Student-run production coming to Hampton High School

The Hampton High School Drama Club will present Matt Cox’s “Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic”at 7:30 p.m. Nov 9-11 as a production that is entirely student-run.

“We have two student directors who chose the play, ran auditions, cast the production and handle every rehearsal,” said Hannah Dunlap, club adviser for the past two years. “Additionally, student department heads oversee every aspect of stage crew, from set design and props to costumes and makeup.”

Dunlap has taught English at the high school for five years.

“I love to see student directors Andrew (Kaehly) and Kiley (Vande Geest) embrace this challenge, taking ownership of the production and stepping up as true leaders of Hampton’s drama department. It has been so fun to see their vision come to life,” she said.

The directors have been working on the performance since summer break.

“The student directors are chosen by the previous year’s directors, so really the process begins immediately after curtains close. The audition process began the second week of school,” Dunlap explained.

Students devote many hours learning their parts and building the set.

“The cast and crew are dedicated to rehearsals three days a week to begin, and closer to opening night rehearsals become more frequent and run later. The students put in a lot of time and effort to making the show the best it can be,” said Dunlap.

Fans of whimsical magic and laughter are bound to enjoy the show.

“‘Puffs’ is a hilarious take on a familiar story. Fans of a certain boy wizard will love how the production pokes fun at that magical world, but you don’t have to be familiar with the source material to enjoy the play. Expect some heartwarming moments, as well,” said Dunlap.

‘The work they do is amazing’

Both student directors are seniors at Hampton.

“I always love seeing the cast get comfortable in their roles, and the set to get built and positioned so quickly. But the best part by far is seeing it all come together so cohesively”, Kaehly, 18, said. “It’s always been my pleasure to be a part of these productions in any capacity, and being on this side of the show is an honor. The work they do is amazing.”

Even though Kaehly will not be pursuing theater arts after high school, he looks forward to carrying with him much of what he has learned by directing the play.

“The performance aspect of theater is something I will miss, but I will take the skills I learned with me forever,” he said.

He has a message for those who are on the fence about attending the play.

“This show is a hit for all ages, and for anyone looking for a laugh. It’s very fast-paced and very much for lovers of magic. The show is also rated for any young wizards who want to come, so please don’t hesitate to get tickets as soon as they come out,” he said.

Vande Geest, 17, plans to pursue a career in animation for films or television.

“I love character design, so working specifically with characters and storyboarding is exciting to me. That is one of the reasons I love this show so much: There are so many unique characters to fall in love with,” she said.

“My favorite thing about directing the play is seeing all of our ideas come to life. We have a lot of creative freedom, so it is amazing when we get to see our initial ideas actually play out on the stage,” she continued. “I also loved choosing the show, because I could choose something I was passionate and excited to direct.”

Vande Geest has a message for show goers, as well:

“Those who are coming to see the show should definitely reread/rewatch the series about a certain boy wizard who attends a certain magical school, if they want to appreciate this show in its entirety.”

‘Fun to see their vision come to life’

The performance is right around the corner, and Dunlap sees everything beginning to come together.

“It has been so fun to see their vision come to life. Now that rehearsals are well underway, I can see the production taking shape, and it’s very exciting,” she said.

A teacher who helps with the technical side of the performance is Brian Lego. He is in his third full year as a math teacher at Hampton and has 26 years of experience. He has been working with the Drama club for two years.

He cited “cooperation, dedication and leadership” as what it takes to pull off a performance with high school students. “It also doesn’t hurt if the students know how to use power tools without endangering themselves or others.”

Lego enjoys much about leading the technical side, but two aspects stand out the most.

“One, the students in the crew are so dedicated to making sure the set, lighting, props and costumes are perfect for the actors. Even though they will not be on the stage and in the spotlight, they know their hard work and diligence was part of why the production is a success,” he said.

“The second thing would be when we put on performances and the audience is entertained, and at intermission we hear the buzz about the performance or the set and how much they enjoy the show.”

Performances of “Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic” will be staged in the Hampton High School auditorium. Tickets can be purchased for $10 at the door.