by Dan Mayer
Not everyone is destined to defeat the dark lord and save the world. Puffs takes us back to a familiar school of magic to follow the stories of characters usually relegated to the background. SLCA‘s production casts quite a spell, delivering both hilarity and heart.
Audience members on opening night were greeted by crew in full wizard and witch costumes, and each received their own “invitation” to magic school, which functioned as the show’s playbill. Pre-show announcements were delivered in-character by a certain headmaster. The tone being set was clear: everyone was there to have fun.
To the casual observer, the show must seem like pure chaos. The fact that it actually flowed fairly smoothly and wasn’t hard to follow is testament to the efforts of the cast and director Eric Shovah. The mostly broad and slapstick humor was delivered at a frantic pace, with actors constantly coming and going, swapping costumes and characters seemingly every few seconds. There is a staggering number of minor characters being skillfully portrayed by just a handful of actors. The show also calls for a dizzying array of props, and the cast handled them deftly with excellent timing.
There were a couple of minor mishaps with the set and props on opening night, but the cast took them in stride and even worked them into some of their improvisations. For all the silliness on offer though, the few moments of genuine drama and heart were not diminished.
The plot leans heavily on the series it’s parodying, which can be both a weakness and a strength. Fans and audience members who at least have a passing familiarity with the original adventures of a young wizard named Harry will get the most out of Puffs, whereas newcomers will likely feel lost.
Much like the Puffs themselves, this cast and crew are not to be underestimated. There is a lot of fun to be had with this show, but maybe don’t bring the kids along, or anyone who really loves small (stuffed) animals.
Sand Lake Center for the Arts/Circle Theatre Players present Puffs by Matt Cox, directed by Eric Shovah, runs from August 8 – 17, at Sand Lake Center for the Arts, 2880 NY-43 in Averill Park, NY. Cast: Rex Winchester, Kerry Kazmierowicztrimm, Lauren LeClair, Heather D’Arcy, Jerry Greene, Claudia McCabe, Skyler Haley, Ann Glackin, Madison Austin, Allison McArdle Avery, and Clem Washington-Flowers.
Set Design and Fight Choreography: Eric Shovah. Assistant Director: Liana Martino. Stage Manager: Regina Baker. Master Electrician/Technical Director:Bob Healey. Sound Designer: Joel Lord. Light Designer: Jacob Pickett. Costumes: Ellya Winchester. Props: Maura Pickett. Scenic Painter: Maddie DiMaria. Hair and Make-Up: Hannah Ravenheart. Board Operator: Stacy Hyson. Master Carpenter: Michael McDermott. Stage Crew: Harper Shovah. Production Intern: Grace Ashley. Executive Producer: Tanya Gorlow.
Performance dates are Friday through Sunday, August 8-10 and 15-17. Friday and Saturday curtains are at 7:30 pm, and Sundays are matinees only at 2:30 pm. Tickets are $22, or $12 for students. Runs approximately 110 minutes with a 15-minute intermission. Rated PG-13 for adult language and sexual references. Tickets are available online. Visit https://www.slca-ctp.org/theatre for more information.