Puffs
at Cooper City High School

Reviewed on November 18, 2022

Barbara Bomfim
American Heritage School
Submitted for publication to www.floridatheateronstage.com

"Oh. My. Wizard. God." It's everyone's favorite teenage wizard--Wayne Hopkins? Cast under the shadows of the boy who lived, Wayne and the seemingly ordinary Puffs embark on a seven year journey that makes them the true heroes of this infamous story. Cooper City High School's production of "Puffs" was a magical spectacle for potterheads and muggles alike!

Playwright Matt Cox conjured this parody of the Harry Potter series in 2015, and it has since graced the Off-Broadway world of theatre. His play sheds light on the forgotten heroes of the wizarding world: the Puffs. While the Puffs are renowned for their kindness and loyalty, the rest of the world fails to recognize their valor. When the incoming class of young wizards gets sorted as Puffs, they can't help but feel like they are doomed. To their surprise, they learn to conquer evil. Death Buddies, evil mothers, and wizard wars can't stop this mighty team from fulfilling their heroic destinies!

The ultimate hero, Wayne Hopkins, was conjured masterfully by Nicholas Diraviam. Full of charm, he led the Puff ensemble with enlightening energy. No hero can vanquish monsters alone; fighting alongside Wayne was his wizard in crime, Oliver (Kristopher Olinsky). Olinsky captured Oliver's nerdy nature notably. With his hilarious comedic chops, he proved that friendship is better than any algebra class. However, their story would never be known without the fantastical storytelling by Celina Bethea who guided the audience through the trials and triumphs of these heroes. As Narrator, Bethea dominated the stage with her captivating charisma and dedication to her British accent, ultimately engaging the audience until the very end.

The entire Puff ensemble should be applauded for their ecstatic performance! Their chemistry was contagious and served as the perfect potion for comedy. Most remarkably, they each took on the challenge of playing multiple roles and distinguished each of them outstandingly. A standout was Anthony DeLeo who skillfully contrasted his loveable interpretation of Cedric with his evil interpretation of Mr. Voldy. While some actors had trouble keeping their British accents consistent, the Puff ensemble remained loyal and true despite whatever terrifying monsters were thrown their way.

While a hurricane doesn't make for the perfect brew for tech week, Cooper City's talented crew overcame such challenges gracefully, producing a magical phenomenon. The stage crew, managed by Abby Goldberg and comprised of Melina Lugo, Hamilton Laboranti, and Lucas Lowe, was responsible for an impressive 689 cues, which were each executed seamlessly. The prop designs concocted by Hyacinth Fishman, Valerie Martinez, and Co. paid beautiful attention to detail, notably crafting a personalized wand for each of the characters. Paying similar attention to detail was lighting designer Avery Garfinkel who designated a color for each wizard, painting the stage whenever each would cast a spell. For her first year in theatre, Garfinkel should especially be commended for her exquisite work.

With themes of friendship and courage, Cooper City proved that there is more to magic than spells and potions. Truly, "love is the only magic you need."

Lila De Almeida
Saint Thomas Aquinas High School
Submitted for publication to www.floridatheateronstage.com

On the stage is a familiar scene: four banners of red, blue, green, and yellow denote a magical academy filled with teenagers and their adventures among the wizarding world. However, instead of the well-known brave protagonists telling their story, their loyal and unsung counterparts take the stage. With hilarious impressions of the British wizards you know and love, Cooper City High School's production of "Puffs" had the audience under the spell of its magical cast.

"Puffs," a parody of the Harry Potter saga, was written by Matthew Cox in 2015. The play follows the story of the students of the Puff house: those who are loyal, hardworking, and well... outcast from the other houses. These wizards may not have an integral role in the storyline of J.K. Rowling's novels, but they can send everyone in the theater into a fit of giggles with just one jolly "HI!!" Upbeat Wayne Hopkins, intelligent Oliver Rivers, and edgy Megan Jones form an unbreakable bond, and along with the rest of the Puffs, they take on the iconic events of the franchise from a fresh perspective -- and with plenty of punchlines. From attending the Triwizard Tournament to battling the Dark Lord, the Puffs' cheerful disposition and dark jokes bring a new element to an iconic story.

