Broadway Licensing Global: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in schools

With such a technical show and one built on the most magical of special effects, one wonders how it will even be possible to create something that would work in youth or amateur settings. It seems that this was also in the thoughts of the creative team behind adapting the play.

Both Broadway Licensing Global (BLG) and the Cursed Child teams worked on the adaptation and their starting point was to ‘look at the mechanics of the title.’ In order to get this right, there were some important distinctions to make at the start of the process, as explained by Jeff Keilholtz from BLG. ‘You look at the major beats of the show and see if there are things that can be removed or compressed to trim down the runtime. Another consideration at the start was to look at any technical elements and how those aspects could be simplified so that schools feel confident that they can produce the show successfully.’

BLG have adapted many titles for school theatre performances and so there was confidence this collaboration with the creative team behind Cursed Child would bear fruit. With this being the eighth instalment of perhaps the most loved, most popular book series ever, the pressure to ensure the integrity of the story was also at the forefront of the minds of the producers.

How it all began

The adaptation process began with BLG's vision that this particular title could work well for young people. BLG approached the Cursed Child team to suggest ‘reengineering the typical licensing process.’ Keilholtz explains why it was important with this title that the licensing process could be turned on its head. ‘Commonly, when a Broadway title is released for licensing, the title is first made available for tours and to professional theatre companies. Thereafter, community theatres are provided access, and educational theatre is usually last. Here we suggested to the team behind The Cursed Child that we provide access to schools first.’

I am sure I am not the only director and teacher to see a show in a professional theatre and think that it would be great to work on the production in a school setting. This insight into the licensing process is fascinating and luckily for Secondary and High School students, BLG's proposals mean that very soon, pupils will have the opportunity to, as Keilholtz puts it, ‘not only see Albus Potter, but to be Albus Potter.’

When it comes to adapting the existing script, it was essential that the integrity of the story was paramount. Here, the art of collaboration becomes vital, with the creative input of writers working alongside experts in educational theatre so that a schools' version can be created that is both accessible and engaging, with the narrative throughline honoured throughout. In this particular case, the writers worked hard to make sure that there were a number of exciting and well-rounded characters, offering as many roles as possible for school casts.

It is clear that BLG, in particular, has understood the expectations of school theatre productions, with a consideration into timing and technical possibilities as well as casting options. There will, I'm sure, be artistic choices to be made for some of the more effects-led scenes, though this may be the attraction for some schools given the wonder that this can create on stage.

Adapting other titles for schools

The Cursed Child is not the only school adaptation that BLG are working on. The company recently brought to market a school adaptation of Ride the Cyclone, a musical that went viral on TikTok over the last couple of years and will surely be popular with those more in touch with social media trends. Disenchanted, a comic take on storybook princesses, offers a school edition after winning various off-broadway awards. BLG are also working on a Theatre for Young Audiences version of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, which looks to launch in January 2024. With a cast of 23 plus an ensemble and music and lyrics from Michael Mahler and Alan Schmuckler this also promises to be a great choice for schools looking to produce a ‘new’ title.

Licensing for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is projected to open late spring/early summer 2024 (May/June), for the first productions to take place in the Autumn of 2024. The London pilot production of the Secondary School edition will happen in March 2024. The US pilot production, happening in Hoboken, New Jersey, takes place in May 2024. To register interest and remain informed on release dates, schools should visit licensecursedchild.com