Producers Say HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD Attracting 50% New Theatre-Goers

As reported by BroadwayWorld, the West End production of HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD PARTS I & II has not even reached its July 30th opening at London's Palace Theatre but, with an advance sale that will reportedly sell out the show for a year, talks are underway for a Broadway opening as early as next season.

And if the audience demographics are anything like what producers Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender are reporting from London, Jack Thorne's play may help contribute a great many new theatregoers to Times Square.

"Over 50% of our audience are first-time theatre-goers," Callender tells The Guardian. Friedman adds that "over 50% of our audience is under 35. Which is genuine audience development for our industry."

Friedman describes the pressure she feels for presenting the premiere stage adaptation based on JK Rowling's characters with, "Imagine 'Star Wars' was opening in one cinema in one city and that was the only place you could see it. That's sort of what's happening with this. The amount of interest worldwide is that much."

The demand for tickets is automatically doubled since the play is presented in two parts.

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Written by Jack Thorne and directed by Olivier and Tony award winner John Tiffany, HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD features movement by Steven Hoggett, set by Christine Jones, costumes by Katrina Lindsay, music by Imogen Heap, lighting by Neil Austin, sound by Gareth Fry, special effects by Jeremy Chernick, illusions & magic by Jamie Harrison, music supervision by Martin Lowe and casting by Julia Horan CDG. Produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callender and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions.

HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. Harry Potter is back, and it isn't much easier to be the boy who lived, now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband, and father of three school-age children. While Harry grapples with his past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never truly wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.