UPDATED: “Cursed Child” Melbourne Uncloaks New Ron, Scorpius

HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD
CELEBRATES FIRST BIRTHDAY WITH GALA PERFORMANCE
AND EXTENSION OF RECORD-BREAKING SEASONMulti-award-winning theatrical event Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will mark its first birthday with a special gala performance at Melbourne’s Princess Theatre today. Six new adult cast members will take to the stage for their first official performance, with fresh production images of the new-look company released.

Due to continuing demand, the sensational record-breaking season has been extended for a seventh time, with new tickets made available for performances up until and including Sunday 13 September 2020. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 11.00 am on Tuesday 3 March via the official website, HarryPotterThePlay.com.

Lord Mayor of Melbourne Sally Capp will unveil a plaque at the Princess Theatre today, honouring Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and further cementing its status as the premier attraction for visitors to Melbourne.

The Lord Mayor said: “We’re thrilled and proud that Australian audiences have embraced Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. This record-breaking performance has brought a new vibrancy to the East End Theatre District and helped to generate restaurant and hotel bookings across Melbourne. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is only showing in Melbourne, so it’s a fantastic drawcard for our city.”

In the past year, an estimated 326,500 people have seen the show, well surpassing any previous record set by a stage play in the history of Australian theatre. Fifty percent of those have travelled from overseas, interstate or regional Victoria and more than half are first[-]time theatregoers. Visitors have been welcomed from 42 different countries around the globe.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child enters its second year led by Gareth Reeves as Harry Potter, Lucy Goleby as Ginny Potter, Sean Rees-Wemyss as Albus Potter, Paula Arundell as Hermione Granger, Michael Whalley as Ron Weasley, Manali Datar as Rose Granger-Weasley, Tom Wren as Draco Malfoy, and Nyx Calder as Scorpius Malfoy.

The company of 42 performers is completed by Lucy Ansell, Alexander Artemov, Iopu Auva’a, Damien Avery, Jai Bacak, Bonnie Barlow, Mike Bishop, Simon Chandler, Clare Chihambakwe, Louis Corbett, Mark Dickinson, Lyndall Grant, George Henare, Soren Jensen, Hamish Johnston, Amanda LaBonté, Debra Lawrance, Monet Lewis, Kuda Mapeza, James O’Connell, David Ross Paterson, Naomi Rukavina, John Shearman, David Simes, Liam Smith, Hayden Spencer, Slone Sudiro, Connor Sweeney, Archie Thomson, Jessica Vickers and Mackenzie Vokes.

The Australian production officially opened with a magical red carpet performance on Saturday 23 February 2019. Melbourne was the third city worldwide to welcome Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, after London and New York. It will unequivocally not play any other city in Australia.

“HARRY POTTER FANS, IT’S TIME TO APPARATE YOURSELVES TO MELBOURNE”
NEWS.COMBased on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a new play by Jack Thorne, directed by John Tiffany. It is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage [sic]. Both parts of the play are intended to be seen in order on the same day (matinee and evening) or on two consecutive evenings.

It was always difficult being Harry Potter, and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son, Albus, must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

“A MAGICAL PIECE OF STORYTELLING THAT HOLDS YOU SPELLBOUND FROM START TO FINISH”
LIMELIGHTHarry Potter and the Cursed Child is directed by John Tiffany with movement by Steven Hoggett, 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. International Casting Consultant is Jim Carnahan (CSA) and Australian casting by Janine Snape (CGA). Executive Producer of the Australian production is Michael Cassel. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callender and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions.

