Main Stage Thespians: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: High School Edition

In a week of unforgettable shows and theatre magic, the International Thespian Festival (ITF) Main Stage brings together the most dedicated and passionate high school performers in the country. This year, Thespian Troupe 6185 from OCVTS Grunin Performing Arts Academy joins that celebration with their spellbinding production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: High School Edition.

Set nineteen years after the Battle of Hogwarts, this story follows a new generation of witches and wizards as they navigate friendship, family, and the consequences of rewriting the past. Dramatics chatted with cast members Alexis Alvarado (Delphi Diggory), Gabe Amoroso (Albus Potter), Gracie Hammel (Scorpius Malfoy), and Aronas Zajan (Harry Potter) to hear about their journey — from rehearsals to spellbinding moments on stage.

Compared to performing at your school, what’s different about preparing for one of the largest stages in school theatre?

Alexis Alvarado, Delphi Diggory: It’s an unbelievable experience. Compared to performing at my school, ITF is a completely different audience. The added energy and scale have motivated me to grow and improve my performance. With the wider audience, I want them to be impacted by this show as much as it has impacted my life.

Gabe Amoroso, Albus Potter: Well, the nerves are definitely at an all-time high! Once the shock passed, I became inspired to make this the best show of my life. The rest of my cast and I were so confident in the state of the show in the fall, and we’re even more confident now. Knowing students from across the US are coming to see us perform has put a collective pep in our step, and we’re preparing to make this one our best!

Gracie Hammel, Scorpius Malfoy: There’s a lot more pressure, but it’s also such a huge honor. This show means so much to me and the rest of the cast, so it’s amazing to be able to play these iconic characters again! When preparing again, I discover new things about Scorpius every day. I’m always thinking of all the new character choices I can make to make the show even more special.

Aronas Zajan, Harry Potter: It can be overwhelming to think about it that way; it’s exhilarating, but the thing I’m most looking forward to is spending time with the cast and being so lucky to dip our toes back into this world we all loved so much. We all have such a deep bond and getting the opportunity to go on this adventure and share something that means so much to us with other like-minded individuals is one of the biggest honors. As a senior who thought this was my last fall drama, getting to perform this play again is something I never thought I’d do, but something I always knew I needed to do. It’s truly a gift. I’m eternally grateful for it.

What aspect of your show are you most proud of, and why?

Alexis Alvarado, Delphi Diggory: I’m proud of the entire show as a whole, but the aspect I’m most proud of is my chemistry and relationships with my castmates. All of us are so passionate about our characters, and we all put our blood, sweat, and tears into this production to make it the best we could. I’m also extremely proud of the characterization work I put into my character. My goal was to embody Delphi and bring her character to life.

Gabe Amoroso, Albus Potter: Our character dynamics. We spent a lot of time fleshing out our individual characters, and from there, we were able to work out how our characters talk, think, and react with each other. Seeing believable character interactions on stage is what really hooks the audience. Especially for this show, where most characters have years of books, movies, and games worth of social interactions with one another that the audience is already briefed on.

Gracie Hammel, Scorpius Malfoy: The character work. Everyone spent so much time developing, discovering, and becoming their characters. Everyone brought their characters to life onstage, and it really helped immerse the audience in the Wizarding World!

Aronas Zajan, Harry Potter: The emotion I can show with this character. Harry Potter is a political figure. He’s a hero to many but is perceived to be a villain in others’ eyes. He’s given everything he could to the Wizarding World, yet everyone around him forgets he’s still human and can make mistakes. It truly is so isolating. But owning up to the mistakes and learning to be a better version of himself is what truly makes the character special. I’m very proud of the layers I’ve accomplished in making this character accurate but also my own, and I hope it really resonates with the audience and means as much as it does to me.

Any memorable rehearsal moments or backstage traditions that stood out to you during the process of mounting the show?

Alexis Alvarado, Delphi Diggory: Every rehearsal with the cast. The process of mounting the show was so fun but also always productive. One of my favorite memories backstage would have to be any moment “in” the bookcase and talking to my friends in character while waiting to go on stage. Making new and fun choices spontaneously backstage will never get old.

Gabe Amoroso, Albus Potter: The whole cast always circled up before a show and held hands in what we called an “energy circle.” We squeezed hands and transferred our energy to one another. It was a helpful step in uniting the cast right before a show and leaving all our stress at the door. I also played the Broadway soundtrack in my ear while I was getting ready to immerse myself in the world. There’s something so powerful about the soundtrack, and it was the best tool for me to step into the Wizarding World.

Gracie Hammel, Scorpius Malfoy: I go absolutely crazy when it comes to backstage traditions and warming up. Before every show, I would spend hours just sitting, isolating myself, stretching, and listening to my Scorpius playlist. I also had a signature butterbeer perfume that I’d use to make me feel like I was really at Hogwarts.

Aronas Zajan, Harry Potter: All our wands were handmade by us before our original performances. It was really interesting to see how everyone got creative in incorporating their characters into these props. Particularly for Harry Potter, I wanted to signify his family, so there are grooves on the wand for the people he lost, as well as his children and Ginny. The top of the wand is melted with oozing colors of orange and red to signify the Gryffindor house. I imagine this burning happening during the battle of Hogwarts, which now stands as a reminder of such a pivotal moment in Harry’s life and all that came before, and all that will come after.

