Production Designer, Stage Manager, Light Board Operator: Moriah Armstrong
Assistant Stage Manager: Ty Burgess
Graphic Intern: Elisabetta Antonacci

Abby Tyler
Gwen Daretany
Quinn McGillon

MORIAH ARMSTRONG
Moriah is the Director, Stage Manager, Designer, Scenic Artist, and Proud Brave behind the University at Buffalo’s production of PUFFS. She is a senior Theatre Performance BFA Major and will be graduating this Fall. Her recent UB credits include Eurydice in Eurydice (Irene Ryan Acting Nominee), Dotty Otley in Noises Off! (Irene Ryan Acting Nominee), and Maria in Twelfth Night. Moriah hopes to go on to receive her Master’s in Theatre, and to continue acting, teaching, and directing.

AIDAN SUMRALL (Wayne Hopkins, A Very Tall Man)
Aidan is a sophomore and a true PUFF, studying Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, with a minor in Theatre Arts Technology and Design. Aidan is involved in multiple productions here at UB, but working crew, so he is very excited and in disbelief to be in his first production on the other side of the stage! Aidan would like to thank The Academy, his family for coming, and his friends for supporting him, and everyone else who comes to see the show and supports him, his fellow actors, crew, and the theatre department. HORNS UP! Insta: Aid_In_The_Fight

ALEX LOUIS (Oliver Rivers)
Alex is a freshman Musical Theatre BFA major, a Puff, and is excited to be making his college production debut as Oliver in PUFFS! His recent credits include Mortimer Brewster (Arsenic and Lace), Seymour Krelborn (Little Shop of Horrors), Arthur Roeder (Radium Girls), and Conrad Birdie (Bye Bye Birdie). Alex would like to thank his parents, his friends, his castmates, and Moriah for taking a chance on him for this show. Go Puffs! Insta: alexlouisofficial *Appears by permission of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

WISTERIA JONES (Megan Jones)
Wisteria is a rising sophomore music theatre major at UB. She has been in musicals consistently since the seventh grade, with her first role being Little Red Riding Hood in Into The Woods Junior. Her most recent role is ensemble in Sweet Charity. Some of her favorite roles include Sandy in SpongeBob the Musical, Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, and Lucy in You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown. She is from Rochester, New York and hopes to someday work at Disney as a performer. Wisteria is a GryffinPuff.

ALEX REISER (Narrator, Sorting Hat, Professor Locky, Mr. Bagman)
Alex is a Senior at UB, and a Brave. Alex brings to this role his experience in improv comedy and enjoys amateur filmmaking. His previous credits include Ed Boone in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Curtis Jackson in Sister Act, and most recently, father to eponymous Eurydice. For his performance in Eurydice, Alex is a 2024 Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Nominee, a distinction for which he will compete at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival in January.

ALEX NOVAK (Ernie Mac, Seamus, A Fat Friar, Bippy)
Alex is a Senior English major. He is grateful for his UB Theatre experiences as Sir Andrew in Twelfth Night, various roles in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and Damon in Wasting Away. He would like to thank his friends, family, and professors Golde and Rosvally for believing in him and supporting his love of the arts. Alex cannot wait to conjure up some magic in PUFFS! Alex is a proud Snake. Insta: alxnovak.

FARRAH HOLMAN (Hannah, First Headmaster, Professor Sproutty,Xavia Jones, Blondo)
Farrah is a sophomore majoring in Theatre Performance. Previously she has been seen in Matilda and Holliday Inn when she was in high school. Her favorite musical is Phantom of the Opera, and her dream role would be Veronica in Heathers. Farrah is so excited to be a part of this cast and this amazing production. Farrah belongs to the Snake House.

TOBIAS PFLUKE (J. Finch Fletchley, Uncle Dave, Viktor, Zach Smith, Real Mr. Moody)
Tobias is a Theatre Performance BA Junior, with a ton of improv experience with UB’s Improv Club, which performs every other Friday at 7:30 in the SU. Tobias recently understudied Christopher and was an ensemble member of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and works crew on most Department shows. He owes his theatre career at UB to Kathleen Golde, who pronounced his name wrong for an entire semester. He is known for his ability to have everyone’s moms on speed dial, and pretending to care what people say. Tobias is also a Brave and he is beyond pumped for you to see PUFFS!

