This school year fall break more than doubled, from a long weekend to a whole week off of school; students will be gone Oct. 7 to 15 which is an arguably popular decision for anyone who plans to travel or needs the rest. On the other hand, “Puffs” the fall play (which is a parody of “Harry Potter”), is scheduled to show on Nov. 9 to 11. That change in the school schedule has required students in the production to adapt.   

Junior Paige Murray, who will play Clumsy Longbottom and Professor Sproutty in “Puffs,” said the impact of an extended fall break will be different for each person.

“I think it gives us less time to rehearse and just overall it puts a little break in (our preparation),” they said. “But it also does give us dead-set time that if you’re not on vacation or anything, you can memorize lines. The hard part is that if you’re on vacation or doing something like college visits—which a lot of people do—it puts a break in the rehearsal process so people could forget (their lines).”

Murray said they will most likely be in New York touring colleges during fall break, while senior Bailey Oehler, who will play Ginny and Helga in “Puffs,” said she will go snorkeling at the Turks and Caicos Islands for the week. Oehler said she thinks the theater department is prepared for the week off. 

“I think we’re adapting to it pretty well. All we did is we moved our line-memorization day to right after fall break. So we’re not losing much time, we’ll be losing two rehearsals,” she said.

“Puffs” director Grant Steckbeck said he shared Oehler’s opinion.

“I don’t think it will impact it too much, we are fortunate enough to be able to rehearse in school and out of school. So at that point, I mean, sure we’ll lose a week, but we’ll be okay,” Steckbeck said. 

Steckbeck said he hopes to have half of the play blocked before fall break starts, and there might be longer rehearsals once students return from break to catch up and plan technological aspects. 

As for Steckbeck’s fall break plans, he said he will be at home relaxing.

“My wife is on a balanced calendar; so she has two weeks of fall break and one week overlaps with our break, so for me it will just be spending more time with her and catching up on some sleep.”