The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School drama department performed their first play of the 2021-22 school year on November 4 and 5, titled “Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic.” This is a lively comedy that fans of Harry Potter can appreciate.

“It’s very rewarding to have live theater again. We have developed a seating chart that creates ‘pods’ so that everybody is safely socially distanced from neighbors,” drama teacher Melody Herzfeld said.

Puffs is ingrained in stories from a school of wizardry that has to do with a certain boy named Harry, and a certain group of kids named “Puffs.”

The play was directed by senior Lexi Schwartzberg, along with theater director and teacher Melody Herzfeld. During the performance, the enthusiasm and diligence of the cast members was obvious, as they maintained smiles on their faces through its duration.

“The cast and crew have all worked really hard and it’s looking good. I’m really proud of the work everyone’s done,” Schwartzberg said. “I work with everyone, including tech and the actors. I just need to have a vision and help them. I block all the scenes, tell actors what to do, give input, and approve everything in tech.”

The plot of “Puffs” follows a young boy, Wayne Hopkins (Logan LaPierre) as he ventures to England to attend wizard school. There, he meets math prodigy Oliver Rivers (Jacob Harris) and Megan Jones (Pearl Mass), the daughter of a worker for Mr. Voldy. Together, they give a different perspective on the Harry Potter series, written by J.K. Rowling, except that none of the main characters are given the spotlight in this spoof. The title refers to the Hufflepuff House, as the main characters are in the house of “Puffs”.

The characters are separated into four houses: Braves, Snakes, Smarts and “Puffs.” From the names, you can tell they resemble the original houses from the Harry Potter series. The house of “Puffs” is a house where wizards and witches are sorted if they don’t resemble a certain trait; they are a blend of students with different personalities.

The most looked-up-to “Puff” is Cedric Diggory (Alex Jolly), who is viewed as a hero in the house. He sadly dies in Year 4 during the Triwizard Tournament. This moment is devastating to the rest of the group, but lights a fire in them that motivates them to work harder to move forward.

“Puffs” observes the life of Wayne and his friends on their journey through seven years of attending the “School of Magic and Magic,” where they are confronted with challenges, monsters and even Mr. Voldy himself. I found the plot easy to follow, yet it still told a story in a way where I was intrigued and couldn’t take my eyes off the stage.

The costumes were professionally designed and the actors took on their roles accordingly. I felt the scenery captured the essence of the play, inviting the audience to experience being there in person. The acting was superb, especially on a high school level. I found “Puffs” to be very funny, as the comedic aspect of the play gave the whole audience a great laugh.

As the cast consisted of only 11 members, many had to play multiple characters, which they performed flawlessly. Nicholas Lemus, Sydney Lotz and Nick Bedusa were able to transform from one role to the next.

Overall, “Puffs” was a success based on the audience’s reactions, as well as my own opinion. Drama’s next production will be on March 3 and 4, titled “Something Rotten!”