On January 26, 2024, enter a madcap, magical world with “Potted Potter, the Unauthorized Harry Experience” at downtown Olympia’s Washington Center for the Performing Arts. You may think you’ve experienced anything and everything Hogwarts by now, but this irreverent take puts a fresh, funny spin on all seven books at once. It’s the perfect gift for Potterheads of all ages. Skip the endless, chaotic lines for stuff and share experiences with your loved ones instead.
An Unauthorized Harry Potter Experience in Olympia
The Harry Potter series has sold more than 500 million copies worldwide with nearly 200 million of those in the United States alone. One report shows that among 18- to 34-year-olds, almost half have read at least one of the seven, with one-third diving into the entire series.
Playing within the parameters of this well-known world, creators and two-time Olivier Award nominated actors Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner say this is a perfect show for everyone aged six to Dumbledore. They’ve condensed the series into a 70-minute romp that the London Guardian calls “blissfully funny, a winner in every way.”
Their journey started nearly 20 years ago. In 2005, the duo was charged with recapping the first five books in just five minutes. Potted Potter grew alongside the series with a UK tour in 2007 managing to incorporate the last book only days after it was released. By 2009 the show could be seen in New Zealand. From 2012 on, they’ve toured North America – including an off-Broadway run – as well as Australasia and South Africa, Mexico, Ireland and even Dubai, Saudi Arabia.
The Washington Center Transforms Thanks to a Little Hogwarts Magic
Olympia’s performance welcomes Scott Hoatson in the role of Harry Potter and Joseph Maudsley as, in his words, “every other character. All 772 of them!” This two-person retelling has been Maudsley’s world for the past 8.5 years. Long enough, he says, that “I could have graduated from Hogwarts and been one and a half years into my newly qualified wizarding life in that time but instead I’ve been running around in wigs, doing silly voices.”
Maudsley has spent time in our region performing this show, with stops in Seattle last holiday season. Since the premier, he says they’ve been over in the Pacific Northwest quite a few times. “We love it over here,” he adds. “It’s been seen by over one million muggles now. Let’s be honest, there was no way I was actually going to get into Hogwarts so being a part of this show is the next best thing. It’s such a joy to perform and meet the entire audience.”
Get Tickets to ‘Potted Potter, the Unauthorized Harry Experience’ at the Washington Center
Maudsley and the Potted Potter team welcome everyone to their performances. “If you’ve never read a Harry Potter book or seen a Potter film,” he says, “Where have you been!? But it’s no problem at all. You’ll be an expert when you leave, and fully equipped to impress your Potter pals. If you’re already a Potterhead, then there’s plenty of deep level Easter Egg’s in there. I wonder how many you’ll spot. There’s even a live game of Quidditch and a fire breathing dragon.”
The decade between 1997 and 2007 was spent anxiously awaiting the next book in the engrossing and ever-popular Harry Potter series. Their movie adaptations ran from 2001 to 2011 with nearly the same level of bated breath. There are spin-off movies, theme park attractions, merchandise galore and, according to Cambridge University, dozens of words invented by, re-popularized or blended together in unique ways. Enjoy a night of magic, friendship and laughter to ring in 2024.
Potted Potter’s stop at the Washington Center takes place on Friday, January 26, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $39 and can be purchased online, by calling 360.753.8586, or stopping by the Box Office Tuesday through Saturday between 12 p.m. until 5:30 p.m..
While online, sign up for the Washington Center’s newsletter or visit their events calendar to see what other shows stand at the ready. Have questions about season-long subscriptions? No problem. Email boxoffice@washingtoncenter.org or contact them directly for help. And don’t forget: gift certificates make amazing gifts for family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, Secret Santa baskets, charity fundraisers and stocking stuffers.
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