Interview: Asia Marie Hicks, Phoenix Eldridge, and Joe Bailey Say PUFFS at Ringwald Theatre Will Make You Leave the Theatre Laughing

From October 15th to November 1st, the Ringwald Theatre in Ferndale brings you Puffs, a play that serves as a comedic parody of the Harry Potter series. Written by Matt Cox, this show had an off-off-Broadway premiere in 2015 and an off-Broadway premiere in 2016.

Ahead of Ringwald's premiere of Puffs, which also happens to be their return to live theatre, BWW Detroit had the pleasure of interviewing Joe Bailey, Phoenix Eldridge, and Asia Marie Hicks. Bailey directed the show and also plays the Narrator, Eldridge plays Wayne, and Hicks plays Megan Jones. Read our conversation below!

BWW Detroit: Can you give BWW readers a brief background of yourself and your theatre career?

Asia Marie Hicks (they/them): I am a proud graduate of Western Michigan University with a BFA in Acting and Directing. Currently, I am an interdisciplinary artist working across Metro Detroit as an actor, director, comedian, vocalist, producer, and designer. I've been seen performing with companies such as Planet Ant, Theatre Nova, Matrix Theatre Company, Black and Brown Theatre, and most recently, The Ringwald's Michigan Debut of Dance Nation by Clare Barron in March of 2020. I can also be found producing and performing stand-up comedy shows alongside Honorary Mentions Comedy.

Phoenix Eldridge (they/them): I went to school at the University of Detroit Mercy where I studied Theatre. We partnered with the Ringwald to produce The Whale in 2015, and then I was cast in A Streetcar Named Desire. After that, I just sort of stuck around and worked on shows, and after a couple years, joined fully as a member of the board. I spend most of my time here and work in some capacity on almost every show. Most recently, I've been in Head Over Heels as an ensemble member, both at the Ringwald and over the summer with Ferndale High School, and the online production of Have Yourself a Misery Little Christmas.

Joe Bailey (he/him): I've been doing theatre for years, probably longer than I care to admit to. I have been the artistic director for other companies here in Michigan, Los Angeles, and New York, and I also appeared in the original LA and off-Broadway productions of Ronnie Larsen's 10 Naked Men. Locally I have worked at Theatre Nova, Williamston, Detroit Public Theatre, Wayne State University, Two Muses, Planet Ant, as well as The Ringwald, where I am the founding artistic director (and the director of Puffs).

How would you describe Puffs for someone who is unfamiliar with the show?

Hicks: Puffs is a wild ride about a familiar story of ~certain~ wizard boy from a ~certain~ school of magic! Only this time, we get to hear the story from a brand new perspective. Puffs carries all of the nostalgia from the books we know and love, plus all new characters we get to meet along the way. Even if you aren't familiar with this wizarding world of which we speak, there is something in this story for us all!

Eldridge: Puffs is a show about a certain school of magic with a certain boy wizard in a certain house that seems to contain all the students that don't fit anywhere else. It follows their lives through the seven years they spend at the school, how they deal with the dangers the school is constantly challenged by, and how they grow as students and people. There's lots of spells, lots of jokes, and lots of weird and quirky and awesome people.

Bailey: Puffs begins with a certain boy wizard who is a student at a certain school of magic. But this isn't his story; this is the story of The Puffs, students of one of the wizard houses at the school who are there at the same time as "the boy who lived." And what they may lack in talent, they more than make for in heart.

In a few words, can you describe your connection with the Harry Potter series?

Hicks: Being a child of the 90s, when Harry Potter hit the shelves, the world shook. Never before had we been exposed to a magical universe so deep, detailed, and breathing such life. My personal connection came when the movies came to be, and I could see the Harry Potter world with more than just my imagination. I was blown away by how beautiful each film was, and I was (and continue to be) in awe of the power of storytelling.

Eldridge: I grew up reading the books and watching the movies. In fact, the final book in the series is one of very few books I just couldn't put down and had to finish as soon as I could.

Bailey: I have been along for the ride from the beginning!

What was your first impression of Puffs when you first were introduced to the show?

Hicks: My first impression was an equal combination of "Oh my God, this exists?!" and "Of COURSE this exists!" I was laughing immediately, and knew it was something I had to be a part of. Harry Potter parody play? That's so iconic! I couldn't help but become immediately obsessed, and my childhood love for HP was sparked all over again.

Eldridge: I loved Puffs immediately! I remember seeing the off-Broadway production and instantly being struck by how magical and awesome the set was, and then when the actors came onstage, there were very few moments when I wasn't laughing. I had such a great time watching it that I absolutely had to be a part of it.

Bailey: I read the script a few years ago and just fell in love with it. It's so funny, and so generous of heart. It's definitely one that'll make you leave the theatre smiling!

What has been your favorite aspect of participating in the production of this show?

Hicks: Honestly, the human contact. This pandemic was especially brutal for the entertainment industry at large. Our entire livelihoods revolve around the gathering of large groups of people. Being locked inside for 18 months made us all come to appreciate our craft and each other more than ever before. Also...MAGIC WANDS!!!!

Eldridge: I have two favorite aspects of the show. The first is being able to be a wizard at all. I've wanted to be a wizard since I was probably 13 and now I'm living out that dream of casting spells and going to a magic school. The other is watching everyone else change costumes and become new characters while I get to remain as Wayne for the entire show. The last show I did involved so many costume changes, it's kind of a guilty pleasure watching others do that now.

Bailey: My favorite aspect of this production has been the fact that we've been able to do it! After 18 months, it's been so gratifying to be in a rehearsal room with people I admire and respect and who love making a play.

What would you say is the main takeaway of Puffs? In other words, what will audiences come out of this play thinking about?

Hicks: Living your truth is far more important than any "role" that life may place you in.

Eldridge: I think the main takeaway of the play is partly to never give up and always keep trying, and partly that what matters most is the people who love you. Failure is just another form of practice and you can always improve as long as you continue to try, and you don't have to be someone whose name everyone in the world knows to be important. You are world-changing to those who love you.

Bailey: Puffs is a good time! Hilarious, heartfelt, clever, creative, goofy, and gleeful!

Do you have any social media accounts you'd like BWW readers to follow?

Hicks: Instagram: @Asiamhicks / TikTok: @theysiamarie

Puffs runs at Ringwald Theatre (at Affirmations LGBTQ+ Community Center in Ferndale) from October 15th until November 1st. For more information and tickets to the show, visit theRingwald.com.

Connect with Ringwald on Instagram at @theringwald and on Facebook at facebook.com/TheRingwald/.