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BOOKING INFORMATIONHow [t]o See [t]he Play
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is one play presented in two parts. There are three options for how to see the play.
• Parts One and Two together on the same day or consecutive evenings (recommended)
• Parts One and Two separately on non-consecutive days
• Part One only or Part Two only

Performance Schedule
The regular performance schedule (excluding variations due to public holidays) will be:
Monday - no performance
Tuesday - no performance
Wednesday - 2:00 PM Part One & 7:30 PM Part Two
Thursday - 7:30 PM Part One
Friday - 7:30 PM Part Two
Saturday - 2:00 PM Part One & 7:30 PM Part Two
Sunday - 2:00 PM Part One & 7:30 PM Part Two

Ticket Prices
From $65 per [p]art.* For every performance, there will be more than 200 tickets priced at $65 or less. *Plus $9.75 Ticketmaster Handling Fee per transaction. A delivery fee may apply depending on the mode of delivery selected.

Group Bookings
Groups of 10 or more can book via the Ticketmaster Group Bookings Department [at] 1300 889 278 or groups@ticketmaster.com.au.

Friday Forty
Each week, 40 tickets for every performance the following week will be released via TodayTix for some of the very best seats in the theatre at $40 per part, per ticket ($80 total). These tickets are known as 'The Friday Forty'. Visit harrypottertheplay.com/au/the-friday-forty/ or TodayTix for more info.

NEW CAST MEMBERS UNCLOAKED
AS HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD
CELEBRATES ITS FIRST BIRTHDAYProducers Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender are delighted to announce the new cast of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, as the multi-award-winning theatrical event enters its second year at Melbourne’s Princess Theatre.

A gala performance will be held on Sunday 1 March 2020 to celebrate the first birthday. By that date, it is expected that a record-breaking 326,500 people will have passed through the doors, well surpassing any previous record set by a stage play in Australian theatre history.

Now in rehearsals, six new adult cast members have joined the production, with two current cast members stepping into new roles. They begin performances next Wednesday 26 February.

Joining the production are Michael Whalley as Ron Weasley and Nyx Calder as Scorpius Malfoy. Lucy Ansell, Hannah Fredericksen, Helen Howard and Naomi Rukavina also join the company of 42, with current cast members Gillian Cosgriff and Jessica Vickers graduating into the roles of Delphi Diggory and Moaning Myrtle, respectively.

Continuing in their roles are Gareth Reeves as Harry Potter, Paula Arundell as Hermione Granger, Lucy Goleby as Ginny Potter, Tom Wren as Draco Malfoy, Sean Rees-Wemyss as Albus Potter and Manali Datar as Rose Granger-Weasley.

The cast is completed by Alexander Artemov, Iopu Auva’a, Damien Avery, Jai Bacak, Bonnie Barlow, Mike Bishop, Simon Chandler, Clare Chihambakwe, Louis Corbett, Mark Dickinson, Lyndall Grant, George Henare, Soren Jensen, Hamish Johnston, Amanda LaBonté, Debra Lawrance, Monet Lewis, Kuda Mapeza, James O’Connell, David Ross Paterson, John Shearman, David Simes, Liam Smith, Hayden Spencer, Slone Sudiro, Connor Sweeney, Archie Thomson and Mackenzie Vokes.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has established itself as the premier attraction for visitors to Melbourne. Melbourne was the third city worldwide to welcome Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, after London and New York. It will unequivocally not play any other city in Australia.

“HARRY POTTER FANS, IT’S TIME TO APPARATE YOURSELVES TO MELBOURNE”
NEWS.COMBased on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a new play by Jack Thorne, directed by John Tiffany. It is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage [sic]. Both parts of the play are intended to be seen in order on the same day (matinee and evening) or on two consecutive evenings.

It was always difficult being Harry Potter, and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son, Albus, must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

“A MAGICAL PIECE OF STORYTELLING THAT HOLDS YOU SPELLBOUND FROM START TO FINISH”
LIMELIGHTHarry Potter and the Cursed Child is directed by John Tiffany with movement by Steven Hoggett, 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. International Casting Consultant is Jim Carnahan (CSA) and Australian casting by Janine Snape (CGA). Executive Producer of the Australian production is Michael Cassel. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callender and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions.

Tickets are available for performances up until and including Sunday 19 July 2020, via the official website, HarryPotterThePlay.com.