Audition Details
When: Monday, April 28 from 6:00-10:00 pm. Arrive a few minutes early to warm yourself up, settle in the space, and fill out the Audition Form – or fill it out ahead of time! Audition will begin on the hour! If you are interested in auditioning and can't make it during this time, please email Amber Barnes ambarnes@carroll.edu asap so she can set up a separate time.
Where: Carroll College Flex Theatre, Lower Campus Center
What to bring/prepare: Please make sure to bring a water bottle, wear clothing you can move in, and closed toed shoes that are easy to move in -- this is a movement-based show. Stretch and warm-up ahead of time as we will be playing physical games as well. Bring your courage, silliness, and curiosity. Be prepared to make big choices. No monologue or scene preparation for this audition. We will primarily be improvising, but we will read sides from the show. If you need to see the sides ahead of time, please let Amber Barnes know.
Who can audition: Any Carroll student. Community members between 16 and 25 years old are welcome to audition, but preference will be given to students. In fact, it is likely we will not cast any non-students for this production.
Production Details
Play Description: The New York Times proclaims Puffs “A fast-paced romp through the ‘Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic.’ For Potterphiliacs who grew up alongside Potter and are eager to revisit that world, Puffs exudes a jovial, winking fondness for all things Harry!”
This clever and inventive play “never goes more than a minute without a laugh” (Nerdist) giving you a new look at a familiar adventure from the perspective of three potential heroes just trying to make it through a magic school that proves to be very dangerous for children. Alongside them are the Puffs, a group of well-meaning, loyal outsiders with a thing for badgers “who are so lovable and relatable, you’ll leave the theater wishing they were in the stories all along” (Hollywood Life). Their “hilariously heartfelt!” (Metro) and epic journey takes the classic story to new places and reimagines what a boy wizard hero can be.
Available Roles:
Looking for 11-15 actors. This show is an ensemble piece with actors playing multiple roles. The exception to this are the roles of Narrator, Wayne, Oliver and Megan. All roles are available to any ethnicity, cultural background, or gender. Below is the character breakdown and doubling in the script. This is subject to change based on how many actors audition and casting decisions.
WAYNE HOPKINS The hero. Totally uncool, but full of charm and heart. Loyal to a tee. Likes comic books and video games, knows nothing about magic or this weird magic world he is now a part of. Best friends with Oliver and Megan.
OLIVER RIVERS One of the main trio. Incredibly smart and cerebral, he is a math wiz, and proud of it; lovingly a nerd from New Jersey. After ending up at wizarding school, he finds out he isn’t the top of his class, and instead begins a fantastical journey of friendship and even some love, better than any algebra class could ever promise. Real comic chops, incredibly appealing, youthful.
MEGAN JONES One of the main trio; begins the show by only desiring to live up to her mother’s reputation: a dark wizard currently in Wiz Priz for being such a bad-ass Death Buddy in her youth. Favorite store: Hot Topic. Favorite color: black. Over time, her tough veneer begins to soften, as a budding romance with Oliver becomes apparent. Defiant and headstrong on the surface, the audience begins to see that her adamance of being completely unique and independent really stems from her desire to be loved and accepted.
NARRATOR The narrator of the story. She/he guides us through our entire show of Puffy-ness. British accent. Must be a great storyteller, as she/he must keep the audience engaged and updated on all the goings-on. Can be a bit of a know-it-all, but still relatable and appealing. Comedy skills are a must, improv background is a plus.
ERNIE MAC and A VERY TALL MAN / SEAMUS / A CERTAIN POTIONS TEACHER / PROFESSOR TURBAN / GHOST HISTORY TEACH / PROFESSOR LOCKY / MR. NICK / SAL / SECOND HEADMASTER / REAL MR. MOODY Would love an actor capable of doing strong impressions. Ernie Mac: Proud. Loud. Pretty sure he’s the best. Male Teachers: Potions Teacher/ Locky/ Professor Turban/ Mr. Moody. All impressions. Strong comedic ability. (Impressions: Rickman/ Branagh/Gleeson/Whoever played Quirrell in the movie).
