Puffs Performance Guide

PERFORMANCEGUIDETO

Seven Increasingly Eventful Years ata Certain School of Magic and Magic or

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ABOUT

GULFSHORE PLAYHOUSE EDUCATION

Gulfshore Playhouse Education is a vital component of the mission at Gulfshore Playhouse, providing programs aimed at enhancing the lives of children, teens, and students of all ages. Each offering provides real-life skills and learning experiences that are invigorating, nurturing, and readily accessible to every member of our community, thanks to our scholarships and reduced-price programming for our region’s most deserving schools.

From in-school residencies and pre-professional theatre training to community partnerships, audience engagement, and student matinees – our goal is to inspire creativity, encourage self-expression, and support the blossoming of self-confidence, collaboration, and a deep appreciation for the arts.

ABOUT

THE CONSERVATORY

Pre-professional training through theatre productions, classes, and summer camps gives students the opportunity to grow as performers and as people. Our programs are built to improve performance skills, build confidence, encourage self-expression, and inspire artistic growth. Whether you ’ re an experienced performer or you ’ ve never set foot on stage, Gulfshore Playhouse Education will prepare you for every stage in life.

Each season, we offer a range of theatre classes, camps, and performance opportunities for students at every stage. Thanks to donor support, we are able to offer financial aid for many of our programs through Kizzie’s Kids Scholarship Fund.

SUMMER CONSERVATORY PRODUCTIONS

In our spectacular three-week summer musical theatre program, aspiring performers aged 8-13 will embark on a magical journey through the deliciously enchanting world of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka JR !

Join us for four weeks of theatrical magic and wonder in our Summer Conservatory Program featuring Seussical JR. – a vibrant and enchanting journey where creativity knows no bounds!

ANYTHING GOES: YOUTH EDITION

Madcap antics come aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London! Filled with unforgettable songs, tap dance sequences, and slap-stick comedy Students will get the opportunity to perform in the mainstage on a professionally designed set.

Interested students should complete the Anything Goes: Youth Edition Fall Conservatory 2024 Pre-Audition Form.

Ages: 10 – 18

Auditions: August 21, 2024, 5:00-8:00PM

Callback: August 22, 2024, 5:00-8:00PM

Rehearsals: Mondays & Wednesdays, September 4-December 11, 2024, 5:00-8:00PM

Performances: December 13th – 15th, 5:008:00PM

SHOW HISTORY

Puffs: or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic was originally created by actor, playwright, and sound designer Matt Cox.

Puffs first premiered in 2015 at the People’s Improv Theatre, an Off-OffBroadway comedy theatre in New York City. Originally, it was only scheduled for a 5-night run. But after being seen by New York City producers, it immediately traveled Off-Broadway to the Elektra theatre and later to New World Stages. The show held an open-ended run, and ran for two years OffBroadway on the theatre’s Stage 5. While at New World Stages, Puffs broke several of the theatre’s personal records for that particular stage, including highest single day sales, highest advance, highest weekly sales and longest tenant in the theatre. Reviewers at the time commended the show’s quick paced humor and creative staging.

In 2022 and 2023, Puffs was the second most produced play in US high schools, behind Clue. It beat out classic plays like A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Our Town, which also made the list.

MattCox

THE HOUSES THESNAKES

THEBRAVES

Theevilstudents. Justtheworst.They hateyouandyou hatethem.Thehouse ofthatevilwizard. Youknowtheone.

THESMARTS

Thestudiousones. Theyreadbooks anddopuzzles, thatsortofthing. Futuredoctors, lawyers,androcket scientists.

Thehouseofheroes; brave,strong,and everyone ’sfavorites. Thehouseofthatboy wizard.Youknow theone.

THEPUFFS

Everyoneelse.

WHATTYPEOFSTUDENTAREYOU?

WhichhouseattheSchoolofMagicandMagicdoYOUbelongin? Takethisquiztoseewhereyouwouldbesortedatthe SchoolofMagicandMagic!

1) Whichoftheseanimalsdoyoufeelacloseconnectionto?

