When theater student Cami Walther saw a familiar golden font on the screen during an announcement of East View High School’s upcoming plays, she was more than a little excited about the chance to help bring her favorite fantasy world to life. “I didn’t know what it said [at first], but from the font I knew it was Harry Potter. I may have screamed a little bit when they announced it. I’ve watched and read the series multiple times. It’s something I’ve loved for such an incredibly long time.”
A Harry Potter fan since middle school, Emory Robinson was just as thrilled about getting to participate in the magical performance, but more than that; “It’s really cool that we’re the only school in Texas that gets to do it.”
In March, East View was chosen to be the first school in Texas, and one of just 29 across the United States, to perform the spellbinding play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The play is set 19 years after the Harry Potter series’ final book and follows the adventures of Harry’s son, Albus Severus Potter. Each school won Broadway Licensing Global’s Wands at the Ready contest, earning the distinction of being the first in their state to produce the high school edition of the play beyond Broadway.
Jack Curtis, a self-described die-hard fan of Harry Potter, was excited about having those bragging rights. “I get to play the second-ever Draco,” he says during a rehearsal in August. “We’re beta testers for the show. Our job is helping high schools around the world. People are going to watch our show and see what works and what doesn’t.”
While Andra “Ellie” Murphy wasn’t familiar with the wizarding world, she was eager to immerse herself in a new literary universe. “I haven’t read Harry Potter — I normally read Percy Jackson — but stepping into Harry Potter has been a fun new experience. I feel blessed to be here and humbled and honored to play the second-ever Jenny.”
MAGIC OF IMAGINATION
Putting on Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has been a new experience for East View Theater Director Jon DeMitchell as well. “I think this is probably the hardest show I’ve ever worked on by far. It’s translating literal locations and places into figurative imaginative worlds. We can’t bring in a train for the Hogwarts Express. That would be very impressive if I could get an actual train,” he says with a laugh. “But we also can’t give a flat interpretation of such an iconic space. How do we give the impression of the train and movement of the train and that really important world within Harry Potter? How do we bring that to life on stage?”
It took a lot of lights, shapes, and students learning how to convey the feeling of being on a train. “One of the homework assignments we gave them was, ‘Sit in the back of your car when someone else is driving and feel what the road is like while driving.’ The little details are what makes it real for everybody. It’s been fun playing with what the magic can be on stage.”
Despite the challenges, he has enjoyed bringing one of his favorite stories to life – all three of his dogs are named after Harry Potter characters – and he hopes audiences will enjoy the play just as much. “What they’re going to get is familiar characters that they loved throughout the books and the opportunity to learn more about who they become after the series. They will get to see Harry Potter in a new light and get to see him as another version of relatable.”
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is set to enchant East View on October 31 through November 9. Tickets are available at evhstheater.com.