HANNAH and FIRST HEADMASTER / PROFESSOR McG / PROFESSOR SPROUTTY / XAVIA JONES / PROFESSOR LANNY / RUNES TEACH / MS. BABBLE Requires playing several different roles back to back, so the ability to play a variety of character types is a plus. Hannah: Shy. Very shy. Female Teachers: Professor McG, Professor Plants, Professor T, Bath Babbles. Adults of all kinds of different personalities. (Maggie Smith impression for McG.)
J. FINCH FLETCHLEY and UNCLE DAVE / GOYLE / A FAT FRIAR / CLUMSY LONGBOTTOM / HERMEOONE #3 / VIKTOR / MR. BAGMAN / ZACH SMITH Improvisational skills a plus. Boyish & fun. Chipper and happy except, when his life is in mortal danger.
LEANNE and GINNY / HELGA / FRENCHY A little distant. A little random. Is possibly a genius or really, really stupid. But has a really strong heart. The Puffiest of the Puffs.
SALLY PERKS and HERMEOONE / BLONDO MALFOY / ROWENA / RITA SCOOTER / BIPPY Sally: Nice. In year 3, goes through a bit of a growth spurt that attracts the other student’s attention, if you know what I mean. Bippy: A house elf. Devoted. Loyal. Kind of annoying.
SUSIE BONES and HARRY / COLIN / HERMEOONE #2 / RIC GRYFF / MYRTLE Susie: Sad. Gloomy. Think Eeyore from “Winnie the Pooh.” Constantly in fear of her or her family dying. Harry: Young, plucky, and famous. Struts around school like he owns it. Gets into a few wacky situations, but it’s nothing the bonds of friendship can’t overcome.
CEDRIC (male) and MR. VOLDY An appealing comic actor to play the pivotal roles of Cedric in Act I and Mr. Voldy in Act II. Cedric: A champion. Athletic, winning, popular, and charming. Everyone’s favorite, but still loyal, patient, and kind. A leading example of a Puff. Mr. Voldy: Evil. Like, reeeaaally evil. Wants to rule the world in shadows and darkness and terror. (Or, ya know, just an amazing Ralph Fiennes impression.)
DEATH BUDDIES to be played by all.
Note on Intimacy
The roles of Wayne, Sally, Oliver and Megan will have stage kisses. Actors playing Wayne and Sally, and Oliver and Megan will be telling the story of a make out scene; which means repeated and extended lip to lip contact.
These moments will be choreographed by a trained Intimacy Choreographer in a respectful manner and with actor’s consent. Please know if you choose to check 'No' on the audition form, you will not be considered for these specific roles. However, this will not affect your ability to be cast in other roles.
Note on fight choreography: There will be fight choreography, prat falls, and slapstick throughout the show, for most roles. All will be choreographed safely with consent and in a collaborative manner. If you are physically unable to participate in fight choreography, it will not affect your ability to be cast.
Rehearsals
Rehearsals will begin the week before classes begin in the Fall, on Tuesday or Wednesday, August 12 or 13. During the first week, rehearsals will be during the day from noon-8:00 pm, with a dinner break. Once school begins, rehearsals will run Monday-Friday from 6:00-10:00 pm. Students who are cast will be expected to be at rehearsals unless conflicts are listed on the conflict sheet.
We will have load-in either the weekend of August 23/24 or September 6/7. Please leave both weekends open. We will have a required tech rehearsal on Saturday, September 13 from 1:00-5:00 pm. Tech week will be September 15-September 18, with the opening on September 19.
No conflicts are allowed during tech week, and students will be excused from Carroll classes and extracurriculars.
Shows
- September 19th-20th, 26th-27th, October 3rd-4th: 7:30 pm, call time 6:00 pm
- September 21st, 28th, October 5th: 2:30 pm, call time 1:00 pm
- October 5th: Strike after the show. Full company required.
Questions?
If you have questions about how this show is going to work, you can ask Amber Barnes, ambarnes@carroll.edu. If you have specific questions about casting, you can ask either Kim Shire kshire@carroll.edu or Julia Harris juharris@carroll.edu.