PHOTOS/VIDEO: HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD Opens in San Francisco; Get a First Look and Hear From J.K. Rowling!

The exclusive West Coast production of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Cursed Child celebrates the official opening in San Francisco today, Sunday, December 1, at the Curran Theater. Once preview performances began on October 23, San Francisco and New York became the only destinations in the United States where fans can see the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the most awarded play in theater history.

Get a first look in the photos below!

Also below, hear an exclusive message that J.K. Rowling has for the cast!

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a new play by Jack Thorne, directed by John Tiffany.

The San Francisco cast of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child includes John Skelley as Harry Potter, Angela Reed as Ginny Potter, and Benjamin Papac as their son Albus Potter; David Abeles as Ron Weasley, Yanna McIntosh as Hermione Granger, and Folami Williams as their daughter Rose Granger-Weasley; Lucas Hall as Draco Malfoy and Jon Steiger as his son Scorpius Malfoy.

They are joined by Theo Allyn, William Bednar-Carter, Natalia Bingham, Ebony Blake, Melanie Brezill, Shannon Cochran, Elijah Cooper, Irving Dyson Jr., Kita Grayson, Logan James Hall, Abbi Hawk, Corey Hedy, Tyler Patrick Hennessy, Kyle Hines, Nathan Hosner, Nicholas Hyland, Charles Janasz, Katherine Leask, Joel Leffert, Andrew Long, Lily Mojekwu, Emily Juliette Murphy, Steve O'Connell, Erik Evan Olson, Christian Pedersen, Julian Rozzell, Jr., Natalie Adele Schroeder, Tuck Sweeney, Geoffrey Wade, Lauren Zakrin, and Brittany Zeinstra playing a variety of characters.

Ms. McIntosh and Ms. Murphy are appearing with the support of Actors' Equity Association. The producers gratefully acknowledge Actors' Equity Association for its assistance to this production.

In addition to the U.S. West Coast production in San Francisco, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is now playing at the Palace Theatre in London, where it received its world premiere in July 2016; at the Lyric Theatre in New York, where it opened on Broadway in April 2018; and at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne, where it opened in February 2019. Upcoming productions also include the German premiere, the first non-English language production, at the Mehr! Theater am Großmarkt in Hamburg in spring of 2020, and the sixth production of the smash-hit play will open at the Ed Mirvish Theatre in Toronto later that year.

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn't much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband, and the father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child features movement by Steven Hoggett, set by Christine Jones, costumes by Katrina Lindsay, music & arrangements by Imogen Heap, lighting by Neil Austin, sound by Gareth Fry, illusions & magic by Jamie Harrison, music supervision & arrangements by Martin Lowe. Casting by Jim Carnahan, CSA.

Tickets are currently on sale through June 20, 2020, at HarryPotterOnStage.com and in person at the Curran Theater box office. Additional tickets will be released on Friday, December 6 at 11 a.m. PT, for performances through July 12, 2020. The box office hours are Tuesday through Saturday 12-8p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-7 p.m. (closed Monday).

Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy

William Bednar-Carter, Natalia Bingham, John Skelley, Angela Reed, Benjamin Papac

Yanna McIntosh, Folami Williams, David Abeles, Natalie Adele Schroeder, William Bednar-Carter, Angela Reed, John Skelley, Benjamin Papac

Scorpius Malfoy (Jon Steiger), Rose Granger-Wesley (Folami Williams), Albus Potter (Benjamin Papac)

Scorpius Malfoy (Jon Steiger) and Albus Potter (Benjamin Papac)

Jon Steiger (L), Julian Rozzell, Jr. and cast

Scorpius Malfoy (Jon Steiger) and Albus Potter (Benjamin Papac

Harry Potter (John Skelley) and Albus Potter (Benjamin Papac)

Benjamin Papac (center) and cast

Scorpius Malfoy (Jon Steiger) and Albus Potter (Benjamin Papac)

Katherine Leask, Benjamin Papac, Jon Steiger

Cast

Scorpius Malfoy (Jon Steiger) and Albus Potter (Benjamin Papac)

Hermione Granger (Yanna McIntosh), Ron Weasley (David Abeles), Harry Potter (John Skelley)

Cast

Harry Potter (John Skelley)

Draco Malfoy (Lucas Hall) and Harry Potter (John Skelley)

Harry Potter (John Skelley)

Harry Potter (John Skelley) and Dumbledore (Charles Janasz)

Ginny Potter (Angela Reed), Harry Potter (John Skelley), Professor McGonagall (Shannon Cochran), and Draco Malfoy (Lucas Hall)

Harry Potter and the Cursed Chidl

Cast

Hermione Granger (Yanna McIntosh) and Cast

Professor McGonagall (Shannon Cochran), Albus Potter (Benjamin Papac), Scorpius Malfoy (Jon Steiger), Ginny Potter (Angela Reed), and Harry Potter (John Skelley)

Hermione Granger (Yanna McIntosh), Ron Weasley (David Abeles), Ginny Potter (Angela Reed), Harry Potter (John Skelley), and Draco Malfoy (Lucas Hall)

Draco Malfoy (Lucas Hall), Ron Weasley (David Abeles), Hermione Granger (Yanna McIntosh), Harry Potter (John Skelley), and Ginny Potter (Angela Reed)

Albus Potter (Benjamin Papac) and Scorpius Malfoy (Jon Steiger)

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Harry Potter (John Skelley) and Albus Potter (Benjamin Papac)