Blog Entry #6

“Scared, Potter?”

I mentioned back in my very first blog entry that my daughter, Sarah, is a huge fan of the Harry Potter series…it was one of my main inspirations for the Fortana universe. She recently turned 12, and last week we gave her a very special birthday gift…a trip up to New York City to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway. This wasn’t just any performance of the play, it was the seventh season premiere and the very first night that former Potter franchise movie actor Tom Felton reprised his film role as Draco Malfoy, live on stage.

Our trip began with a six-hour train ride up to Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station, which was also her first time on a train. I know trains may seem a little old-fashioned in the current world, but if you’ve never taken a trip on one you should try it! It certainly beat driving into NYC, that’s for sure. Once we got into the city, however, we realized the flaw in our plan. We had wanted to do a little walking around Manhattan, but we just so happened to be there on Veteran’s Day and the parade had a good bit of the city shut down, including a large part of Fifth Avenue. Needless to say, it took a little bit of work to get to the things we wanted to see, but we eventually made our way to the Harry Potter store (amazing!) and the Empire State Building, which blew Sarah’s mind!

The play that evening at the Lyric Theatre was every bit as good as advertised, and the thirty second ovation for Tom Felton when he first walked onto the stage was a very cool moment to be a part of. The cast of the Cursed Child does a fantastic job, especially the young man who plays Draco’s son Scorpius Malfoy, Aidan Close. The practical special effects are top-notch and really make you feel like you’ve been set down dead center in the Wizarding World! I highly recommend the show, it’s a must for any Potterhead out there.

A night at a hotel in Times Square and another six-hour train ride and our whirlwind trip was done, but the memories will live with us forever. My wife and I are already throwing around the idea of going back to see the Stranger Things Broadway show next. What a great time! Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you next time!

Dave