A)Lion

B)Eagle

C)Snake

D)Other

2) Whichofthesewordsbestdescribesyou?

A)Brave

B)Smart

C)Evil

D)Other

3) Describeyourcurrentmood:

A)Heroic

B)Studious

C)Evil!!

D)Other

4) Whatwouldyouratherspendyourtimedoing?

A)Savingprincesses

B)Readingbooks

C)Kickingpuppies

D)Other

5) WhatMagicalSkillwouldyouliketolearn?

A)Dueling

B)TheHistoryofMagic

C)DarkMagic

D)Other

RESULTS

IfyouansweredAtomostofthe questions,youareaBrave!

IfyouansweredBtomostofthe questions,youareaSmart!

IfyouansweredCtomostofthe questions,youareaSnake!

IfyouansweredDtomostofthe questions,youareaPuff!

LEGALINFORMATION

Does this play feel familiar to you? Like maybe you ’ ve met some of these characters already? Or been to this certain school of magic and magic before? If it does, that’s for a good reason! Puffs was largely inspired by another very popular franchise. But for legal reasons, we cannot mention that franchise or any of its properties by name. The legal rules our creative teams had to follow to avoid copyright infringement are very specific about what names the cast can use, what references they can make, and what images can appear on stage, and in our marketing materials. Below are the Copyright Do’s and Don’tsforPuffs.

TheDo’s

DOusethenames“Braves”,“Smarts”,“Snakes”,and“Puffs”torefertothehouses

DOuseideasthatdon’tspecificallybelongtothatotherfranchise,i.e.generalideas, withfewspecifics

DOrefertocharactersastheyareidentifiedinthescript,meaningwiththeir characternamesinthePuffsuniverse

DOusetheapprovedmarketingmaterialsthathavebeenprovidedwiththescript

TheDon’ts

DONOTusethewords“Harry”and“Potter”nexttoeachother

DONOTusecopyrightedmaterialsfromcompanieslikeWarnerBrothersor Scholastic.Thatmeansnosongs,noimages,etc.Avoidanythingdirectlyfromthe books,films,themeparks,etc.

DONOTrefertocharactersfromthebooks/films/CursedChildStagePlay

DONOTusefranchisevocabulary,i.e.shopnames,spells,housenames

DONOTusethe“Lumos”font(oranythingsimilar)inanymarketingordesign materials

As you watch Puffs, keep track of the characters. How do they refer to themselves? Can you connect them to any characters in the other franchise? Do any locations or items on stageseemfamiliar?Howdidourdesignersworkaroundtheselegalrestrictions?

THEHERO’SJOURNEY

In 1949, literature professor Joseph Cambell popularized the idea of the ‘monomyth,’ or the idea that mythologies and stories across the world tend to follow a similar template. He also called this idea “The Hero’s Journey,” and wrote about it in depth in The Hero with A Thousand Faces. Campbell believes that all “hero stories” follow the same basic steps, outlinedbelow.

HowdoesthestorylineofPuffsfollowthehero’sjourney template?Howdoesitdeviatefromthesesteps?

TheCalltoAdventure

The hero leaves their ordinary home and embarks on an adventure into the unknown. The hero often meets a mentor figure who helps guidethemthroughthisstrangenewworld.

ReturnHome

The hero returns to their home, different from who they were at the start of theirjourney.

Atonement

The hero rights wrongs, usually by confronting a villainfigure

TheKnown TheUnknown

Crossingthe Threshold

The hero comes to terms with their new life and meets their first real challenge They cannot go back to the life they once knew

Transformation

The hero realizes their full potential and faces the threat once more, this time with newfound strength andcourage

TheAbyss

The hero is at their lowest point They have faced some kind of defeat, and it looks like all hope is lost.

Challengesand Temptations

The hero faces challenges, roadblocks, and trials in their quest. They also meet new allies and adversaries, and often gain items that help themintheirjourney.

