Behind the Magic: Meet the Puffs Directors

Photo Credits: Connor Egloff

Welcome to our behind-the-scenes blog for Puffs, the hilarious and heartwarming parody by Matt Cox that gives a voice to the students who just happened to be at a certain school of magic at the same time as a certain boy wizard. This blog will follow our journey as we bring this magical misfit story to life. Let’s introduce the creative leaders guiding us through this enchanted chaos: our Directors! 

With a passion for creative spaces and training puppies to be service animals, Chloe Dixon brings a magical energy to Puffs. They’ve previously assistant directed Clue: On Stage last semester and are thrilled to direct and take the audience on an incredible journey. 

Chloe spoke about how excited they are about this show. When asked what they were most excited for, they said “I am SO excited about our actor’s performances. They are all doing fantastic all around. I am also super hyped up about our props! I think they will sell it.” This show is about portraying some over the top characters, each actor has multiple roles in the show, meaning a lot of character work and—from what Chloe described—they are doing an amazing job with it!

One of the reasons Dixon wanted to direct the show was because of how technically challenging it is. They love letting everyone's creative sides come out, and with a show like this you can’t help but be creative. That’s why these props are so important and as Dixon stated they “sell the show”. Our props team and some company members have been hard at work creating this world and we are so excited to see what they bring to the stage. Dixon even said that's why they chose to be a director. They said “ I just love working with all of the actors and tech to make a show! I think it’s such a fun process and I’ve loved having the honor of making a safe, creative space.”

Community is one thing about LFC that comes up in these blogs time and time again. Dixon touched on the community of this show during their interview. They said their favorite part of this experience has been “bringing in my Service Dog-in-raining: Macchiato. The whole cast and crew loves him and he loves them. It’s been a ton of fun seeing how everyone interacts with him and how much joy he brings!” Macchiato is a fan favorite here in LFC and we are so happy to help support other student organizations like 4 Paws which Dixon is the Co-President of.  

We also have the pleasure of working with another student organization—ASL club—for the Sunday performance. On that day, we will have an ASL interpreter for that Puffs performance! The Assistant Director LJ Arnold is on the board for serving as their Deaf Culture Chair. LFC is so special because we get the opportunity to work with so many different people who bring something new to the table and teach us about other student orgs on campus—something which is incredibly important. 

That's why Arnold—when interviewed—said they love the collaboration we have in LFC, that is her favorite part. They said “I love the collaborative nature of the members of LFC. If you ever need anything, someone will be right there to help you out. I feel so creatively fulfilled by this club and the people are nothing short of wonderful.” Such a lovely sentiment, LFC tries to be an environment in which anyone can join and bring new and creative ideas that will help the club flourish. Arnold is one of those people who brings new and inventive ideas—which we are extremely grateful for!

Arnold brings the acting side to directing. When asked about her favorite part of directing, she said it is  “the nit-picking and fine detail work of directing. I love that I can ask an actor to move their eyeline slightly and it can completely shift the tone of the scene. There is nothing better than that.” Arnold brings an eye to the directing team that is willing to take the deep dive and bring something new out of their actors. We are very excited to see these actors on stage showing off these finer details that’ll make this production unlike any other. 

Arnold even touched on one of these finer details that we are all very excited to see. She said her favorite rehearsal moment was “when we were first blocking Act one, there is a moment when the cast gets into a “Puff formation.” This meant all of the cast getting in a huddle and posing center stage and I moved everyone just a little bit here and there until it all suddenly came together. In one moment this group of actors transformed into ‘The Puffs’.” This is a moment the audience should be super excited to see!

The world of Puffs thrives not just on its witty script and endearing characters, but on the vision of its direction. Chloe Dixon and LJ Arnold bring Matt Cox’s hilarious and heartfelt story to life with a touch of wizardry all their own—blending sharp comedic timing with an unmistakable affection for the underdog. Their direction ensures that whether you're a wizarding world superfan or a newcomer, you’ll leave the theater grinning (and maybe even a little teary-eyed).

So grab your house scarf (preferably yellow), and come cheer for the most lovable group of misfits this side of the castle. November 8th at 7pm and 9th at 2pm in Artswest. $5 admission CASH ONLY!