A new version of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is returning to North American stages as a one-show experience.
The world premiere theatrical event will take place November 16 at Broadway’s Lyric Theatre in New York. The show will debut at the Curran in San Francisco on January 11. The Canadian premiere will begin performances in May at the Ed Mirvish Theatre in Toronto. Cursed Child was previously a two-part event.
“Collaborating on Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has been one of the great joys of my professional life,” author J.K. Rowling said. “While no one would wish for what has happened over the last year, it has given Jack, John and the first-class creatives who first breathed life into the production the opportunity to revisit the play, and to find a new way to frame our story — with amazing illusions and some exquisite new staging — all the while keeping our original story intact. I’m so proud to be associated with this new, reimagined version, and to be able to welcome back audiences to the Lyric, Curran and Ed Mirvish theatres.”
Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a play by Jack Thorne, directed by John Tiffany.
Watch on Deadline
In a joint statement, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany said, “We are incredibly excited to be returning to the US with this reimagined Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. We’ve been working hard on this new version throughout lockdown and it’s been a joyous process of rediscovery. It has given us a unique opportunity to look at the play with fresh eyes and we have been inspired by the entire creative team every step of the way.”
The story picks up 19 years after Harry, Ron and Hermione saved the wizarding world. They’re back on a most extraordinary new adventure – this time, joined by a brave new generation that has only just arrived at the legendary Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It includes spells, a race through time, and an epic battle to stop mysterious forces, all while the future hangs in the balance.
The play features movement by Steven Hoggett, a set by Christine Jones, costumes by Katrina Lindsay, music & arrangements by Imogen Heap, lighting by Neil Austin, sound by Gareth Fry, illusions & magic by Jamie Harrison, and music supervision & arrangements by Martin Lowe. U.S. casting is being overseen by Jim Carnahan, CSA.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callender and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions.
“We are delighted to announce that Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which since its triumphant opening in New York and San Francisco has seen record breaking numbers of people spellbound by the wizardry on stage, will be returning in North America in a new, re-imagined version that audiences can see in one afternoon or evening,” said Friedman and Callender in a statement.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the first Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. It has been seen by over 4.5 million people worldwide and holds 60 major honors, with nine Laurence Olivier Awards including Best New Play and six Tony Awards including Best New Play. It is already the longest-running two-part play in Broadway history.
The reimagining takes into account “the challenges of remounting and running a two-part show in the U.S. on the scale of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and the commercial challenges faced by the theatre and tourism industries emerging from the global shutdowns,” said a statement from the production. “We are excited to be able to move forward with a new version of the play that allows audiences to enjoy the complete Cursed Child adventure in one sitting eight times a week.”
Productions of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in Melbourne, Australia (now playing), London’s West End (currently scheduled for October 14) and Hamburg, Germany (returning for previews on December 1) will continue in the original two-part format.
Health and safety protocols for the new theater-going experience will be announced closer to the start of performances. Producers say they will “be adjusting to all industry and government guidance to keep our audiences and company safe.”
Broadway tickets go on sale to the general public on Monday, July 12. San Francisco tickets go on sale Wednesday, July 21. For more information and to sign up for pre-sale access, visit HarryPotterOnStage.com. On sale dates for the Canadian premiere are to be announced.