About Harry Potter and The Cursed Child
Arriving on Broadway via London’s West End, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth installment of the beloved J.K. Rowling story series. Unlike its predecessors which were churned out by the author in the form of massive tomes, The Cursed Child was instead written collaboratively as a play by Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany. But in keeping with Rowling’s lengthy story style, the five-hour production is split into two parts, intended on being viewed back-to-back in the same day, or over the course of two consecutive days. Following its West End premier in July 2016, much of the original London cast packed up and brought the play to New York for its 2018 American debut.
Synopsis
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child picks up 19 years after the Deathly Hallows book left off. Harry has since married Ginny Weasley and the forty-somethings now have a brood of three kids of their own; their middle son, Albus, is setting off on the Hogwarts Express to begin his schooling at the wizardry academy. Their friends, fan favorites Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, join Harry and Ginny at Platform 9 ¾ to send their daughter off to school as well. Turmoil begins as Albus Potter shockingly is sorted into Slytherin by the Sorting Hat, and this is only the beginning of Albus’ struggles at Hogwarts – the weight of family legacy weighs heavy on Harry’s son.
Through a series of time traveling misadventures, Albus explores his parents’ past and tempts with fate himself. But thanks to J.K. Rowling’s #KeepTheSecrets campaign, many of the play’s major twists have been kept under wraps, so as not to spoil the story for future theatergoers. Want to find out how it all ends? You’ll have to come find out for yourselves firsthand!
Style & Innovation
While Harry Potter and the Cursed Child may not have the typical song-and-dance flair of many other Broadway productions, the audience can’t help but get swept up into the play’s magical universe. From dazzlingly athletic wand fights to mind-boggling water stunts, to traditional sleight-of-hand magic tricks and fantastic flights of Dementors, the magic of Harry Potter simply comes alive inside the theater. One can’t help but also credit the ever-morphing set, whose dancing staircases, whimsical clocks and glorious depictions of time travel contribute greatly to the experience of the Potterverse.
Cast
The show’s original West End cast brought the magic of the Harry Potter universe with them to the Broadway production in 2018. Jamie Parker starred as Harry Potter (who is currently embodied by James Snyder), alongside Poppy Miller as Ginny, Noma Dumezweni as Hermione Granger-Weasley, Paul Thornley as Ron Weasley, and Sam Clemmett as the troubled Albus Potter. The play also features a mystical, pulsing score by Imogen Heap.
Awards & Accolades
While Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is still relatively new to Broadway, it has already taken the theater world by storm and shows no signs of slowing down. Grossing over $2.5 million at the end of December 2018, the production holds the record for highest all-time weekly ticket sales. The highly-renowned show has been nominated for 10 Tony nominations and won in six categories, including Best Play – in addition, it received 5 Drama Desk Awards, 6 Outer Critics Circle Awards, and 1 Drama League Award.