PUFFS: The Ultimate Love Letter to Wizarding Underdogs
Poster designed by Sierra Dunn ‘27
On Nov. 1, Notre Dame’s fall play “PUFFS” had their opening show. The hard work of the cast and crew paid off into an immediate success, with a sold-out house to kick off Notre Dame’s Theater season.
In 1997, J.K. Rowling introduced the world to the “Harry Potter” series, and ever since, the internet has been buzzing with quizzes and lore. Although not authorized by Rowling or any other companies involved with the production of the Harry Potter series, “PUFFS” aims to give a new perspective to the franchise. It centers around the viewpoint of the friendly underdog house that is often undermined: Hufflepuff.
Written by Matt Cox, “PUFFS” cleverly parodies J.K. Rowling’s popular “Harry Potter” series through its usage of satirical comedy. Although lighthearted, the play doesn’t shy away from serious themes such as fear and death, using a character’s passing as a key part of the story.
The main protagonists, Wayne, Oliver, and Megan, are young Puffs determined to prove their worth in a school that constantly undermines them. The story spans over 7 years in a run time of 2 hours. The accelerated pace of the tale further adds to the comedic appeal. Though fast-paced, the play focuses on the trio’s journey of self-discovery and growth throughout the years. However, in the end, none of the trio are revered as glamorous heroes, but they do realize something greater: everyone is a hero in their own story, no matter how the world perceives them.
Notre Dame’s Theater Department prides itself on a student-led Technical Theater program supervised by Brett Carlson and Caitlyn Nichols in the Visual and Performing Arts Department. Students from all grade levels design, build, and run high-quality productions at local theater, City Lights. Through the hard work and dedication of student technicians, the technical elements of Notre Dame productions have always been sights to behold, especially through the usage of special effects.
Student leadership can be found anywhere in the department: Assistant Director of “PUFFS” Pragnya Geddada ‘27 notes, “My favorite part of being the Assistant Director for “PUFFS” has got to be looking over the community we have built, getting the overview experience of being a director, and getting to see how things work behind the scenes.”
Notre Dame’s Theater’s next production, “This is a Test,” is a one-act comedy, coming on Jan. 10 from 7pm-9pm during Advanced Drama’s Winter Showcase, performed in Julie Billiart Hall.