FURTHER READING

TheWeeFreeMenbyTerryPratchett

Armedonlywithafryingpanandhercommonsense,TiffanyAching,ayoung witch-to-be,isallthatstandsbetweenthemonstersofFairylandandthe warm,greenChalkcountrythatisherhome.ForcedintoFairylandtoseekher kidnappedbrother,TiffanyalliesherselfwiththeChalk'slocalNacMacFeegleakatheWeeFreeMen-aclanofsheep-stealing,sword-wielding,six-inch-high bluemenwhoareasfierceastheyarefunny.

NimonabyNDStevenson

Nimonaisanimpulsiveyoungshapeshifterwithaknackforvillainy.Lord BallisterBlackheartisavillainwithavendetta.Assidekickandsupervillain, NimonaandLordBlackheartareabouttowreaksomeserioushavoc.Their mission:provetothekingdomthatSirAmbrosiusGoldenloinandhisbuddies attheInstitutionofLawEnforcementandHeroicsaren'ttheheroeseveryone thinkstheyare.

NimonawasrecentlydevelopedintoananimatedfilmonNetflixaswell!

AkataWitchbyNnediOkorafor

Twelve-year-oldSunnylivesinNigeria,butshewasbornAmerican.Her featuresareAfrican,butshe'salbino.She'saterrificathlete,butcan'tgoout intothesuntoplaysoccer.Thereseemstobenoplacewhereshefitsin.And thenshediscoverssomethingamazing sheisa"freeagent"withlatent magicalpower.Soonshe'spartofaquartetofmagicstudents,studyingthe visibleandinvisible,learningtochangereality.Butwillitbeenoughtohelp themwhentheyareaskedtocatchacareercriminalwhoknowsmagictoo?

CarryOnbyRainbowRowell

SimonSnowistheworstChosenOnewho'severbeenchosen That'swhathis roommate,Baz,says.AndBazmightbeevilandavampireandacompletegit, buthe'sprobablyright.Halfthetime,Simoncan'tevenmakehiswandwork, andtheotherhalf,hestartssomethingonfire.Hismentor'savoidinghim,his girlfriendbrokeupwithhim,andthere'samagic-eatingmonsterrunning around,wearingSimon'sface.Bazwouldbehavingafielddaywithallthis,ifhe werehere it'stheirlastyearattheWatfordSchoolofMagicks,andSimon's infuriatingnemesisdidn'tevenbothertoshowup.

FURTHER VIEWING

GalaxyQuest(1999)

Inthiscultclassic,thealumnicastofabelovedfictionalspaceopera televisionserieshavetoplaytheirrolesastherealthingwhenanalien raceneedstheirhelp.However,theyalsohavetodefendbothEarth andthealienracefromareptilianwarlord.Anhomagetofanculture, thisStarTrekparodyfilmremindsustonevergiveup,andnever surrender.

MaryandtheWitch’sFlower(2017)

Inthisanimatedfilm,an11-year-oldgirlnamedMarySmithfindsa magicalflowerthatgrantsherwitch’spowers,butonlyforasingle night.SheiswhiskedawaytoaCollegeofMagic,wheresheistreated likeaprodigy.Butnoteverythingisasmagicalasitseems.This moderncomingofagestorywasdirectedandanimatedbyseveral alumnifromtherenownedStudioGhibli,givingthefilmit’sdistinct lookandfeel.

Wednesday(2022-present)

TheNetflixoriginalseriesWednesdayfollowsWednesdayAddams,of AddamsFamilyfame,aftershestartstodeveloppsychicabilities. After beingexpelledfromherhighschool,herparentssendWednesdayto NevermoreAcademy,aboardingschoolformagicaloutcastsofall kinds.LuckyforWednesday,aseriesofmysteriousmurdershave poppedupallovercampus,meaningthereisnoshortageof entertainmentforourprotagonist.

ThePrincessBride(1987)

You'veyettohearthetale?Inconceivable!JoinWestley(CareyElwes) onhisepicadventuretorescuethefairButtercup(RobinWright)from theclutchesoftheevilPrinceHumperdinck(ChrisSarandon)in directorRobReiner'sdelightfulclassic!

ThisfilmisbasedontheclassicbookbyWilliamGoldman