The evil lord, Voldy, played by Ashtyn Aikins-Ansley throws down some wicked dance moves with her evil follower, Xavia Jones, played by Elanie Sturgeon.
?Puffs? tells the story you missed when focusing all of your attention on Harry Potter. There were a lot of other wizards at that school, you know.
The play, fully titled ?Puffs: Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic,? is a delightful spoof of the Harry Potter story. Iola High School drama students will present the play at 7 o?clock tonight and Friday at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center.
It?s the story of a different trio of misfit wizards who learn valuable life lessons about love and friendship, while battling demons both internal and external. Harry Potter (Eve Ard) is there, too, but relegated to an annoying aside who bonds most closely to a mop.
?Fate is never kind to a hero,? explains the Narrator (Gabriella Lampe), your tour guide through the show. ?Who does fate hate even more? Side characters.?
?Puffs? ended its two-year Off-Broadway run in August. IHS is one of the first schools in Kansas to produce the play, director Regina Chriestenson said.
It features a cast of 26 students, with so many characters most of them play two or three roles. The large ensemble may seem a bit overwhelming at first, but they?re quickly ?sorted? into more manageable groups.
And don?t worry. You?ll have plenty of time to get to know them. In fact, by the end of the play, you?ll find yourself caring about their fates. Yes, the final battle between good and evil comes with some casualties, with fan favorites lost and at least one unnecessarily dramatic death.
Oh, and try to sit in the front row. Those folks will get a sweet surprise.
The Puffs cheer while a dragon (Alissa Yarnell) is distracted during a sporting contest. From left, they are Naomi Neal, Haley Carlin, Hannah Anderson and River Hess.
OF THE magic school?s four Houses ? Smart, Brave, Snake and Puffs ? this play is all about the Puffs. They?re the kind, loyal students? the ones who aren?t brave or smart.
No one wants to be a Puff, especially not the Puffs.
The Puffs always come in last for the annual sporting contest. Their goal in Year 1: Third place!
The lead of this story is Wayne Hopkins, played by a truly magical River Hess. He bounds across the stage in a bundle of enthusiasm, using physical and facial humor to express both his horror at being a Puff and his delight at learning all sorts of wizardly talents.
