DELMAR — Theatre Without a Net, Bethlehem Central’s student theatre production, will open the high school’s new stage with a parody based on the popular Harry Potter book series starting Thursday, Dec. 9.
“Puffs,” written by Matt Cox, is a comedic retelling of the Harry Potter book series by J. K. Rowling, but from the perspective of the “Puffs.” For seven years a certain boy wizard went to a certain Wizard School and conquered evil. But, according to the playbill, this is not his story.
The play is not endorsed by Rowling or Warner Brothers, so fans of the books and subsequent movies will find the names of familiar characters truncated or skewed. Harry Potter goes only as Harry, while a Death Eater is known as a Death Buddy. The names of each of Hogwarts’ houses, most notably may be recognized through different monikers — Braves, Smarts, Snakes and Puffs.
In this work, the plot circulates around lead character Wayne Hopkins, a (Huffle)puff portrayed by high school junior Jake McKinley. He is joined by Oliver Rivers, played by junior Gu Hong Wu, and Megan Jones, portrayed by senior Megan Dellenbaugh.
Fan’s of Rawling’s work appreciate the Puff’s pecking order in the storyline, setting the stage for comedic events as house members work towards earning the House Cup at the end of the year.
The play premiered at The People’s Improv Theater in December 2015 before moving to the Off-Broadway theater New World Stages a year later. It has been praised for its comedy and staging. It was nominated for the Off-Broadway Alliance Award for “Best Unique Theatrical Experience” in 2017.
The production runs from Thursday, Dec. 9 to Sunday, Dec. 12. Tickets are on sale for $10 for each adult and $5 for students. To purchase tickets, visit https://bit.ly/BCHSpuffs.
