This post contains NO spoilers for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway, so read away!

Earlier this summer, I got to check another item off my Harry Potter Bucketlist – seeing Cursed Child on Broadway! I’m not going to lie, I did not know what to expect from the show. I hated reading the script (like many in the fandom), but a friend told me it’s totally different on stage. Boy was he right! The two nights I spent watching Cursed Child were the two of the best nights I’ve ever had. One of the biggest things about the show is that they’re stressing to #KeepTheSecrets, so I won’t give you many details on the show itself. I want you to experience the magic for yourself! In this post, I’m going to tell y’all everything you need to know before seeing the show.

The Theater

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is showing at the Lyric Theater, which went through a HUGE renovation to prepare for the show. Like, $33 million huge, and WOW did it pay off! The exterior of the feature features snitch-shaped nests and even a giant metal wing! Inside the theater, small details like phoenix wall sconces and Hogwarts “H” monogrammed carpets are scattered around. Larger details like the stunning Patronus mural, a wizarding candy store, and a breathtaking celestial ceiling feature make you feel like you’ve left the bustle of Broadway and stepped into someplace truly magical. The snacks and drinks available at the theater are even themed. You won’t find any muggle brands around! I recommend getting to the theater around an hour early so you can take it all in. The theater is even transformed during the show itself in ways that will keep you amazed for days on end.

The Show

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has a total running time of 5 hours and 15 minutes. It’s so long that they have split it into two parts: Part One is 2 hours and 40 minutes and Part Two is 2 hours and 35 minutes. You should watch both parts consecutively, either on the same day or on back-to-back nights. We did back-to-back nights and I am so thankful, as the show is kind of emotionally exhausting (but in the BEST way, like The Deathly Hallows).

The show itself it set around Harry’s second child, Albus Severus, and begins with his first year at Hogwarts, which takes place 17 years after the Battle of Hogwarts. The plot is kind of dark and parts can be scary, so the show isn’t quite appropriate for younger kids. Character wise, we see many old favorites return, as well as some new faces (the kids!). The show is jam-packed full of magic! The staging, choreography, costuming, and mannerisms of the characters create something totally special on the stage.

Getting Tickets

My mom, my sister, and I went to the show on May 31 and June 1. We got our tickets in the Dress Circle for $40 per show (so $80 total per person). To get these tickets at a low price, each of us entered the ticket lottery as soon as it opened up, which I believe was back in January. My mom ended up being one of the lucky winners, so she was able to enter through a special portal to purchase tickets. We REALLY lucked out, got our tickets, and planned an entire trip to NYC around the dates we purchased.

We purchased our tickets before Harry Potter and the Cursed Child opened on Broadway in April. Now, purchasing tickets is a bit different and depends on how immediate you want to see the show and what you’re wanting to spend on tickets.

If You Just Can’t Wait

If you absolutely cannot wait to get your tickets, there are two things you can do. First is Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster is selling tickets for tomorrows (August 1st) show for $320 a part, so $640 total per person. I don’t know about you, but that is a LOT of money for me and isn’t totally realistic, even for a show as amazing as Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The next option is to go to the theater in person, though I’m not sure how those prices would differ from Ticketmaster.

Try Your Luck

There are two ways to try your luck to get tickets affordably. First is with the cancellation line on the day of the show. The cancellation line opens an hour before the show and, if you’re selected to purchase, can get you tickets at face value. According to the message boards, the cancellation line only works if the show is sold out, as available tickets are sold at Ticketmaster.

Entering the Friday Forty is the other option. Every Friday, 40 tickets are released for every performance in the following week for $20 per part ($40 total). Entries for the Friday Forty have to be through TodayTix (either website or app) and are accepted from 12:01 am ET and 1:00 pm ET, with winners announced between 1 and 5 pm ET.

If You’re Patient

The very last option for purchasing tickets to the show is to sign up for the newsletter. Follow the newsletter and hop on the website to purchase as soon as a new ticket window opens! This is the closest method to what we did, and we were able to snag great seats at a great price.

Now that you’ve read all about Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, I’m sure you’re itching to see it! I seriously cannot recommend the show enough and I hope I’m fortunate enough to see it again. Let me know what you’re most excited about for this show in the comments below.

xoxo,

KB

P.S. Still need a Harry Potter fix? Check out my Harry Potter Bucketlist or my Guide to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!