Exclusive Interview: “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” Opens New Magical Chapter in Educational Theater with the Help of Broadway Licensing Global

by · July 26, 2024

In quite a move for educational theater, Broadway Licensing Global, in collaboration with Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callender, and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions, has announced the licensing of the school edition of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. This initiative, unveiled on Harry Potter Day, is set to revolutionize school theater programs worldwide, making the magic of the Harry Potter universe more accessible than ever to students and educators alike.

 

A Strategic Move to Empower Future Theater Makers

Jeffrey Keilholtz, SVP of Marketing at Broadway Licensing Global, shared insights into the motivations behind this decision. “In order to put arts education and our future theater makers first, Broadway Licensing Global and its partners have made a strategic decision to open opportunities for schools to have the first crack at this global phenomenon,” he explained. This move underscores a commitment to fostering the next generation of theater talent by providing them with the opportunity to engage with one of the most beloved literary franchises in history.

 

Impact on Educational Theater

The introduction of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child to school theaters is expected to have a significant impact on educational theater worldwide. According to Keilholtz, the hope is that this initiative will boost box office sales for high school and secondary school theater programs, encouraging greater student participation. “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the official eighth installment in one of the most treasured literary series across the globe,” Keilholtz noted. “Our hope is that the school edition will encourage more students to get involved in their educational theater program.”

 

Tailoring the Magic for School Stages

To ensure that the production is accessible to schools of all sizes and budgets, the school edition of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has been specially tailored. The runtime has been reduced, and the technical requirements have been simplified, allowing schools with varying resources to stage the production with ease. This adaptation ensures that the magical world of Harry Potter can be brought to life in school theaters without the need for elaborate setups or extensive budgets.

 

Comprehensive Production Support

Broadway Licensing Global is also providing schools with a comprehensive production package to support their staging of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. This package includes Acting Editions, Director Scripts, Stage Manager scripts, required music, and a media kit with social media and press release templates. These resources will be shipped to schools in time for productions scheduled for Fall 2024. Schools can purchase perusal scripts or license the school edition through the dedicated website, www.licensecursedchild.com.

 

Educational Benefits of Theater

The involvement with theater productions like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child offers numerous educational benefits for students. Keilholtz emphasized the positive impact on student development, highlighting improvements in self-confidence, teamwork, emotional expression, and creative thinking skills. “We hope that the school edition will inspire more students to get involved in theater,” he said, underscoring the transformative power of performing arts in education.

 

Ongoing Commitment to Arts Education

Beyond the Harry Potter franchise, Broadway Licensing Global remains dedicated to supporting arts education and accessibility in theater. The company has created High School Editions of various popular plays and musicals, including CLUE: On Stage, The Play That Goes Wrong, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. These initiatives reflect a broader commitment to making theater an integral part of students’ educational experiences.

With the launch of the school edition of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Broadway Licensing Global is not only bringing the magic of Hogwarts to school stages but also paving the way for a new generation of theater enthusiasts and creators. As schools prepare to embark on this magical journey in Fall 2024, the impact on students and educational theater programs is poised to be truly transformative.

 

Full Transcript with Jeffrey Keilholtz, Friday, May 17, 2024
 

What inspired the decision to open licensing for the school edition of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child?

In order to put arts education and our future theater makers first (the students!), Broadway Licensing Global and its partners have made a strategic decision to open opportunities for schools to have the first crack at this global phenomenon.

 

How do you believe this initiative will impact educational theater worldwide?

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the official eighth installment in one of the most treasured literary series across the globe. Our hope is that the school edition of the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child stage play will boost high school and secondary school theater box office sales and encourage more students to get involved in their educational theater program.

 

What specific adjustments were made to tailor the school edition for school theaters?

The school edition has a reduced runtime and requires fewer technical requirements than the professional production, so schools of any size, budget, or technical capabilities can produce the show with ease.

 

Can you elaborate on the official production package that Broadway Licensing Global is providing to schools?

The production package will include: Acting Editions, Director Scripts, Stage Manager scripts, required music, and a media kit (social media + press release templates). The production package will ship to your school in time for productions scheduled in Fall 2024. High schools and secondary school teachers and administrators can buy a perusal script or license Harry Potter and the Cursed Child School Edition at www.licensecursedchild.com.

 

In what ways do you think productions like Harry Potter contribute to the overall education and development of students?

We hope that the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child School Edition will inspire more students to get involved in the theater, which can help a student improve their self-confidence level, capacity for teamwork, emotional expression, and creative thinking skills.

 

Beyond Harry Potter, what other initiatives is Broadway Licensing Global undertaking to support arts education and accessibility in theater?

We believe in making everyone a theater person, so that means first increasing access to the theater for our future theater makers (the students!). As a result, BLG has created High School Editions of plays and musicals, including, CLUE: On Stage, The Play That Goes Wrong, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and more. You can see all our titles at www.broadwaylicensing.com.