Harry Potter and the Cursed Child launches digital ticket lottery

Original London Company - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - photo by Manuel HarlanFrom this Friday 11 January the Australian premiere production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will begin releasing 40 tickets for every performance of the play for $40 per part.

These tickets are known as the Friday Forty and are for some of the best seats in the theatre. They will be released each Friday for the following week’s performances. Entries for the first Friday Forty are now open and close at 1:00PM AEDT on Friday 11 January.

The Friday Forty lottery is a tradition started by Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in London and adopted by the Broadway production. Producers Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender said: “It’s important to us that Cursed Child is as accessible as possible to all theatregoers. Tickets to the play can often sell quite far in advance,” they said.

“We’ve seen wonderful excitement in London and New York when theatregoers find out they’ve won tickets for the Friday Forty for the following week’s performances and only have to wait a few days to see the show. We’re thrilled to continue this initiative in Australia.”

Theatregoers can enter the Friday Forty each Monday from 12:01AM AEDT until 1:00PM AEDT Friday for the following week’s performances. Entry is via the official website: www.HarryPotterThePlay.com, TodayTix.com or the TodayTix App.

Winners will be notified between 1:00 PM AEDT and 5:00 PM AEDT each Friday and have an hour to complete their purchase. Winners pay $80 total ($40 per part) per person, securing a seat for both Part One and Part Two in consecutive performances the following week. Winners are able to purchase a maximum of two tickets for both Part One and Part Two in one transaction. Tickets can be collected from box office on the day of the performance.

“The experience of seeing the magic and artistry of Cursed Child live, on the stage, is one everyone should have, and the Friday Forty makes that possible,” said TodayTix CEO and Co-Founder, Brian Fenty. “In London and on Broadway, the astronomical excitement and social conversation between fans has created an even larger community around this phenomenon of a story, and we are thrilled to help grow that community into Australia.”

Multi-award-winning theatrical event Harry Potter and the Cursed Child opens exclusively at Melbourne’s newly renovated Princess Theatre with preview performances beginning next week (Friday 18 January 2019 – 7.30pm).

The Australian cast features Gareth Reeves as Harry Potter, Lucy Goleby as his wife Ginny Potter and Sean Rees-Wemyss as their son Albus Potter; Gyton Grantley as Ron Weasley, Paula Arundell as Hermione Granger and Manali Datar as their daughter Rose Granger-Weasley; Tom Wren as Draco Malfoy and William McKenna as his son Scorpius Malfoy.

The company of 42 performers also includes Iopu Auva’a, Damien Avery, Mike Bishop, Simon Chandler, Clare Chihambakwe, Sienna Conti, Louis Corbett, Gillian Cosgriff, Mark Dickinson, Lyndall Grant, Ruby Hall, George Henare, Alfie Hughes, Soren Jensen, Hamish Johnston, Madeleine Jones, Ezra Justin, Amanda LaBonté, Debra Lawrance, Kuda Mapeza, Kirsty Marillier, Cle Morgan, James O’Connell, David Ross Paterson, Archie Pitcher, Zakaria Rahhali, John Shearman, David Simes, Hayden Spencer, Slone Sudiro, Connor Sweeney, Sasha Turinui, Jessica Vickers and Hannah Waterman.

Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a new play by Jack Thorne, directed by John Tiffany. It is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. The critically acclaimed production is one play presented in two parts, which are intended to be seen in order on the same day (matinee and evening) or on two consecutive evenings.

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 and Australian casting by Janine Snape. 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
Princess Theatre, 163 Spring Street, Melbourne
Season: From 18 January 2019 (Official opening: 23 February)
Information and Bookings: www.harrypottertheplay.com

Image: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Original London Company) – photo by Manuel Harlan