Nicholas Diraviam, playing Wayne Hopkins, did a great job of establishing relationships with his cast members, especially with his best friend, Oliver Rivers, played by Kristopher Olinsky. Olinsky must be commended for his commitment to his role: His character clearly progressed from an introverted rookie into a confident wizard over the course of the show.

Anthony DeLeo, playing both Cedric and Mr. Voldy, had impeccable comedic timing and a commanding stage presence. Many other actors in the cast were also responsible for several roles, such as in the case of Sienna Martinez. Her performance as Leanne was witty in itself, but her ability to clearly characterize each individual role with tone and mannerisms was impressive.

The ensemble of the Puffs as a whole excelled in staying engaged with the events occurring on stage and with each other. Every character had a big personality that made it easy to empathize with each and every one, especially when the plot took a turn. Although some dialogue was missed due to lack of diction, no pause for laughter, and issues with microphone cues and quality, character relationships were still apparent due to the unspoken behavior of the actors.

Props played an integral role in many setups and punchlines of the production. The abundance of them could be mistaken for overwhelming, but the busyness onstage just contributed to the overall humor of the production, such as with the long list of curses on the Puffs cascading from the ceiling or the Magic 8 Ball sorting the students into their houses. The execution of this worked perfectly, greatly contributing to the irony and comedy happening onstage.

The punchlines of Cooper City High School's production of "Puffs" were delivered as swiftly as an owl delivering a message, and the short and snappy scenes were a refreshing reminder that no one is a side character in their own story.

Erin Whitaker
Archbishop McCarthy High School
Submitted for publication to www.floridatheateronstage.com

Dear Reader, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to a Certain School of Magic and Magic. Your first term of seven increasingly eventful years begins now.
Yours Truly, Cooper City High School

Created by New York playwright Matt Cox, "Puffs" premiered in 2015 to New York City audiences. Despite its original five-nights-only schedule, "Puffs" ended up running for eight months due to the outstanding reception it received. While Puffs might not be brave, smart, or blonde, they undoubtedly have hearts of gold. The play follows the eccentric students sorted into the "Puff" house. Wayne, the ever-so-ordinary 90's kid, is astonished to hear: he's British. And he's a wizard! With the help of his new Puff friends, Wayne is determined to strengthen his magic skills and become the school's hero.

"Puffs" is incredibly interactive, allowing the audience members to feel immersed in the story. CCHS was set on creating an entertaining experience. Speaking of entertainment, the Puff student ensemble was incredibly animated and exhibited great chemistry with one another. While blocking could have been improved in some scenes, especially considering the large group, the character growth the Puffs have throughout the play was highlighted by enjoyable performances from the ensemble. Having such a large cast is never easy, but Cooper City High School proves it can be done.

Nicholas Diraviam (Wayne Hopkins) played his role as the boy wizard (not THE boy wizard, but a boy wizard nonetheless) with remarkable commitment. Leading a play is daunting, and Diraviam should be commended for his portrayal of Wayne. Celina Bethea (The Narrator) had an infectious energy and kept great projection even when her mic malfunctioned.

Kristopher Olinsky's performance as the math whiz Oliver Rivers should be commended. Olinsky has a great stage presence and even greater comedic timing. Oliver's return to save the day was a pivotal moment in the play, and Olinsky succeeded in making it so. Other notable performances include Anthony DeLeo as Cedric and Voldem- Mr. Voldy. DeLeo certainly captured Cedric's charming, popular presence. DeLeo had impressive physicality in his performances as both Cedric and Mr. Voldy.

Sound issues were prominent in the play and, at times, made it difficult to understand the characters. Even so, most of the cast had good diction and projection. Avery Garfinkel's work on lighting design and student-made lighting cues is truly impressive, especially for her first year in the theater.

Fifty points each to the Puffs!

Julia Kim
Archbishop McCarthy High School
Submitted for publication to www.floridatheateronstage.com

It's 3rd or nothing! And Cooper City's Production of "Puffs" definitely proved victorious!

This hilarious parody follows the well-known series of Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling but from the perspective of the Hufflepuffs (Puffs). "Puffs" was written by playwright Matt Cox and premiered at The People's Improv Theater on December 3, 2015. The show then moved on to the off-Broadway New World Stages in 2016 until it held its final performance on August 18, 2019.

