The Canadian premiere of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has postponed its run at Toronto's Ed Mirvish Theatre, where performances were due to begin October 23. The two-part play will now open sometime in 2021 (exact dates will be announced later).
"We understand that this is disappointing, but this delay will help ensure our ability to deliver this spectacular production to audiences safely and successfully and with the launch that our fans deserve," producer David Mirvish said in a statement.
An all-Canadian cast was recently announced to assume the roles of J.K. Rowling's new and familiar characters, including Trevor White as the now-adult Harry Potter, Gregory Prest as Ron Weasley, and Sarah Afful as Hermione Granger.
Engagements of the Tony- and Olivier-winning play are similarly closed around the world as the coronavirus pandemic keeps theatres shuttered. The original production in London is closed (along with all other West End shows) at least through May 31; Broadway shows are currently on hold through June 7; San Francisco performances are suspended through May 3; the German-language engagement in Hamburg is on hold until October; the Melbourne run intends to resume in June.
In Toronto, Mirvish Productions has canceled all performances (including its Toronto sitdown of Come From Away and tour stops of Hamilton and Les Misérables) through June 30 at the earliest.