Toronto's 'Hermione Granger' Sarah Afful Announces Maternity Leave; Broadway's Antoinette Robinson to Take Over

Sarah Afful who plays "Hermione Granger" in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in Toronto will be on maternity leave beginning September 30, 2022 as she prepares to welcome her second child. Temporarily replacing Sarah during her leave is Antoinette Robinson from the Broadway company who will make her Canadian stage debut as "Hermione Granger" in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre in Toronto.

Originally from Texas, Antoinette has performed in both classics and new works across the United States. Her credits include: As You Like It (New York Classical Theatre);Twelfth Night (Theatre for a New Audience); Sherlock's Last Case (The Huntington); Twelfth Night (Shakespeare Theatre Company); As You Like It, Timon of Athens (Folger Shakespeare Theater); A Flea In Her Ear (Westport Country Playhouse); Our Town, As You Like It, Measure for Measure, Macbeth (Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival); Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing (Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival); The Edge of Peace (Seattle Children's Theatre); and The Mountaintop (The Rep).

The entire Toronto company is delighted to welcome Antoinette to the cast and send their best wishes to Sarah and her family.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child continues at the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre. Tickets are now on sale through March 19, 2023. For tickets and more information about the Toronto production: https://www.mirvish.com/shows/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

Adventure runs in the family. When Harry Potter's headstrong son Albus befriends the son of his fiercest rival, Draco Malfoy, it sparks an unbelievable new journey for them all-with the power to change the past and future forever. Prepare for a mind-blowing race through time, spectacular spells, and an epic battle, all brought to life with the most astonishing theatrical magic ever seen on stage.

Experience the wizarding world like never before from the moment you arrive. The entire theatre has been transformed with hidden surprises to discover around every corner.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in J.K. Rowling's epic saga and the first Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. It has sold over 4.5 million tickets worldwide and holds 60 major honours, with a record nine Laurence Olivier Awards including Best New Play and six Tony Awards including Best New Play.

ABOUT THE CANADIAN CAST

Trevor White stars as Harry Potter, Trish Lindstrom as Ginny Potter and Luke Kimball as their son Albus Potter; Gregory Prest as Ron Weasley, Sarah Afful as Hermione Granger and Hailey Lewis as their daughter Rose Granger-Weasley; Brad Hodder as Draco Malfoy, Thomas Mitchell Barnet as his son Scorpius Malfoy, Sara Farb as Delphi Diggory, Fiona Reid as Professor McGonagall, and Steven Sutcliffe as Severus Snape.

Also starring are: Kaleb Alexander, Nick Boegel, Kevin Bundy, Michael Chiem, Mark Crawford, Raquel Duffy, Bryce Fletch, Simon Gagnon, Raylene Harewood, Wychita Henricks, Asha James, Mandy Keating, Lucas Meeuse, Miranda Meijer, Kyle Orzech, Andy Pogson, Katie Ryerson, Yemie Sonuga, Jennifer Thiessen, Brendan Wall, David D'Lancy Wilson, Kyle Wong, Shawn Wright and Synthia Yusuf.

PRODUCTION HISTORY & CREATIVE TEAM

Productions of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child are currently playing to sold-out audiences at the Palace Theatre, London, UK; at the Lyric Theatre, New York, US; at the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre, Toronto, Canada; and at the TBS Akasaka ACT Theatre, Tokyo, Japan. The play has broken records as the longest running play in Australia and Hamburg at the Princess theatre, Melbourne, Australia; and at the Mehr! Theater, Hamburg, Germany respectively.

Based on an original new 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, casting by Dayton Walters Casting, CSA, CDC, with additional consultation by Jim Carnahan, CSA and Alexandre Bleau, CSA.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is produced in Toronto by originating producers Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callender and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions with Canadian producer David Mirvish.

Hold on to the edge of your seat, as this spellbinding spectacular will whisk you back to Hogwarts and beyond your imagination for a one-of-a-kind journey that is everything you hoped for and more.