“Puffs: Or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic“ is currently being performed at the New World Stages Theatre in New York City, New York. This Off-Broadway play cleverly skirts around a well-known seven-book and eight-movie series about wizards and their adventures at a magic school. The Harry Potter series, written by J.K. Rowling, is internationally very well known. The novels follow the story of a muggle-raised ‘boy who lived’ and his magical adventures with his friends. But, as “Puffs“ will alert its audiences, everybody already knows this story.

“Puffs“ provides a clever spin to the world of Muggles, Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, Slytherins and Hufflepuffs Harry Potter fans already know. This play is not the story of the smart, braves or snakes — this is the story of the Puffs. The Puffs, shorthand for Hufflepuffs, have often been labeled as the most underestimated and least liked house at the school. “Puffs“ tells the story of Wayne, an unlikely hero as well as a proud Puff, who attends this school of magic at the same time as the Chosen One.

Wayne was raised by his absent-minded uncle after his parents were killed in a chocolate frog accident, until, similarly to another young wizard, he was whisked into the world of wizards at age eleven. According to Wayne, played by Zac Moon, “[Puffs are] the mighty ducks of wizards!” This spectacularly hilarious performance brings the most underappreciated house of wizards out of the shadows. In the words of Helga Hufflepuff, briefly played by Andy Miller, “Why be one thing, when you can be everything else?” “Puffs” playfully makes fun of book-to-movie inconsistencies such as the ‘subtle’ Dumbledore actor switch present in the movie series and says all of the things fans have always wanted to say.

Many members of the cast get to perform as multiple characters during this show, creating a fun yet hectic environment backstage. Leanne Velednitsky, who portrays the character Megan, says, “You’re always running around! There’s so much happening back stage … we’re all working the whole time, which is so fun just to work together in that way.” It is clear to the audience that the cast members have an experienced and comfortable dynamic with each other. Keith Rubin, in the role of the esteemed Cedric, describes this dynamic as “getting to clown around with your friends in a really lovely way.”

This play, with its hilarious characters and genius dialogue, hardly gives the audience a moment to catch their breath between laughs. One such character is Leanne, played by Andy Miller. “We’re wizards!” she exclaims occasionally, perhaps to remind herself. However, this character is not without inspiring moments of her own. “Look in your hand, you have a wand!” Leanne says, “…Unless you looked in your other hand.”

“Puffs” will not only leave its audience with a new definition of what it means to belong to the house of loyalty and badgers but also with the impression made by Wayne’s final interaction with Dumbledore where he learns roughly the same lesson Harry Potter would come to learn, “Did I really spend seven years at wizard school to find out you think love is the greatest magic there is?” This play teaches its audience the important lesson of being the main character of their own stories, even if it is not the story they wanted to tell.

• Ghina Ammar | Psychology 
  Discrimination And Its Relation To Anger Expression In Emerging Adults 
  Mentor(s): Danielle Beatty Moody
  UC Ballroom | 10 – 11:30 a.m.
• Tarek Antar | Psychology 
  Examining The Role Of Parental And Peer Religious Socialization In The Development Of The Muslim-Adolescent Identity 
  Mentor(s): Charissa Cheah 
  UC Ballroom | 1 – 2:30 p.m.
• Monica Argueta | Psychology 
  What Do Children Need To Know Before Kindergarten? Latino/a Immigrant Parents’ Views 
  Mentor(s): Susan Sonnenschein
  UC Ballroom | 1 – 2:30 p.m.

