Clearview presents magical fall play

Hard work and a bit of magic has set the student cast and crew of “Harry Potter and The Cursed Child (High School Edition)” up for success.

The Clearview Regional High School drama department’s fall play runs Thursday, Nov 19 through Saturday, Nov 21 in the high school’s theater.

“Harry Potter and The Cursed Child” is part of the renowned “Harry Potter” universe. The show takes place 19 years after the original characters Harry, Ron and Hermione saved the Wizarding World, and it follows the children of the series’ main characters on a new, magical journey.

Clearview’s show is directed by choir teacher Scott Garvin, who has been with the school for four years. The show is made up of more than 70 students across its cast, crew and production team.

Garvin and student performers said this is far more student involvement than the fall plays typically get. Each year, Clearview puts on a spring musical and alternates between a fall play or musical. The amount of student participation in this fall’s show is more on par with the number of students in the spring musical. (This year’s spring musical will be “Grease”).

However, Garvin and the students are excited to have so many students involved and truly feature the ensemble.

“I think the show highlights a lot of the ensemble. It focuses on the leads, but it has some moments where the ensemble can really shine,” said Gavin Gallagher, a sophomore who plays the lead role of Albus Potter, Harry Potter’s son.

“This play is a big undertaking. We don’t have a lot of time for it, but we have such incredible students that put so much work in. So when we chose this play, we really decided to give as many people opportunities as possible,” Garvin said. “I try to incorporate the ensemble as much as possible. There are (big) dances in this play, which is different from most plays.”

During the Nov. 9 rehearsal — just 10 days before opening night — the cast ran the show’s energetic “Wand Dance” for the first time with prop wands that light up and make swooshing sounds. Not only were the cast’s dance moves already in sync, the new props also moved and glowed in time with one another.

Sophomore Owen Bruno, who plays the other lead role of Scorpius Malfoy (Draco Malfoy’s son), said this year’s play includes a good deal of props and set design elements, much more than usual.

“There’s a lot of stage effects, projections, way more props, a lot of set (pieces) moving around, because in the show they go back in time a lot,” he said.

Garvin said coordinating with and managing the props and special effects are some of the most challenging components of putting the show together, although it will be worth it, as “it is going to create the magic.”

There will be multiple projectors running, several advanced light designs, haze and fog machines, and more. While the school already has state-of-the-art equipment in its theater, the drama department is renting additional equipment to provide more effects. Students involved with production and crew assist with these elements while being overseen by a professional staff member.

While there are plenty of enchanting effects, senior Ava Abbate, who plays Ludo Bagman and is Hermione’s understudy, said the cast “really has to believe in magic and go with the goofiness of the show.”

“That’s what’s going to really bring the show to life,” she said. “Whether it’s their first show or, for some of us, one of our last shows, it’s just great seeing the connection and unity we bring (to the stage).”

“Harry Potter and The Cursed Child (High School Edition)” tickets are available online and at the door. Go to crhsd.booktix.com for more information.