Pop Culturalist Chats with PUFFS’ Reginald Keith Jackson, Sonia Mena, and Chrissy Albanese

PUFFS or: Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic & Magic has well over 800 performances under its belt and continues to be a comedic hit with audiences. It’s been filmed (available on iTunes, Amazon, and BroadwayHD!), and there is an official behind-the-scenes book coming out later this year. Needless to say, it’s a must-see show.

One of the reasons that audiences keep coming to this show about wizards and a loveable group of its misfits (Puffs, of course) is because of the insanely hilarious and fantastic cast. We caught up actors Reginald Keith Jackson (Oliver), Sonia Mena (Megan), and Chrissy Albanese (Sally/Others) to chat a bit more about the production…and just which house they’d be a part of if they lived in the world of PUFFS!

Were you familiar with Puffs before you joined the cast?
Reginald Keith Jackson: No! Well, I had heard about it, but I had never seen it, nor did I know anything about the style of the show. When I first auditioned, I knew it was a comedy but I took it very seriously. I was then told to go bigger, so I did, and then again told bigger and I was like “really?”

Sonia Mena: Yes! I knew Kristin and a handful of the cast members as well as Colin and Steve from The Flea Theater. Me and Kristin had done show, Kevin!!!!!, together at the PIT with her other company Recent Cutbacks. When I heard PUFFS was looking for a new Megan Jones I jumped at the chance to audition.

Chrissy Albanese: I had actually watched it on BroadwayHD about a month prior to hearing they were looking for a Sally! At the time I was doing a show that also required the cast to come on and off quickly as different characters and I thought, “I could probably do that!”

What is your favorite scene/part of the show?
Jackson: Aaaah. That’s probably the most difficult question for me because it changes a lot. There are just so many great scenes. I think I’d have to say Bippy’s last scene. When I began rehearsals, I could never keep it together. I was on the verge of laughter EVERY time. Oh. And I actually really enjoy getting slapped. Um…yeah.

Mena: You know the joke “Who is throwing all of these birds?” I think about it a lot. Like little old McG is just wandering around the castle and boom, there are all these all the dead birds in the corridor (are they dead? Did Wayne kill a bunch of birds? What are they doing there? And why?!)…Haha…the more I think about it the funnier it is. To me.

Albanese: I quite enjoy being a dragon! I also really love the heartfelt scenes when Cedric, the Narrator, and the Headmaster talk about what it really means to be a Puff.

How do you keep your performances fresh since it’s eight shows a week?
Jackson: For me, it’s about realizing this is my reputation. And not just mine, but for PUFFS as well. For one thing, you never know who is in the audience each night (or afternoon) clocking your performance, but also, I wouldn’t want anyone to walk away with a negative opinion or experience. You can’t win everybody over. I’m well aware of that. But if I can give less of a reason to dislike the show, I’m going for it. I’m pouring energy into each one of those eight every week.

Mena: Oh man. Yes. There is a constant party of bits happening backstage that change every show. It keeps me on my toes, and gives me little extra zing of energy from whatever insanity just happened behind the doors when I walk onstage. Also, Matt’s [creator, Matt Cox] writing is so fun and dynamic I like to challenge myself to find new or different ways to land his jokes, each performance can be a little experiment in that way. But mainly, I just enjoy trying to break Reggie.

Albanese: Honestly I am always working on some aspect of my performance, so it is more of a privilege that I get the opportunity to come to work and make it better every day! Also, every time we perform we have a different combination of personalities in the audience and tuning up to their sensibilities keeps me on my toes! Another thing that keeps it exciting is when we have swings on because it adds an element of freshness to the dynamic on stage.

The current cast of PUFFS with Chris Rankin.

If you could play another character from the show, who would you want to be and why?
Jackson: Definitely Sally Perks! The Sally track includes Bippy and the Dragon and oh my god I would have so much fun.

Mena: Ohhh I love the Susie track. She has some of the funniest bits in the show, and is such a wonderfully weird and resilient character. What a gal.

Albanese: Probably Susie or Megan. I think I would enjoy playing the “little shit” that Harry is in this show cause who doesn’t love a bit of permission to be a little shit? And I would enjoy the awesome arc that Megan goes through -from denying her Puffiness and being closed off to finally arriving at the acceptance of being a Puff and opening up more.

Who in the cast is the most like the character they play?
Jackson: I would have to say Andy is most like her character, Leanne. They both smile a lot, have a whimsical-like nature, can be a bit loud, but mostly, just wants to have fun with their friends.

Mena: If you look at old pictures of me from when I was 13, I look exactly like Megan Jones. It’s very embarrassing. The makeup, the attitude, it’s like traveling back in time. I was very hell bent on being “BAD and COOL and SCARY.” Woof.

Albanese: Everyone does a great job of bringing some aspect of themselves on stage so it’s hard to choose, but I think Keith has a similar sense of confidence to Cedric.

Which house would you personally be sorted into?
Jackson: Oh I already found that out well before I auditioned for the show. I’m actually a Snake. Shhhh.

Mena: Brave!

Albanese: I am indeed a Puff!

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

Last TV show you binge-watched
Jackson: Currently working on Frasier.
Mena: Currently binging Killing Eve; I don’t even want to admit how quickly I’ve burned through it.
Albanese: Chris Lilley’s Lunatics on Netflix.

Favorite Film
Jackson: Honestly…probably School of Rock.
Mena: So hard! Recently saw Death Becomes Her. It was sublime.
Albanese: Mary Poppins and The Grinch

Favorite Book 
Jackson: The Artemis Fowl series will always be dear to me.
Mena: Tell Me How It Ends by Valeria Luiselli
Albanese: I just started This Is Your Brain on Music by Daniel Levitin and am really digging it.

Favorite Play and/or Musical
Jackson: Boring–but true–answer is Hamilton. I’ll give you a second: Sweeney Todd.
Mena: Ummm….the last play I saw and loved was Will Artery’s Plano. [It] blew my freakin’ mind.
Albanese: Right now- Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, The Light in the Piazza, Sunday in the Park with George, Avenue Q, Red, and most George Bernard Shaw plays.

Musician/Band you can listen to on repeat
Jackson: Solo artist is Childish Gambino. Band: The Strokes
Mena: Mitski!
Albanese: Right now- Kesha’s album Rainbow and Shaina Taub’s songs from Old Hats

Place you most want to go to
Jackson: Japan
Mena: Mexico City!
Albanese: WARM and tropical places like Jamaica and LA (and someday Italy)

Person you most want to meet
Jackson: Donald Glover
Mena: The list is too long for a speed round.
Albanese: I do think Daniel Radcliffe would be super cool to meet–or Stephen Sondheim.

Keep up with Reginald Keith Jackson on Instagram, Sonia Mena on Instagram, and Chrissy Albanese via her website.
For more information on PUFFS Or: Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic, click here.