• Alexis Ashcroft | Psychology 
  Examining The Role Of Trust In Sexual Health Decision Making Among Black Women 
  Mentor(s): Jasmine Abrams
  UC Ballroom | 10 – 11:30 a.m.
• Pearl Asigbetse | Psychology 
  Prevention Programs For At Risk Native American Students 
  Mentor(s): Karen Watkins-Lewis
  UC Ballroom | 10 – 11:30 a.m.
• Amber Brock | Psychology 
  What Do Children Need To Know Before Kindergarten? Latino/a Immigrant Parents’ Views 
  Mentor(s): Susan Sonnenschein
  UC Ballroom | 1 – 2:30 p.m.
• Riley Burnett | Psychology 
  Quantitative Study Examining Sexual Health Education, Knowledge, And Behavior 
  Mentor(s): Jolene Sy
  UC Ballroom | 10 – 11:30 a.m.
• Leah Franklin | Psychology 
  A Qualitative Examination Of Black Women’s Barriers To And Motivations For Safer Sex 
  Mentor(s): Jasmine Abrams
  UC Ballroom | 1 – 2:30 p.m.
• Jake Freas | Psychology 
  Impact Of Activity On The Relationship Between Youth Substance Use And Depression Symptoms/Suicidality 
  Mentor(s): Carlo DiClemente
  UC Ballroom | 10 – 11:30 a.m.
• Kai Hajos | Psychology 
  How Does Sense Of Community Between Genders Affect Minority Student Achievement? 
  Mentor(s): Mario Sto. Domingo
  UC Ballroom | 1 – 2:30 p.m.
• Chioma Ihegbe | Psychology 
  Telling A Better Story: The Effects Of Specific Instruction 
  Mentor(s): Linda Baker
  UC Ballroom | 10 – 11:30 a.m.
• Laiyana Kabir | Psychology 
  A Qualitative Examination Of Black Women’s Barriers To And Motivations For Safer Sex 
  Mentor(s): Jasmine Abrams
  UC Ballroom | 1 – 2:30 p.m.
• Bahati Kuffar | Psychology 
  A Qualitative Examination Of Black Women’s Barriers To And Motivations For Safer Sex 
  Mentor(s): Jasmine Abrams
  UC Ballroom | 1 – 2:30 p.m.
• Kavita Kumar | Psychology 
  Discrimination And Its Relation To Anger Expression In Emerging Adults 
  Mentor(s): Danielle Beatty Moody
  UC Ballroom | 10 – 11:30 a.m.
• Jessica Kweon | Psychology 
  How Does Sense Of Community Between Genders Affect Minority Student Achievement? 
  Mentor(s): Mario Sto. Domingo
  UC Ballroom | 1 – 2:30 p.m.
• Mia Levine | Psychology 
  Examining The Role Of Trust In Sexual Health Decision Making Among Black Women 
  Mentor(s): Jasmine Abrams
  UC Ballroom | 10 – 11:30 a.m.
• Tanzeem Naqvi | Psychology 
  Investigating The Relationships Between Therapeutic Bond, Self-Efficacy, Therapy Conditions and Treatment Adherence 
  Carlo DiClemente(s): Name
  UC Ballroom | 1 – 2:30 p.m.
• Tiffany Nguyen | Psychology 
  Confirming And Identifying Dimensions Of Learning Engagement To Predict Performance In College STEM Gateway Courses 
  Mentor(s): Shuyan Sun
  UC Ballroom | 1 – 2:30 p.m.
• Ayla Novruz | Psychology 
  Discrimination And Its Relation To Anger Expression In Emerging Adults 
  Mentor(s): Danielle Beatty Moody
  UC Ballroom | 10 – 11:30 a.m.
• Marisa Padeletti | Psychology 
  What Do Children Need To Know Before Kindergarten? Latino/a Immigrant Parents’ Views 
  Mentor(s): Susan Sonnenschein
  UC Ballroom | Time
• Hye Jin Park | Psychology 
  The Role Of Marital Quality And Parenting In Korean-American Children’s Social Problem-Solving Reasoning Skills 
  Mentor(s): Charissa Cheah
  UC Ballroom | 10 – 11:30 a.m.
• Christina Paul | Psychology 
  Association Between Anxiety, Sleep, And Psychotic-like Experiences 
  Mentor(s): Jason Schiffman
  UC Ballroom | 10-11:30 a.m.
• Trevor Pitts | Psychology 
  The Effect Of GSA Involvement On Attitudes Toward LGBTQ Individuals 
  Mentor(s): Nicole Else-Quest
  UC Ballroom | 1 – 2:30 p.m.
• Abigail Pollock | Psychology 
  Examining The Role Of Trust In Sexual Health Decision Making Among Black Women 
  Mentor(s): Jasmine Abrams
  UC Ballroom | 10 – 11:30 a.m.

• Brianna Sirkis | Psychology 
  Performance Deficits Across Single And Dual-Task Procedures in College Undergraduate Students 
  Mentor(s): Diane Alonso
  UC 310 | 2:45 – 3 p.m.
• Emily Tillett | Psychology 
  Examining The Role Of Trust In Sexual Health Decision Making Among Black Women 
  Mentor(s): Jasmine Abrams
  UC Ballroom | 10 – 11:30 a.m.
• Inaya Wahid | Psychology 
  Discrimination And Its Relation To Anger Expression In Emerging Adults 
  Mentor(s): Danielle Beatty Moody
  UC Ballroom | 10 – 11:30 a.m.

