WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., April 1, 2024 – For seven years a certain boy wizard went to a certain Wizard School and conquered evil. We all know that story, about the ‘the boy who lived’. However, this is not his story. This is the story of the Puffs… who just happened to be there too. A tale for anyone who has never been destined to save the world.
The New York Times proclaims PUFFS, “A FAST-PACED ROMP through the ‘Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic.’ For POTTERphiliacs who grew up alongside Potter and are eager to revisit that world, ‘PUFFS’ exudes a jovial, winking fondness for all things Harry!”
The show, directed by Michael Aulick, Professor of Theatre, said “This has been the funniest rehearsal I have ever had in the twenty-six years of directing college students. We laugh at something new every night.” Dr. Melinda Kreisberg, Assistant Director and Professor of Biology, added, “The energy of the cast and crew is boundless. We look forward to rehearsals where creativity and laughter always abound!”
According to Nerdist.com, this clever and inventive play “never goes more than a minute without a laugh” as it gives a new look at a familiar adventure from the perspective of three ‘potential heroes’ just trying to make it through a magic school that proves to be very dangerous for children. Alongside them are the Puffs, a group of well-meaning, loyal outsiders with a thing for badgers who are lovable and relatable. Their hilariously heartfelt and epic journey takes the classic story to new places and reimagines what a boy wizard hero can be.
The cast features Michael Aulick, Len Batson, Isabella Costantini, Chloe Eltrigham, Roman Hicks, Melinda Kreisberg, Asa Krinov, Benjamin Mounsey, Georgia Richardson, Shannon Shiflett, Serena Smith, Klisty Snider, Mason Stoll, and Morgan Tusing.
The West Liberty University Theatre is a nationally recognized program with the mission of providing a transformative educational experience for undergraduate students of theatre where a personal approach creates a place where they can ‘find their light.’ West Liberty is West Virginia’s oldest public university, and it offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and 12 graduate programs, both online and on campus. Learn more at westliberty.edu.
Performances run April 4-5 and 11-13 at 7:30 pm and April 14 at 3:00 PM. All performances will be on the campus of West Liberty University on the Kelly Theatre stage in the Hall of Fine Arts
CONTENT ADVISORY: This production has coarse language, comic violence, and touches on some adult themes, however, West Liberty will perform the “Young Wizard’s” edition on April 5th and April 14th for audiences that want to see the PG version.
Due to a generous gift from an anonymous donor, all WLU students receive a free ticket (must show a valid WLU ID). General Admission tickets are $12.50 each, with a Senior discount ticket of $10.00.
Tickets can be purchased at wlupuffs.brownpapertickets.com.
For more information, email Michael Aulick at maulick@westliberty.edu.
