The Madison Consolidated Theatre department announced its production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child near the end of last school year, marking the first school in Indiana to perform the play. Auditions began Aug. 16, with students signing up on the bulletin board in the art hallway.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, written by Jack Thorne and based on J.K. Rowling’s popular book series, follows Harry Potter’s son, Albus, as he navigates life at Hogwarts. The original cast featured Jamie Parker as Harry Potter, Noma Dumezweni as Hermione Granger, and Paul Thornley as Ron Weasley.
The play set theatrical records, earning a place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the highest-grossing non-musical play in Broadway history, with total sales reaching $330 million. The production’s success stems from its role as a sequel to the original books rather than an adaptation of existing material. It also won numerous awards, including the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play in 2017 and the Tony Award for Best Play in 2018.
The story takes place 19 years after the events of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Harry, now head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, watches as his son Albus is sorted into Slytherin, much to Harry’s dismay. The play is renowned for its magical effects, stage illusions, and exploration of time travel through the use of the Time-Turner, a device familiar to fans of the books and movies. The plot thickens when Harry’s scar begins to hurt, raising concerns that Voldemort may have returned.
MCHS Theatre Director Aaron Kelsey detailed how MCHS Theatre became the lucky winner.
“Broadway Licensing held a national contest for schools to be the first in their state to perform,” Kelsey said. “The students last year produced a video that had to showcase our school and theater department and detail how our school and community are magical. We were one of 29 schools across the country chosen to produce the play.”
Sophomore Sophia Reilmann expressed her excitement about the production, saying, “I am very excited about this show because of the magical and mysterious world we bring to the stage.” When asked about her preferred role, she said, “I would love to be cast as Delphi because she is sneaky and spunky and would challenge me as an actress.”
Junior Gabby Vest shared her enthusiasm for the show, particularly its special effects. “I am excited about the show because of all the special effects and technical aspects that make the magic come to life on stage,” she said. “Seeing something so out of this world become a reality on a stage is mesmerizing, so I think our audience will love seeing it. It is nothing like we have ever done before.” Vest, cast as Delphi, noted, “I like my character because she is very dimensional. There are things about her that the audience will love, while other things they’ll hate, so getting to play someone so versatile will be fun; it is like playing multiple roles in one!”
Piper Fischmer, who grew up watching the Harry Potter movies, is equally excited about the production. “I am incredibly excited about Harry Potter because I grew up watching the movies, and I went through a pretty big fan phase,” she said. When asked about her desired role, she replied, “I want to get Rose Granger-Weasley or Polly Chapman.” She added, “I want Rose because I look a lot like her (short redhead), and she seems like a fun character. However, I want Polly Chapman because she is more of a bully and likes to speak her mind, which seems fun to portray.”
The watershed MCHS production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is set to cast its spell October 25-27.
