On February 13, Wilton High School became the first high school in Connecticut to announce their performance of J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany’s Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. It is set to premiere soon with the first show on Friday, November 8th, at 7 pm. There will also be two shows on Saturday the 9th at 1 pm and 7 pm, along with one show on Sunday at 1 pm.
Unlike other plays that Wilton High School has put on, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is particularly magical. With a cast of 45 kids, akin to the size of most WHS musical productions, crazy special effects, and elaborate costumes, audience members certainly have much to look forward to.
Mary Brannan, the play’s costume designer, has put a lot of effort into designing the costumes for the play. According to Brannan, “We’ve got 45 kids, I believe, participating and each one of them has got more than one costume. The costuming process that I go through is reading the play. I went to see the play. I know a lot about Harry Potter because my kids grew up with Harry Potter.”
In addition, Brannan highlights that “the student ensemble needs to look like they’re students at Hogwarts” essentially fulfilling a process that ensures that all cast members closely resemble their characters even permitting them creative liberty to keep everyone “involved and invested. “ In her words, “You feel the part when you have a part in it.”
Along with the costume department, the show’s stage management has also expressed their dedication to the rehearsal process.
“At the beginning, I love watching everyone come together because they never know what they’re doing but once everyone knows what they’re doing,” says Hayden Zapotosky, the sophomore stage manager. She adds, “They come together with costumes and lighting and it just looks like a completely different show.”
Finn Ryder, who plays Harry Potter, says that “As a whole, everyone in the Wilton Theatre Department knows how special and important and special this production is. We want to give it our all and are on our A game. I am so grateful and so happy to be a part of this and everybody has been doing amazing, wonderful work. Everyone seems so passionate since they know that this is a big thing. Wilton High School, the first to do the production in Connecticut– it’s insane!”
After observing the rehearsal process, our writers and editors were very impressed to see the talent and effort that everyone involved had put in. Aiden Cannavino who plays Draco Malfoy characterizes the play “as very interesting because there is a lot of work that has to go into making the show happen. There are a lot of moving parts and it’s an effort from everyone. It’s a really big deal and it’s only because members of our cast worked really hard on a pitching video to show to the rights holders and we’re very proud of it.”
Furthermore, the Wilton High School Theater has made this play its own while remaining true to Harry Potter. Daisy Beach, who plays Ginny Potter, stresses that “It doesn’t really matter if you’ve seen the Harry Potter movies as this show brings together all of the most important aspects of it and all of the magic, whimsy, creative passion, and excitement of the Harry Potter series in a live performance which makes it more special because you’re part of the atmosphere.”
Sophia DeVito, who plays Moaning Myrtle, emphasizes that the play “does the original justice and everything just flows so nicely. It’s not overly dramatic but is instead nostalgic and relatable.”
“There is a character for everybody and it does not stray too far from the Broadway show,” adds Professor Snape, played by junior Nick Somma. “In relation to Harry Potter, it continues the story really well so you won’t be thrown off track.”
It’s safe to say that Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will certainly be one for the books as it has united the Wilton community in such a magical way. According to Nicole Allers, who plays Delphi Diggory, “Once everyone figured out that it was going to happen, the whole community got so excited and came together and this excitement has just been in the air. We’ve been working very hard to make this cool in the way that we imagined it to be.”
Go to the Accio Tickets! Don’t miss the magic–grab yours now for Wilton High School’s Harry Potter and the Cursed Child here: https://www.wiltonhighschooltheatre.com/tickets!