Congrats to our Tuesday $25 raffle winners Andrew Kogut, Mohamad Majdalawi, Jerin Alam, Alisa Merritt, and Ernesto Evans!

Come out to any of the stared events this week to be entered to win $25 of campus cash!

One of the latest releases out of the ever-increasing list of Netflix originals is director Steven Soderbergh’s sports drama film “High Flying Bird.” The film, which is a work of fiction, revolves around sports agent Ray Burke (André Holland) and his need to resolve a dreadful NBA lockout that threatens the livelihood of many players, including his own client, rookie Erick Scott (Melvin Gregg). Though from the big-shot business perspective, Ray’s passion for the game and players leads him to seek a risky solution.

The film is not a sports drama in the traditional sense. “High Flying Bird” takes the risk of sidelining the sport itself and chooses to focus on the inner workings of the basketball industry. Starting with a long and fast-paced conversation between Erick and Ray, we learn the NBA has been in this lockout for six weeks after a stalemate in negotiations between the league and the Players Association, leaving players like Erick without income for an extended period of time.

Though the film is a work of fiction, it draws from real events to more accurately describe the climate of sports politics. The lockout in which the film occurs mirrors that of the 2011 NBA lockout where the league and the Players Association could not come to a conclusion in negotiations, leading to an absence of games at the beginning of the season with a substantial loss in revenue for all parties.

Though most characters do not exactly represent real people, their role in the film serves to express the distinct effects of a lockout on different layers of the institution. Erick is a rookie, the first draft pick who is yet to fully sign on to the New York Knicks. His introduction to the league is stunted by a lack of income. Sonja Sohn’s character, Myra, is a lawyer working with the Players Association and Ray to end the lockout. Myra’s role is an advocate for the players, another layer of protection to the players from the powerful and controlling league.

The most important character is, of course, the protagonist Ray Burke. His work as a sports agent representing players is the connective tissue that bridges both the individual players and the executives. His in-depth knowledge of the league’s rules and total passion for the game and its players allows him to work out the solution; a scare-tactic to get the league to work out its issues. The film’s precise subject matter allows for a spotlight onto these lesser-known parts of the industry.

The film’s writing is rich and loaded with call-backs and references to important people and movements that are important to the characters. The book Ray gives to Erick referred to as “the Bible” is Harry Edwards’ “The Revolt of the Black Athlete,” a study on several essential conflicts that forever changed sports and sports politics. Edwards, a noted civil rights activist in his own right, also makes an appearance at the end of the film in an appointment with Ray. Fostering the connection between Ray and a notable figure like Edwards shows Ray’s commitment to the bettering of the players, especially those of color.

Though endearing and positive, the script’s overloaded quality is too much for those not yet acquainted with the league in some form. Without a background in the sport, a regular viewer could miss details from the fast-paced dialogue and character developments. The film loses general audiences when scenes about league and game rules ramp up to speedy deliveries. The subject matter is itself not easily explainable. However, the film does a decent job of giving details that are crucial to the plot.

Regardless of the film’s unwelcoming story, “High Flying Bird” achieves stellar cinematography on a budget. The film was produced with a diminutive budget of $2 million USD. For reference, 2019 Best Picture-winning film “Green Book” was produced on a budget of $23 million USD and 2018’s highest grossing film “Black Panther” was produced on a budget of an estimated $200 million USD. Director Soderbergh cut costs so far down by opting to produce the film with the same camera technology used in his previous film “Unsane”: the mighty iPhone.

“High Flying Bird” was fully shot on an iPhone 8 equipped with special anamorphic lenses for widescreen shots and the Filmic Pro App to fully utilize the raw power of the hardware. By choosing to once again work with the iPhone on this scale the film avoided high production costs allowing Soderbergh to cast great talent and produce the film incredibly cheaply without heavily sacrificing visuals.

Soderbergh’s film, though flawed, is still an impressive feat. Living in the realm of a sports drama, “High Flying Bird” gets into the nitty-gritty of sports politics and showcases the NBA in different perspectives that highlight parts of the industry we do not see when watching basketball at home.

1.  E-Board applications 
2.  Student Needs Survey #2
3.  Upcoming events
4.  Finalizing T-shirt Design