JULIA PITARRESI (Leanne, Myrtle, Professor McG, Professor Lanny, Hermeoone #3, Helga)
Julia is a Brave and a Junior in the Music Theatre BFA Program. She graduated in 2021 from Niagara Falls High School, where she partook in many productions, most notably The Miracle Worker as Helen. Other credits include Evita (Young Eva), Into the Woods (Rapunzel), The Little Mermaid (Ursula), Twelfth Night, and The 25^thAnnual Putnam County Spelling Bee.  You can reach her for business at juliapitarresi@icloud.com Insta: sarcastic.soprano

LARISA RIVERA-VASQUEZ (Sally Perks, Ms. Babble, Runes Teach, Rowena)
Larisa is majoring in Political Science and Theatre. She is in her junior year and has previously been a part of C’est La Vie as well as an independent short film titled Awake, directed by Ibec Francis. She would like to thank Moriah for letting her be a part of the cast and for this incredible experience. She would also like to thank the cast and crew as this was an amazing experience for her. Larisa is a Smart!

ALEX FAWKES (Susie Bones, Harry, Colin, Clumsy Longbottom)
Alex (they/them) is a sophomore Latinx and trans non-binary artist majoring in Theatre Performance at UB. This is their third time participating in a Student Directed Series project, having previously been in C’est La Vie and Wasting Away. Other theatre credits include Newsies, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin. As a queer person and a friend of many people from marginalized groups, they would also like to take this opportunity to encourage you to donate to the Trevor Project and support causes and organizations that help those impacted by JK Rowling’s current rhetoric such as POC, Trans, and Jewish communities. Insta: rigel_fawkes #BLM #TransRIghtsAreHumanRights

JAMES GALLAGHER (Cedric, A Certain Potions Teacher)
James is a freshman at UB, currently in the Occupational Therapy Program. He graduated from Blind Brook High School where he performed in many productions, most notably Something Rotten! (Nigel Bottom), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Nick Bottom), Clue (Mr. Green), and many others. James is a Brave! Insta: jayugal23

AMAYA SONUBI (Mr. Voldy, Professor Turban, Hermeoone #2)
Amaya is excited to continue her magical UB Journey with this production of PUFFS! She is a Brave, and a sophomore student in the honors college, going for her Musical Theatre BFA and Political Science BA. Some of her favorite credentials include Ensemble in Rogers and Hammerstein’s’ Cinderella, and Ensemble in Matilda. She is overjoyed to be a part of this production and hopes everyone enjoys our riddikulus show!

SARAH SHOENEMAN (Goyle, Mr. Nick, Frenchy, Rita Scooter, Hermeoone#1, Ginny, Scorpy)
Sarah is a freshman and has recently been in Letters to Sala (Ann Kirchner), Curtains (Carmen), and Radium Girls (Grace Fryer). She would like to thank her parents and friends for inspiring her to do her best. Sarah belongs to the Smart House.

RYAN BUTLER (Second Headmaster, Ghost History Teach, Sal, Ric Gryff)
Ryan is thrilled to be making his UB debut in PUFFS. He is a Smart, and a freshman in the Musical Theatre Program. Past credits include: Newsies (Jack), Something Rotten (Shakespeare), The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong (Chris), Ranked (WNY Debut, John). He would like to thank the wonderful cast and crew that make this show happen, and of course, Moriah. He hopes you enjoy the show!  

KCT Box Office Manager: Rob Falgiano
Theatre Technician: Jonathan Irizarry
Lighting Design Support: Nicholas Quinn
Production Photographer: Ken Smith
Senior Staff Assistant: Tom Tucker

The UB Department of Theatre and Dance is a proud member of the UB College of Arts and Sciences. 

With a firm commitment to advancement of creative research, experiential learning, and community engagement, the UBTHD 2023-2024 Production Season is administered by the Department of Theatre and Dance. We acknowledge our full faculty and staff for their part in preparing students for work on stage and behind the scenes.

We thank UB Center for the Arts for their support in making these productions possible.  

We wish to acknowledge the generous continued philanthropic support of Fox Run at Orchard Park, celebrating five years as an official contributing sponsor of UB Theatre and Dance.