THE CURSED CHILD CELEBRATES 1st ANNIVERSARY, NEW CAST MEMBERS AND RECORD-BREAKING ATTENDANCE.

Wizards rejoice! Harry Potter and the Cursed Child enters its second year at Melbourne’s Princess Theatre, with new cast members to announce.

A gala performance is coming-up on Sunday 1 March, 2020 to celebrate the first birthday. By that date, it is expected that a record-breaking 326,500 people will have passed through the doors, well surpassing any previous record set by a stage play in Australian theatre history.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Australian cast. Year Two.
L-R: Michael Whalley as Ron Weasley, Manali Datar as Rose Granger-Weasley, Paula Arundell as Hermione Granger, Gareth Reeves as Harry Potter, Sean Rees Wemyss as Albus Potter, Lucy Goleby as Ginny Potter, Nyx Calder as Scorpius Malfoy and Tom Wren as Draco Malfoy. 
Photographer: Damian Bennett

Now in rehearsals, six new adult cast members have joined the production, with two current cast members stepping into new roles. They begin performances next Wednesday 26 February.
Joining the production are Michael Whalley as Ron Weasley and Nyx Calder as Scorpius Malfoy. Lucy Ansell, Hannah Fredericksen, Helen Howard and Naomi Rukavina also join the company of 42, with current cast members Gillian Cosgriff and Jessica Vickers graduating into the roles of Delphi Diggory and Moaning Myrtle respectively.

Michael Whalley (Ron Weasley)

Michael Whalley (Ron Weasley), hailing from New Zealand, has worked across theatre, film and television. Onstage work includes Perry in Muriel’s Wedding the Musical; Belvoir Street Theatre’s Hir, for which he won a Sydney Theatre Award; the title role in Auckland Theatre Company’s Romeo and Juliet and Hayes Theatre’s You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown. Along with numerous motion picture credits, he is also known internationally for his character ‘Flynn’ in the US series Legend of the Seeker.

Nyx Calder (Scorpius Malfoy)

Nyx Calder (Scorpius Malfoy) is an actor, writer, comedian and speaker, who recently graduated from NIDA. Nyx appeared in Sydney Theatre Company’s 2019 production of Lord of the Flies and Jess and Joe Forever for Belvoir’s 25A, a new program for independent theatremakers and emerging talent.

Continuing in their roles are Gareth Reeves as Harry Potter, Paula Arundell as Hermione Granger, Lucy Goleby as Ginny Potter, Tom Wren as Draco Malfoy, Sean Rees-Wemyss as Albus Potter and Manali Datar as Rose Granger-Weasley.

The cast is completed by Alexander Artemov, Iopu Auva’a, Damien Avery, Jai Bacak, Bonnie Barlow, Mike Bishop, Simon Chandler, Clare Chihambakwe, Louis Corbett, Mark Dickinson, Lyndall Grant, George Henare, Soren Jensen, Hamish Johnston, Amanda LaBonté, Debra Lawrance, Monet Lewis, Kuda Mapeza, James O’Connell, David Paterson, John Shearman, David Simes, Liam Smith, Hayden Spencer, Slone Sudiro, Connor Sweeney, Archie Thomson and Mackenzie Vokes.

Over the past 12 months, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has now established itself as the premier attraction for visitors to Melbourne. Melbourne was only the third city worldwide to welcome Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, after London and New York. This blog understands there are no opportunities for it to play in any other city in Australia.

Photoshoot with the Australian cast - Year 2

Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, this is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. Both parts of the play are intended to be seen in order on the same day (matinee and evening) or on two consecutive evenings.

Tickets are available for performances up until and including Sunday 19 July, 2020, via the official website HarryPotterThePlay.com.

Cast Members - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Year 2
Photographer: Tim Carrafa 

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Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is directed by John Tiffany with 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 and music supervision & arrangements by Martin Lowe. International Casting Consultant is Jim Carnahan (CSA) and Australian casting by Janine Snape (CGA). Executive Producer of the Australian production is Michael Cassel. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callender and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions.


HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD
Melbourne’s Princess Theatre
163 Spring Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Booking until Sunday 19 July, 2020
Tickets: HarryPotterThePlay.com