Jan. 11 (UPI) -- Rehearsals have begun for the Broadway premiere of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, a stage play about the former boy wizard as a family man and "overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic," show representatives announced Thursday.
Preview performances are scheduled to begin March 16 at the Lyric Theatre, with an official opening set for April 22.
Seven members of the award-winning, original West End company have reunited on stage for the New York debut: Jamie Parker as Harry Potter, Noma Dumezweni as Hermione Granger and Paul Thornley as Ron Weasley, as well as Poppy Miller as Ginny Potter, Sam Clemmett as Albus Potter, Alex Price as Draco Malfoy and Anthony Boyle as Scorpius Malfoy.
"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," a news release noted. "The production is one play presented in two parts. Both parts are intended to be seen in order on the same day [matinee and evening] or on two consecutive evenings, or each part can be seen separately."
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first, official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. It had its world premiere in July 2016 at the Palace Theatre in London and continues to play to sold-out houses there, its producers said.