Leading the show, Nicholas Diraviam excellently executed his role as Wayne Hopkins. Diraviam made wonderful character choices and held an immense understanding of his character. Alongside him, Kristopher Olinksy, who played Oliver Rivers, demonstrated a powerful commitment to his character, proving math wasn't the only thing he was good at! Diraviam and Olinsky's chemistry together was built up magnificently and truly added to each actor's character arc.

With her strong presence and uplifting personality, Celina Bethea captivated the audience as the Narrator. At some points in the show, it was hard to hear some actors due to sound, but even so, Bethea stuck it out and projected it to the back of the theatre. Due to this, she was always able to have unfaltering energy and never failed to shine on stage. Andrew MacArthur must also be commended for his stage presence as J. Finch Fletchley. Even though Finch was imaginary, his great comedic timing and ability to command the stage sure weren't. Anthony DeLeo, who played Cedric, had incredible execution of his comedic character. His overall physicality brought laughs from the audience anytime he was on the stage. Sienna Martinez as Leanne and Sarah Abisror as Hannah are also worth noting, as these powerful females were able to keep the audience engaged while never missing a beat!

Despite some slight pacing issues, The Puffs as an ensemble worked very well together. They all held high energy while also maintaining great charisma and enthusiasm. Whether it was through supporting Cedric or just in their one-liners, The Puffs could play off of one another brilliantly.

Moving on to the lighting technical aspects, from multiple fight scenes to magic spells, these were all demonstrated beautifully by Avery Garfinkel. Garfinkel's 350 cues were all designed purposefully and uniquely, adding depth and quality to each scene. Adding to that, the set, brought together by Melina Lugo and Kaylee Mastrangelo, was cohesive and matched the mood and tone of the show.

So Harry up and go see Cooper City's Production of "Puffs" because this is a show you don't wanna miss!

Malaya Zabat
Coral Springs High School
Submitted for publication to www.floridatheateronstage.com

Enter the Wizarding World of magic and witchcraft, where young wizards learn their craft over the course of seven years. This may sound familiar, as many people associate this setting to a certain someone with the family name "Potter". "Puffs" at Cooper City High School shows there's more sides to one's story.

With the full name of "Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic," "Puffs" was written by Matt Cox after coming up with the idea on a train ride home. This magical play had its premiere December 3rd, 2015 at The People's Improv Theater in New York City. Following the tale of the hero that never came to be, this story features a young boy at the same school underneath the shadow of Harry Potter. Going alongside a familiar plot of the wizardry many are used to, "Puffs" tells this story from a completely different perspective--from the outcast, whimsical, perspective of the Puffs.

Guiding us along this journey was Celina Bethea (Narrator) who never failed to maintain her high energy and very enthusiastic nature. Bethea wonderfully led the show before nearly every scene, guiding the audience on this whimsical adventure. Following the story, Nicholas Diraviam (Wayne Hopkins) did an excellent job at portraying his character, both young and slightly older. His character development throughout the show seemed believable with the events that took place and did an amazing job bringing the show together.

Featured alongside Diraviam stood Kristopher Olinsky (Oliver Rivers) and Victoria Godfrey (Megan Jones), who played a hopeful mathematician and a pessimistic edgy teenager. Olinsky did an absolutely outstanding job with his comedic timing and his all-embracing connection to his character. His ongoing energy was always entertaining, especially after falling in love. Godfrey portrayed the not-so-loving daughter of an evil prisoner, wanting nothing more than to be unlike the rest of the Puffs. But over time, she conquered these thoughts and embraced her true-Puff-self.

Team Puffs truly put their all into this show and brought the entire story together. They remained in high-energy for the whole duration of the show, and they created very lovable and hilarious characters on stage. They made it incredibly entertaining to watch and interact with each other. Andrew MacArthur as J. Finch Fletchley positively stood out from the rest of the house as he put on a comical performance and brightened up the stage with his mere presence and connection to character.

Without the technical aspects, this show wouldn't have nearly as much magic as it does. The lighting done by Avery Garfinkel was incredible and created an immersive experience of colors and shine that brought the stage to life. With props that added to humorous lines and scenes overall, they all connected the technical dots to this show.

As we discover there's more sides to a main story, Cooper City High School preaches that navigating through life, learning, and relationships is difficult with the mindset of becoming a hero.