“Cursed Child” San Francisco: American Sign Language Performance with Cast Q&A, Hermione Actor Becomes US Citizen

by · April 30, 2022

For those American Potter fans and theater aficionados who are deaf or head of hearing, the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child production in San Francisco, California, is presenting an American Sign Language-interpreted performance. The special presentation of Cursed Child will be held on May 15 at 1:00 p.m. PT at the Curran Theatre. In addition, the production will be holding a Q&A session with the cast members immediately following the performance. It’s wonderful that the production is trying to be inclusive of those with hearing disabilities by providing special accommodations, and adding to that, it’s also taking full advantage of the availability of the sign language interpreters and treating the audience to a special Q&A. It’s certainly worth a trip out to the Curran Theatre if you haven’t yet witnessed the magic onstage.

Tickets can be purchased for the performance now using a special promotion code.

 

 

In addition, a member of the Cursed Child San Francisco cast celebrated a major personal milestone. With the support of the cast and crew, Lily Mojekwu, who plays Hermione Granger, recently obtained her United States citizenship.

Mojekwu was born in Nigeria and moved to the United States with her family at the age of three. Because she moved so young, she remembered very little about her native country. In order to hold on to that part of her identity, she never felt ready to become a US citizen.

I felt the least connection to Nigeria of all my family, and I really wanted to hold on to my country of origin, if that makes sense. At times, I thought about becoming a U.S. citizen, but I wasn’t ready.

However, Mojekwu was soon moved to become a citizen almost out of a sense of duty. In the midst of the COVID-19 lockdown, the Black Lives Matter movement was intensifying with protests shining a brighter light on systemic racism and police brutality. While witnessing the movement gain traction, Mojekwu finally understood that she wanted to do more.

I’d never felt such a strong pull. I realized I was very much American, but there was a lot I hadn’t contributed to and more that I could do.

Like an extended family, the cast and crew of Cursed Child San Francisco rallied together to extend Mojekwu tons of support, like offering to help with the application fee. Brittany Zeinstra, the actor who plays Delphi, began helping Mojekwu prepare for the exam with weekly Zoom sessions. When the cast and crew returned for rehearsals in January, the stagehands took to quizzing Mojekwu. After she passed the exam, for her naturalization ceremony in February, members of the production provided dress alterations and hair and makeup for the big day. To celebrate her return to the Curran Theatre as a US citizen, the actor was presented with an American flag hung on her dressing room door and an apple pie inside. A wonderfully sweet gesture.

Staying true to her word of doing more as a US citizen, Mojekwu voted for the first time in a local election earlier this month. She marked the occasion by posting on Twitter with a few photos, including one with her adorable beagle mix, Hudson.

 

 

Will you be attending the ASL-interpreted performance of Cursed Child in May? Have you ever had a loved one seek American citizenship? How did you support them? Let us know in the comments.

 

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