‘The Crown’ Star Sam Crane to Play Lead in ‘Harry Potter’ Play

Sam Crane will play Harry Potter in the new company that commences performances on “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” at London’s Palace Theatre from Oct. 13.

Crane’s credits include “The Crown,” “DNA” at the National Theatre, “Othello” at Shakespeare’s Globe and “Farinelli and the King” on Broadway. Frances Grey (“Old Fool,” “Bloods”) plays Ginny Potter and Thomas Grant (“Spring Awakening”) their son Albus Potter, marking his debut on London’s West End.

Thomas Aldridge (“Les Misérables”) and Michelle Gayle (“Beauty and the Beast”) continue as Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger and Grace Wylde (“The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe”) will play their daughter Rose Granger-Weasley. James Howard (“Romeo and Juliet”) continues as Draco Malfoy and Adam Wadsworth (“The Reluctant Fundamentalist” will play his son Scorpius Malfoy, also marking his West End debut.

In the two-part play, Harry Potter’s head-strong son Albus befriends the son of his fiercest rival, Draco Malfoy, and it sparks a new journey for them all, with the power to change the past and future forever.

Gabriel Akamo, Troy Alexander, Harry Ames, David Annen, Sue Appleby, Sabina Cameron, Phil Cheadle, Robert Curtis, Tim Dewberry, Iskandar Eaton, Lewis Edgar, Jack Gardner, Jemma Gould, Kelton Hoyland, April Hughes, Max Hutchinson, Emma Louise Jones, Tom Mackean, David Mara, Henry Maynard, Kathryn Meisle, Gigi Noel-King, Melaina Pecorini, Niamh Perry, Ruchi Rai, Ian Redford, Rosalind Steele, Tom Storey, Joshua Talbot, Susan Vidler, Wreh-asha Walton, Fletcher Bell, Alice Langton-Farrell, Max Forde, Lottie Grey, Rafferty Ison, Abbiegail Mills and Harry Munson, who will alternate two children’s roles, complete the 46-strong company.

Based on an original story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ is a play by Thorne, directed by John Tiffany. It features movement by Steven Hoggett, set by Christine Jones, costumes by Katrina Lindsay, music and arrangements by Imogen Heap, lighting by Neil Austin, sound by Gareth Fry, illusions and magic by Jamie Harrison, music supervision and arrangements by Martin Lowe and casting by Julia Horan CDG.

It is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callender and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions.

The production, the eighth story in the Harry Potter series, has sold over five million tickets worldwide since its world premiere in London in July 2016 and holds 60 major honors, with nine Laurence Olivier Awards and six Tony Awards. There are currently seven productions running worldwide in London, New York, Melbourne, San Francisco, Hamburg, Toronto and Tokyo.