A group of local thespians are ready to cast a spell on Jasper. 

Jasper Acts—a community theatre group made up of a diverse, dedicated group of actors and artists—are bringing a fantastical feature to local audiences May 2-4.

PUFFS, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic, is a 2015 original comedy play by New York–based playwright Matt Cox. The play is a parody of an extremely popular book series.

“A tale for anyone who has never been destined to save the world,” is how the digital box office describes it.

To stay out of copyright trouble, the production’s co-directors, high school students Adelle Riopel and Emerson Gibbons, describe it as “everyone’s favourite wizard play.”

Wink wink. Or perhaps: hoot hoot. 🦉

14-year-old Riopel, who is directing a play for the first time, said being fairly obsessed with wizards when she was younger made PUFFS her natural choice for the debut production of Jasper Acts. Her co-director agreed.

“We thought it would be really fun if we could get the right actors,” Riopel said. 

They have. The cast of 18 includes a wide range of Jasperites, aged seven to 40-something. Gibbons, who is in Grade 11, said the energy at the rehearsals has been electric.

“There’s a really great sense of community, with all walks of life coming together,” he said.

And building together. The production has been helped along by local creatives who have been pumping out props, and the local Men’s Shed chapter, who’ve been hammering together the elaborate set design for PUFFS. 

“There’s been a lot of work in the background by a lot of people,” Riopel said.

One of the group’s biggest supporters has been recently-retired high school teacher, Hélène Caron. Caron said she was happy to step in after Adelle called gushing about her experience at theatre camp this past summer. Still, Caron couldn’t have expected such enthusiastic buy-in from everyone involved, she said, including the Habitat for the Arts administrators and Jasper Theatre Productions’ co-founders and collaborators.

“We thought we were asking a lot, but everyone so passionate. When we show up on Tuesdays [rehearsal night], I’m always amazed by how much fun everyone is having,” Caron said. 

PUFFS debuts May 2 at 7 p.m. at the Jasper High School auditorium, with additional shows on May 3 (7 p.m.) and a special seniors-priority matinée, May 4 at 2 p.m.

Get your tickets before they sell out! 

Bob Covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com