Cast of the North American Tour of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Credit: Matthew Murphy
The touring play “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” will make its way to the Ohio Theatre in Columbus this month, showing for a limited two-week run.
The six-time Tony Award-winning production, according to a 2018 BBC article, will be performed Oct. 12–26. The play continues the story of the Harry Potter books by following Harry Potter and his son, Albus Potter, years after the events of the final book.
Lisa Minken, the Broadway marketing manager for CAPA and Broadway in Columbus, said the organization is excited to bring “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” to Broadway in Columbus for the first time.
“The fact that we’re the only city in Ohio and one of the first markets in the country to host the show makes this engagement even more thrilling,” Minken said.
The cast is eager to share the story with Columbus audiences, with some looking forward to showcasing the show’s positive tropes.
“It has a lot of really lovely themes about friendship and family and love and community,” Adam Morrison, who plays Albus Potter, said.
Trish Lindström, who plays Ginny Potter, said the show harps on the book series’ core themes of belonging.
“It is a play of heart,” Lindström said. “The heart is exposed and the heart is challenged.”
The production holds the record as Broadway’s highest-grossing nonmusical play — according to a February CBS article — making it a highly anticipated event for Harry Potter fans and theater lovers.
“It’s really fun and beautiful to see people of all ages show up in their Hogwarts cloaks and show up representing their houses,” Danny Bó, who plays Yann Fredricks, said.
Lindström said the play is not just for those familiar with J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter universe.
“You do not necessarily have to have read any of the books,” Lindström said. “You are going to get a story of heart, adventure, magic, grief and terror.”
Minken said experiencing the story through theater is more immersive than other formats.
“Unlike books or movies, theater pulls you right into the story — you’re not just watching the magic, you’re feeling it,” said Minken.
Morrison said through the work of John Tiffany, the play’s director, and Colette Robert, the associate director, the play has come together visually and auditorily.
“There is incredible music by Imogen Heap,” Morisson said. “There’s a lot of really, really incredible direction by [Tiffany] and our associate director [Robert]. The movement is incredible. The illusions are amazing.”
Lindström said the show “is a feast for the senses.”
“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” was written by Jack Thorne, who is also known for writing the Emmy-award winning limited TV series “Adolescence,” the film “Wonder” and the “Enola Holmes” series, according to Nick Hern Books, Thorne’s publisher.
Columbus is one of 10 stops on the North American tour. Tickets for the show can be purchased on the CAPA website, as well as various ticket vendors including Stubhub and Ticketmaster.
