Oh, the hours, the many hours, of reading the Harry Potter book series at bedtime and, oh, the delight, the hours of delight and dream-calling wonder on my kids’ faces just before we kissed them good-night. It’s a wonder that has continued since J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” — the first book in the series that went on to become a blockbuster movie franchise — was published in 1997.
From August 22 to September 12, Harry-loving kids and their adults (and their “pets” too, as long as they are stuffed) will get a new view of the world’s most popular wizard — this one from onstate.
That’s when the first-ever touring production of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” hits The Paramount Theatre for a three-week run. The play, written by Jack Thorne, based on a story he developed with J.K. Rowling and director John Tiffany, has won six Tony® Awards.
From ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ national tour. (Photo by Evan Zimmerman)
Harry grows up, but struggle follows
The play jumps in where the last Harry Potter book leaves off. Harry Potter has settled into adulthood with a marriage, a Magic Ministry job and three children old enough for Hogwarts letters of their own. And yet, what Harry survived as a young wizard hasn’t fully let go of him. That unfinished business collides with a separate problem: Harry’s son, Albus, who wants nothing to do with the Potter name and the expectations that come with it. As their struggles entangle, Harry and Albus will face a hard life lesson together.
Enter the Golden Snitch Digital Lottery for cheaper tickets
Most tickets for the show range from $60.60 to $356.56 each. However, at least 10 seats for every performance will be sold at $40 through the “Golden Snitch Digital Lottery.” Here’s the scoop:
Lottery basics
- Enter free at luckyseat.com — no purchase needed, and buying something doesn’t improve your odds
- Limit is two tickets per winner
- Odds depend on how many people enter for that specific show
Lottery entry and closure deadlines
- The lottery opens Friday, Aug. 7, for all performances
- It closes for the first week of performances on Thursday, Aug. 20
- It closes for the second week of performances: Friday, Aug. 28
- It closes for the third and final week of performances on Thursday, Sept. 3
Lottery rules
- One entry per person; duplicate or disposable email addresses are removed
- Winners and non-winners are both emailed within an hour of that day’s 5 p.m. lottery close, the evening before the show
- Winners get one hour after notification to pay for their tickets
- A $40 lottery ticket is voided if resold
From ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ national tour. (Photo by Evan Zimmerman)
Production details
What: “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at Paramount Theatre
When: Regular schedule: Tuesdays-Thursdays, Aug. 22 to Sept. 12, 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays, 2 and 8 p.m.; Sundays, 1 and 7 p.m. Bonus matinee: Friday, Sept. 11, 1:30 p.m. Open captioned: Sunday, Aug. 23, 7 p.m., and Saturday, Sept. 5, 2 p.m. ASL-interpreted (the Aug. 30 show is also audio-described): Sunday, Aug. 30, 1 p.m., and Saturday, Sept. 5, 8 p.m.
General tickets: $60.60 and up. Available online at STGPresents.org, Ticketmaster.com, or in person at The Paramount Theatre Box Office at 911 Pine Street in Downtown Seattle (Monday – Friday, 10am to 6pm). Orders for groups of 10 or more may be placed by emailing [email protected] or calling 206-701-8383.
