st – Oct 29th

All actors 18+ of any background are invited to audition.

There is some adult language and magical battlefield violence within the show. 

Questions? Contact puffs@whatconj.org

Rehearsals

Read Thru – Monday, July 31st or August 10th @ 7 pm (TBD)

Rehearsals will be light in August and pick up after Labor Day.

Rehearsals will mostly take place on weekday evenings. 

Actors should have good availability the two weeks prior to the show (excluding Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples’ Day), Oct 10th through Oct 20th.

Please list all conflicts between July 31 and the shows. 

The original production of PUFFS cast 11 actors who doubled 60+ different characters. The character descriptions below reflect the original casting, but the director intends to be somewhat flexible with the cast breakdown. Please be honest on your audition form about the roles you would accept. 

Each Puff must be energetic and sincere. All actors should have strong comedic timing. 

Characters:

• Wayne Hopkins (male) – The hero. Totally uncool, but full of charm and heart. Loyal to a tee. Likes comic books and video games, knows nothing about magic or this weird magic world he is now a part of. Best friends with Oliver and Megan. 
• Oliver Rivers (male) – One of the main trio. Incredibly smart and cerebral, he is a math wiz, and proud of it; lovingly a nerd from New Jersey. After ending up at wizarding school, he finds out he isn’t the top of his class, and instead begins a fantastical journey of friendship and even some love, better than any algebra class could ever promise. 
• Megan Jones (female) – One of the main trio; begins the show goth by only desiring to live up to her mother’s reputation: a dark wizard currently in Wiz Priz for being such a bad-ass Death Buddy in her youth. Over time, her tough veneer begins to soften, as a budding romance with Oliver becomes apparent. Defiant and headstrong on the surface, the audience begins to see that her adamancy of being completely unique and independent really stems from her desire to be loved and accepted.
• Narrator – The narrator of the story. They guide us through our entire show of Puffy-ness. Hopefully a British accent. Must have comedic skills and be a great storyteller.
• Ernie Mac – loud and proud. Pretty sure he’s the best. (A Very Tall Man, Seamus, A Certain Potions Teacher, Professor Turban, Ghost History Teacher, Professor Locky, Mr. Nick, Sal, Second Headmaster, Real Mr. Moody) 
• Hannah – Very, very shy. (First Headmaster, Professor McG, Professor Sproutty, Xavia Jones, Professor Lanny, Runes Teach, Ms. Babble) 
• J. Finch Fletchley – Boyish and fun. (Uncle Dave, Goyle, A Far Friar, Clumsy Longbottom, Hermeoone # 3, Viktor, Mr. Bagman, Zach Smith) 
• Leanne – Is either a genius or really dumb… She has the biggest heart. (Ginny, Helga, Frenchy) 
• Sally Perks – Nice and later enjoys attracting attention.  (Hermeoone, Blondo Malfoy, Rowena, Rita Scooter, Bippy) 
• Susie Bones – Gloomy. (Harry, Colin, Hermeoone # 2, Ric Gryff, Myrtle) 
• Cedric and Mr. Voldy – basically the best guy ever and the most evil 

Actors will be asked to read from sides during the auditions.

Please be prepared to show off your best (or merely okay) British accents! Wayne, Oliver, and Megan have American accents. Everyone else should have some version of an English one. 

Scenes  (click title to download)

• Meeting the Puffs
• Trio
• Classes
• Cedric & Wayne
• The Dark Lord

Monologues

Megan Jones – I never wanted to be a Puff. Every member of my family? Puffs. We’re like THE Puff family. But I’ve always known that I was different. There’s nothing even special about Puffs. Loyalty? Being really nice? A bunch of lame, awful failures doomed to be stupid walking personality-less nobodies that no one will ever care about ever? Ugh. My mom was a Puff. But she was different. She became something bigger. She made the name Jones finally mean something other than a bunch of … Puffs. I thought … I knew … I would be different too. But … after all my hard work to make myself not a Puff, what do you know? The hat puts me with the Puffs. I did everything. I mean, I even changed my accent just so I wouldn’t sound like my Puff family. 

Leanne – No! I don’t want to leave. Why is everyone always so down on us? I won’t stand for it anymore! And I won’t sit for it either. And I also won’t stand on one leg because I can’t. Watch. Anyways. Look at your hand! You have a wand! Unless you looked at your other hand. Look at yourselves! Hannah. You used to be so awkward. And you still are, but we don’t mind anymore! Who’s that? It’s Ernie Mac. And he is basically the best. And Sally. Remember the time you did that thing?! It was amazing! Susie! We all thought you’d be dead by now. But look at you, standing there, alive. Wayne. You give the best hugs. Megan! You give better hugs than you think you do. And J. Finch. He’s imaginary, AND HE CAN DO MAGIC! We all can. We’re wizards. So, sure. It would be easy to leave. But wouldn’t it be wrong? We should do what’s right. Like Cedric. I’m a Puff and I’m staying, because if we don’t fight now we may never find out how that hat talks! 

Wayne Hopkins – Question. Hypothetical. What if I don’t have enough of a personality for the magic talking hat to sort me? Like…how much authority does this hat really have? Never mind. This place is crazy huh? I never thought I’d go to school in a castle. Pretty cool. I’ve never really liked school. People were mean. To me. I’m talking too much. You probably have all your own nervous thoughts going on … can I tell you something? I think I might be … special? I watch a lot of movies and read lots of books, and it’s like; a normal boy finds out he actually has amazing abilities and is swept away to a new, magical world? Does that sound familiar? Because that is now my ACTUAL life. And THAT kid, through some incredible circumstances always becomes like the most important person. Like in the whole world. A sort of … Chosen One. AHH! Magic is real, and this orphaned boy wizard is ready for seven years of amazing adventures! 

Mister Voldy – So. Since we’re on the verge of our victory to be remembered for all dark ages to come, pats on the back by the way, I’ve been working on some fun one liners to say when we vanquish out great teenage enemy, Potter. Maybe I can try some out, so you can see how fun thy are – eh hem. “Boy who lived? How about the boy who’s dead now? HA!” “Nice second scar – the one that’s on your whole body – since I killed you.” “Mother’s love your way out of that!” Or my favorite – “Loser says Avada what -” he says, “What” – “KEDABRA!” – then he dies. What? The megaphone is still on? Really? Oh my. I am just having a day, aren’t I? YAH! Harry!