Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Keller Auditorium

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03 HPCC NATour with Nightingale Fine Morrison PhotoByEvanZimmerman

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child brings the Wizarding World to the stage in a way that is genuinely hard to describe unless you see it for yourself.

Set years after the events of the original Harry Potter series, this show picks up with Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco, and the rest of the characters we all love well into adulthood. Harry is working at the Ministry of Magic, married to Ginny, and raising three children — including his youngest son, Albus, who is struggling with the weight of the Potter name and everything that comes along with it.

At the center of the story is the complicated relationship between Harry and Albus. While Harry grew up without a father, Albus is growing up with a father who happens to be one of the most famous wizards in the world and neither of them knows quite how to understand the other. When Albus heads to Hogwarts, his experience looks very different from the one everyone expects of Harry Potter’s son. One of the most important relationships he forms is with Scorpius Malfoy, Draco’s son, and their friendship quickly becomes the heart of the show.

The story plays with the past, and ultimately the consequences of trying to change things that shouldn’t be changed. There are plenty of connections to the original Harry Potter story for longtime fans to catch, but the show also manages to tell a story of its own — one that is just as much about parents and children, friendship, and growing up as it is about magic.

And speaking of magic… the stagecraft in this production is INCREDIBLE (almost as if it were magic)!

There were genuinely moments where I had no idea how they pulled off what I had just watched happen in front of me. Things appear, transform, move, and more right before your eyes in ways that feel like actual magic rather than obvious stage tricks such as the chandelier in Phantom of the Opera. The choreography, sets, and effects all work together so beautifully that the entire theatre starts to truly feel like part of the Wizarding World.

The cast was also absolutely phenomenal! Taking on characters as recognizable as Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, and Draco Malfoy can’t be an easy task. There is such a fine line between honoring characters audiences have known for decades and simply trying to imitate the actors who originally played them, and I thought this cast did an amazing job of making the characters feel familiar while still making the performances their own.

But I especially loved watching the next generation take center stage. Albus and Scorpius give the story its own identity instead of making the show feel like it’s simply trying to recreate the original series onstage. Their friendship brings so much humor and heart to the production, and the emotional moments throughout the show landed just as strongly as the huge magical ones.

One thing that actually surprised me going in was realizing that Harry Potter and the Cursed Child isn’t a musical. I don’t know why I automatically assumed that a Broadway production of this scale would be one, but I did — and within the first few minutes, I realized it absolutely did not need to be.

There are no musical numbers needed to fill the space or make the production feel “big.” The acting, storytelling, movement, sound design, effects, and sheer scale of the production do that all on their own. If anything, I loved getting to see a Broadway show that relied so heavily on its actors and stagecraft to create that sense of spectacle. It still has all of the energy and excitement you expect from a huge Broadway production, just delivered in a completely different way.

02 HPCC NATour with Fine Morrison Searle PhotoByEvanZimmerman

And underneath all of that spectacle is a surprisingly emotional story.

Yes, there are spells and wands and Hogwarts and plenty of moments designed to make Harry Potter fans light up, but the heart of the show is really about relationships — particularly fathers and sons. It’s about living under other people’s expectations, carrying things from your past into the life you’re trying to build now, realizing that parents don’t always have the answers, and learning how to love someone even when you don’t fully understand them.

08 HPCC NATour with Fine Lesser Roy Morrison PhotoByEvanZimmerman

I think that’s part of what made this work so well. It would have been very easy for a Harry Potter stage production to rely almost entirely on nostalgia, throw familiar characters and spells at the audience, and call it good. Instead, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child gives you all of those nostalgic moments while still giving you a reason to care about what is happening now.

Whether you’ve loved Harry Potter for years or you’re simply someone who appreciates live theatre, this is such a fun production to experience. Obviously, longtime fans are going to get an extra layer out of recognizing characters, references, and pieces of the Wizarding World, but you don’t have to be the person who can name every Hogwarts professor to see how impressive this show is.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is funny, emotional, nostalgic, visually stunning, and genuinely unlike anything else I’ve seen onstage. The cast is fantastic, the production itself is incredible, and the stage magic alone is worth experiencing in person.

If you have the opportunity to see it, GO!

Even if you think you know what to expect from Harry Potter, there is something completely different about watching that world come alive right in front of you.

Ticket & Show Info:

Tickets can be purchased HERE.

Saturday, August 1 — 7:30 PM
Sunday, August 2 — 1:00 PM & 7:00 PM (Open Caption)
Tuesday, August 4 — 7:30 PM
Wednesday, August 5 — 7:30 PM
Thursday, August 6 — 7:30 PM (American Sign Language Interpreted)
Friday, August 7 — 7:30 PM (Audio Description)
Saturday, August 8 — 1:30 PM & 7:30 PM
Sunday, August 9 — 1:00 PM & 7:00 PM
Tuesday, August 11 — 7:30 PM
Wednesday, August 12 — 7:30 PM
Thursday, August 13 — 7:30 PM
Friday, August 14 — 7:30 PM
Saturday, August 15 — 1:30 PM & 7:30 PM

(PORTLAND, OR) Broadway in Portland is thrilled to present the Portland premiere of the first ever touring production of HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD. The six-time Tony® Award-winning production will play Keller Auditorium for a limited engagement from August 1 through August 15.

Tickets will be available at www.BroadwayinPortland.com.

ABOUT HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD

Based on an original story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD is a play by Jack Thorne, directed by John Tiffany.  

HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD features movement by Steven Hoggett, set by Christine Jones, costumes by Katrina Lindsay, music & arrangements by Imogen Heap, lighting by Neil Austin, sound by Gareth Fry, illusions & magic by Jamie Harrison, music supervision & arrangements by Martin Lowe. US Casting by Jim Carnahan, CSA.

HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callender and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions.

Instagram: @CursedChildUS ● Twitter: @CursedChildTour

Facebook: @CursedChildUS ● TikTok: @CursedChildOfficial

ABOUT THE SHOW

From the moment eleven-year-old Harry Potter met Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, his adventures have left an indelible mark on popular culture. Today, over 25 years later, the Harry Potter phenomenon thrives as one of the most successful and best-loved entertainment properties in history.

J.K. Rowling’s best-selling Harry Potter novels have been brought to life in an ever-evolving, interconnected universe which is loved by millions of fans worldwide. Eight blockbuster Harry Potter films and three epic Fantastic Beasts films bring the spellbinding action to life on screen, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child mesmerizes on stage, and state-of-the-art video and mobile games from Portkey Games allow players to experience the wizarding world like never before. Fans can proudly showcase their passion through innovative consumer products, and thrill at spectacular location-based experiences – including five theme park lands at Universal Studios locations around the world.

This expanding portfolio of Warner Bros. Discovery-owned Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts offerings includes ground-breaking touring experiences and events, each developed to celebrate special moments and locations that fans cherish, as well as the Platform 9 3⁄4 retail shops and iconic flagship store – Harry Potter New York. Wizards, Witches and Muggles alike can also discover something new as they explore behind-the-scenes secrets at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter and Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter.

With a new HBO Original TV series based on the Harry Potter books on the way, this extended world continues to provide the community with fresh and exciting ways to interact. For its global fans, and for generations to come, it invites everyone in to find the magic for themselves.

For the latest Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts news and features, visit https://link.edgepilot.com/s/904010c0/UZhZhwXVk0q0IvkCuiWvdg?u=http://www.harrypotter.com/.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

The performance schedule for the Portland engagement of HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD is: