NORTH BEACH, Md. – Greetings, prospective witches and wizards! Which house will you be sorted into upon your admittance to a certain school of magic? Surely, you won’t end up being a silly puff! However, there are more happenings afoot. A particular student with the last name Potter just continues to beckon utter mayhem to this fine institution each year that you attend. Whatever is a young wizard to do? Why, go see the Twin Beach Players’ (TBP) newest kids’ production of the Harry Potter (HP) fan-favorite parody play, Puffs, of course.
Puffs was originally written by Matt Cox in 2015, with its final iteration produced off-Broadway in 2017. It was wildly successful and has also become a favorite of community and children’s theatre. The basic story follows an American who receives an invitation to a certain school of magic. Upon arrival, she is sorted into the most unlikely of houses—the Puffs. This show begs the question, what would it have been like to be a student at Hogwarts while everything that occurred during the HP series unfolded? The answer it provides is hysterical mayhem.
I sat down with Harvey Willams, the director of the show, to learn more about the process of bringing the production to life. The following interview has been edited for clarity.
Tell me a brief history of the kids’ theatre program at TBP and your part in it.
The youth program has been a part of TBP for over 25 years now. It was formed with the intention of helping and nurturing young actors – to teach them the history, technique, and knowledge of the theatre in order for them to become better actors.
My part in it is to pass down the decades of knowledge and experience that I have as an actor. I’ve been acting since I was seven years old. I was in their shoes back when I studied at the world renowned Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, PA.
What has been the best part about directing these kids?
I love getting to watch them grow creatively as actors. Each one came into the program with different skill levels in acting. Helping them grow and mature their acting skills is so rewarding.
What have been some of the challenges that you’ve encountered during the rehearsal process?
We have some young actors that have never been on stage before and are new to theatre. Due to this, we have to constantly remind them to listen and be aware of what’s happening on stage and backstage during the performances. We were all young once and we know the attention span of children.
What is your favorite scene or moment during the show and why?
Oh wow. That’s a hard one. There are so many great moments and scenes. I’m serious, these kids are amazing in every scene of the show. If I had to pick one, it’s when the Puffs are all together on stage interacting.
When selecting this year’s show, what drew you to Puffs?
I love stories about the underdogs and how the unlikeliest of characters can also be the unsung heroes of the story. The Puffs didn’t get the recognition that Harry did in defeating You Know Who, but they did help and were an important part of The Wizard battle, as you will see in the play.
Who is this show for? Is it just for Harry Potter fans?
This show is not only just for HP fans. I tell people to come to the show even if you don’t know anything about the wizarding world of magic and witchcraft. It’s a story about love, friendship, being young, and discovering that it’s okay to be yourself. We all have felt out of place or like a side character. Not everyone can be the hero in the story, and that’s okay because the side characters are just as important to the story.
Finally, tell me about some moments of growth with the kids that you’ve gotten to witness during this process.
A lot of these kids had never been on stage before. In the beginning of the process, a lot of them were very timid, shy, and not very outgoing. I witnessed an absolutely astonishing amount of learning and growth with these kids during our months together. The knowledge they retained about the craft, their willingness to learn, and their camaraderie with their fellow actors has been a beautiful thing to watch. These children’s growth and ability to support and love one another like a magical, acting, Puff family has been amazing to witness.
Puffs will be playing at the Twin Beach Players at the North Beach Boys & Girls Club at 9021 Dayton Avenue North Beach, MD 20714 through October 8th, 2023. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit their website here.
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I wonder if the crazy Christians will protest because it’s “witchcraft” ..LOL