Event Report: “Cursed Child” Charms Fans on Broadway
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway celebrated its fifth anniversary on April 22. The production celebrated with a week full of surprises and giveaways and ended the week with the 5th Anniversary Fan Event. As a big fan of Cursed Child, I was absolutely thrilled to receive an invitation to the event! Not only was it an invitation to the show, but it also mentioned an exclusive pre-show event with surprises. Cursed Child on Broadway is no stranger to creating magic, and this fan event was no exception.
Excited and curious fans lined up outside the Lyric Theatre well before the time stated on the invitation. Once inside, we were led to a room where we were treated to Muggle snacks like popcorn and water as well as wizarding favorites butterbeer and Chocolate Frogs. We were also given swag bags full of goodies and a poster autographed by the cast.
After having some time to socialize, we fans were informed that we would be going on an excursion. When it was then announced that we would be going on stage, which no fan has ever been allowed to do before at Cursed Child Broadway, the room erupted into excited cheers. We eagerly lined up to walk onto the stage. It is always a treat to see the beauty of the Lyric Theatre, but it was a whole different perspective seeing it from the stage looking out. There, you could fully appreciate just how many theatergoers come to see the cast and crew make magic each night. Seeing the stage itself up close was a treat all its own since we got to appreciate all the details, but we got yet another surprise as some of the cast joined us on stage. It truly seemed like the cast was having just as much fun as the fans as they talked and kindly posed for pictures.
After leaving the stage, we fans went back to the room we had been in and were once again joined by some of the cast. The cast members were all so welcoming and approachable; it was a wonderful experience for all. Cast member Alexandra Peter even shared a little history of the room and theater itself with us as she explained how the Lyric Theatre was actually two theaters combined to make one — and how the room we were in was the only section that wasn’t renovated when Cursed Child came to Broadway. All the other areas of the theater have been transfigured with Potter-themed wallpaper, carpets, and lights.
Then, in what seemed like the blink of an eye, it was time for the show. We were allowed to explore and enjoy the lobby with its photo ops and interactive elements. There were three areas set up where we could scan a QR code to make the theater come to life right on our phones. My personal favorite was the Patronus Room, where scanning the code made Patronuses leap off the walls! The photo ops included a telephone booth and, upstairs, a House-themed backdrop where we could show off our House pride with our House banners — or those who favored the Dark Arts could hold a Voldemort banner.
As for the show itself, Cursed Child gave fans some of the best seats in the house, right up next to the stage. Cursed Child is always a spellbinding experience, but topping off a fantastic day with seats that made you feel as if you were in the scenes themselves was just extraordinary. But Cursed Child wasn’t done yet; the production still had one more surprise up its sleeve. At the end of the show, David Abeles, who plays Ron Weasley, introduced Oliver Phelps, George Weasley from the movies, onto the stage. Oliver was there to help announce the winners of Cursed Child’s final giveaways of the week, a New York Harry Potter experience and a London one!
The entire event left fans with our “geekness” “a-quivering” and in amazement from the whirlwind of magic we had been swept up in. And as we all try to reintegrate ourselves into the Muggle world once more, all we can say is “wizzo” and happy five years to Cursed Child on Broadway!