Preparing a show is always a learning process. What’s been your biggest lesson throughout the process of prepping your show, applying for adjudication, and now being told you’re heading to ITF?

Alexis Alvarado, Delphi Diggory: If you put your mind to something and work hard for it, it will pay off. When the show was first announced, I wasn’t as excited as others because I didn’t know much about the Harry Potter franchise. I started reading the script at the beginning of the summer and as soon as I came upon Delphi’s first scene, I was immediately drawn to her character. I spent the entire summer learning more about Delphi and her background. When September came and it was time for auditions, I was extremely nervous and thought I blew it. Then the callback list came out, and I was determined to do amazing and get this role. Finally, the cast list was released, and I have never been more relieved and ecstatic to start a production. This production is the most special experience that I hold near and dear to my heart, so when we were told we were chosen to perform at ITF after thinking it was over for good, it was an indescribable feeling. It still doesn’t even feel real, and I am just so grateful to have the opportunity to perform in this production again.

Gabe Amoroso, Albus Potter: There are definitely a couple of lessons I’ve learned from this show. Firstly, I learned that to understand a character, you must first understand the world in which your character resides. The same person can become two completely different people when given different circumstances. Albus Potter grew up in a world of magic where his father is a famous wizard, so his character is shaped by it. If Albus grew up outside of the world of magic, or had a different home life, he’d be a completely different character. Secondly, I learned how much you can accomplish by putting your full heart and soul into it. The whole cast and crew [did], and as a result, we have the opportunity to perform on one of the largest stages for school theater in the world.

Gracie Hammel, Scorpius Malfoy: The biggest lesson was not to get in my head. Scorpius is such an emotionally complicated character and not getting into my head after rehearsals was something I had to overcome. Also, another thing I learned when prepping for this show was to stay healthy! This show is very emotionally and physically exhausting. You hardly left the stage the whole time, and it was so important to drink tea, rest, and not overwork yourself.

Aronas Zajan, Harry Potter: The moment we were all told we’d be doing Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The cast erupted into joy and tears. I remember having this outburst of joy and feeling my chest almost in disbelief, but I wondered if I’d get to reprise the role and continue an experience that was already so significant, but now on a grander scale.

What is your favorite moment in the show?

Alexis Alvarado, Delphi Diggory: The ‘battle’ scene in the church. That scene is my favorite for my character because Delphi gets the closure of meeting her dad and ultimately gets tricked and defeated, but it’s such a beautiful moment for all the characters in their own way. It’s a heavy and emotional scene, and once the scene ends, there’s a sense of peace.

Gabe Amoroso, Albus Potter: One of the coolest things I get to do in this show is fly. Being in the air, fully immersed in the world of magic and wonder is one of the best experiences of my life. Getting the opportunity to cast spells, or fly, or even eat gillyweed is something younger me could only ever dream of, and I know he’d be amazed at some of the things that happen in this production.

Gracie Hammel, Scorpius Malfoy: The staircase ballet. Everyone in the cast tells me it’s their favorite part of the show. It’s such an emotional moment, and it shows the strong bond Albus and Scorpius have.

Aronas Zajan, Harry Potter: When Harry Potter and all the characters witness his parents’ death. As an actor it’s so fun, as a character it’s so tragic. The idea these people came together once again and held onto Harry as he witnessed an event that changed the course of his life forever…it’s so deep and so powerful. After doing that scene each time I take a moment to myself before going on for the final scene. I just soak it all in, and I feel closest to the character. It’s my favorite moment every time.

As a Thespian, what about this production makes you proud to share it with the ITF community? What do you hope the national audience remembers after the curtain falls in June?

Alexis Alvarado, Delphi Diggory: The amount of detail put into this production makes me proud to share it with the ITF community. This cast has put so much effort into portraying the storyline and our characters seamlessly. I hope the national audience remembers the messages in the story and the journey each character experiences and develops.

Gabe Amoroso, Albus Potter: Thanks to the directors, cast, and crew, I can say with full certainty that all audience members at ITF will be met with a truly magical performance. Our take on the Wizarding World is something you’ve never seen before. The true moral of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is that love conquers all pains, all hardships, and all struggles. Furthermore, this love can be found in the most unlikely of places, including the people whom we’ve hurt in the past. I cannot wait to put all our hard work on the big stage!

Gracie Hammel, Scorpius Malfoy: As a Thespian, I’m incredibly honored to be able to share our production with the ITF community. Since being cast as Scorpius, I’ve grown such a strong connection to him, the show, and all of its important themes. I hope when people come to see the show and when they meet Scorpius, they feel free to be geeky, nerdy, and a little bit weird. Everyone is so afraid of being an outsider or going outside of social norms, but I hope Scorpius helps people feel free to express themselves and know it’s ok to be different. This is just such an emotional and beautiful show, and I hope all of ITF appreciates all the work the cast and crew have put into it.

Aronas Zajan, Harry Potter: This project is a culmination of my experience at the Grunin Performing Arts Academy. These four years have shaped the person I am and taught me the person I want to be in the world. This cast includes some of the people I care most about in this world. And it serves as a love letter to art and hard work. I hope the audience remembers the sense of magic and wonder and is transported to a world that’s whimsical as they go on a journey to discover the importance of accepting yourself.