With Harry Potter and the Cursed Child set to make its Broadway debut this spring, producers Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender unveiled the elaborate new marquee at the newly-restored Lyric Theatre. The marquee reveal comes as the producers get ready for their big opening, with previews starting March 16 and the play's official opening set for April 22. The marquee was created by Cursed Child set designer Christine Jones and International Scenic Supervisor Brett J. Banakis, which features a massive 150-foot, 50,000-pound wing spanning from the marquee to the top of the theater, while the iconic nest with child sits atop the theater. Here's what Jones and Banakis had to say about the marquee in a joint statement.
"It is a thrill to have the Lyric as a canvas, both inside and out, for our production. One of the many gifts the Lyric Theatre provided us is over 200 feet of frontage on 43rd street, which includes the beautiful historic facade of the original 1903 building. The producers tasked us with taking advantage of this expanse of space with a visual gesture that relates to the show and connects the old facade with the rest of the newer (1996) facade. We drew inspiration from the wing artwork from the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child poster art, and tried to translate that imagery into a large, metal installation on the side of the building, to serve as a beacon, a gathering spot, and a piece of public sculpture, here in the heart of Times Square."
The nest with child, which now overlooks West 43rd Street, was designed by the same team in the U.K., who created the original sculpture for the West End production in London. The stage production comes to Broadway on the heels of an immensely successful run in the U.K., debuting in July 2016 at the Palace Theater, where it continues to thrill audiences with sold-out shows. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has won 22 major U.K. Theater awards, including a record-breaking nine Olivier Awards, including Best New Play, Best Actor (Jamie Parker), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Andy Karl), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Noma Dumezweni) and Best Director (John Tiffany).
The Broadway production will feature seven stars from the original West End cast, Jamie Parker (Harry Potter), Noma Dumezweni (Hermione Granger), Paul Thornley (Ron Weasley), Poppy Miller (Ginny Potter), Sam Clemmett (Albus Potter), Alex Price (Draco Malfoy) and Anthony Boyle (Scorpius Malfoy). They will be joined by a vast supporting cast including David Abeles, Brian Abraham, ShirineBabb, Jess Barbagallo, Olivia Bond, Stephen Bradbury, Lauren NicoleCipoletti, Will Coombs, Joshua De Jesus, Jessie Fisher, Richard Gallagher, Susan Heyward, Geraldine Hughes, Edward James Hyland, Byron Jennings, Katie Kreisler, Joey LaBrasca, Andrew Long, Landon Maas, Kathryn Meisle, Angela Reed, Dave Register, Adeola Role, JamesRomney, Nathan Salstone, Malika Samuel, Alanna Saunders, Brooklyn Shuck, David St. Louis, Stuart Ward, Madeline Weinstein, Alex Weisman and Benjamin Wheelwright playing a variety of characters.
Like the West End run, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is written by Jack Thorne and directed by John Tiffany, with the story following Harry Potter as an adult, employed by the Ministry of Magic, with a wife and three children. While Harry grapples with his past, his son Albus struggles with the family legacy as both the father and son learn that darkness can come from some unexpected places. Take a look at the new artwork below, courtesy of Pottermore.
