A Very Potter Musical
Encyclopedia
A Very Potter Musical is a musical
with music and lyrics by Darren Criss
and A.J. Holmes, and a book by Matt Lang, Nick Lang, and Brian Holden. The story is a parody
based on several of the Harry Potter
novels, particularly Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
, as well as their film counterpart
s.
A Very Potter Musical tells the story of Harry Potter
's return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
, the trials and tribulations of adolescence, his participation in the House Cup Championship, and the return of the dark wizard Lord Voldemort
to power.
The musical was performed in April 9-11th, 2009, on the University of Michigan
campus. It was produced by Team StarKid
and directed by Matt Lang. The musical starred Darren Criss
as Harry Potter, Joey Richter
as Ron Weasley
, Bonnie Grueson as Hermione Granger
, Lauren Lopez as Draco Malfoy
, Brian Rosenthal as Quirinus Quirrell, and Joe Walker as Lord Voldemort. In late June 2009, the group put the entire musical up on YouTube
, and it became a viral video
, obtaining millions of views. The musical also allowed Team StarKid to create subsequent musicals: Me and My Dick
(2009), A Very Potter Sequel
(2010), and Starship
(2011). A third installment of A Very Potter Musical is also said to be in the works.
, Hermione Granger
, and the other students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
rejoice that they are going back for their second year ("Gotta Get Back to Hogwarts"). Headmaster of Hogwarts Albus Dumbledore
welcomes everyone back and Potions Professor Severus Snape
discusses portkeys, foreshadowing
, horcruxes, and the houses at Hogwarts. Harry's scar begins to burn as the new professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts Quirinus Quirrell shows up to introduce the House Cup Championship. Quirrell is forced to flee suddenly when sneezing begins to emanatenate from his turban, which Quirrell claims is flatulence
. Harry, Cho Chang, Cedric Diggory, and Draco Malfoy
are chosen as the four participants for the tournament, each being deemed the "champion" of their houses, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin respectively. Hermione voices her concerns about Quirrell, Snape, and the tournament to Harry and Ron, and convinces Harry to drop out of the tournament. However, Harry asks Hermione to talk to Dumbledore about it, and Dumbledore says it is out of the question due to the enchanted goblet the names of the champions were chosen from. Malfoy returns to discourage Harry about the tournament and tells him that he is transferring to the wizarding school on Mars, Pigfarts. Hermione fights back and threatens Malfoy before she, Harry, and Ron storm off.
Quirrell and Lord Voldemort
, who is secretly attatched to the back of Quirrell's head, discuss Harry Potter, and then begin to argue about having to live together ("Different As Can Be"). Harry convinces Hermione to do his school work and preparation for the tournament for him. Meanwhile, Harry performs a love song
for Ginny Weasley intended for Cho ("Ginny's Song"). Ron arrives to tell Harry that giant cages are being brought to the dungeons. Hermione believes they have to do with the tournament's first challenge, so she, Harry, and Ron go to investigate, using Harry's Cloak of Invisibility, left to him by his deceased father. Ron does not allow Ginny to go with them, so Ginny stays behind and sings about her feelings for Harry ("Harry").
Voldemort convinces Quirrell to go out and celebrate the progress of their evil plan opposed to grading papers. Meanwhile, as Harry, Ron, and Hermione are searching for clues beneath the Cloak of Invisibility, they overhear Malfoy and his gang talking about who they think is the ugliest girl in school before stumbling on Dumbledore and Snape talking about the first task: Dragons. Voldemort and Quirrell drunkenly walk back to the school while discussing their failed romantic exploits, Voldemort's first encounter with fun, and how the two of them have become friends ("Different As Can Be (Reprise)").
Hermione lectures Harry about not preparing for the tournament, as Malfoy tells Cedric about Pigfarts before the first task of the tournament begins. Dumbledore arrives to give each of the competitors their dragon assignment, with Harry getting the fiercest one, The Hungarian Horntail. Harry tries to bribe Malfoy with various treats in order to get him to trade dragons, but Malfoy refuses. The crowd cheers Harry on as he begins to fight his dragon. Harry summons his guitar and serenade
s the dragon into submission and moves on to the next round of the competition ("The Dragon Song").
Snape announces the annual Yule Ball. Ginny attempts to ask Harry to the ball, but Harry reveals his plans to ask Cho to go with him, causing Ginny to run off, devastated. Harry plays his love song for Cho, but is also rejected because she already said she would go with Cedric ("Ginny's Song Reprise (Cho's Song)"). Ron tries to cheer Harry up, but to no avail. Malfoy enters, bragging about his tournament victory, and is shocked to see Gregory Goyle holding a Yule Ball wreath. The two of them, along with Vincent Crabbe, discuss the absurdity of school dances, deeming it "for pansies," before Malfoy asks Pansy Parkinson to go with him to the ball. Quirrell relieves Voldemort of his worries surrounding their master plan as the two weigh the pros and cons of their upcoming physical separation. As Qurriell puts his turban back on, covering Voldemort, Snape arrives to question him about his being in the ball room, which Quirrell claims to be "just decorating," placing a "special" ladle in the punch bowl.
At the Yule Ball, Ron mentions to Harry he heard Hermione had been crying in the bathroom all day. Malfoy joins the conversation, ignoring his date, but then he and Ron begin fighting about their feelings for Hermione as she arrives looking Supermegafoxyawesomehot ("Granger Danger"). Afterward, Ron, appearing drunk, rants to Harry that Hermione is dancing with every guy at the ball but him. When she comes over to talk to them, Ron scolds her and she walks away. Harry puts the pieces together and calls Ron out for having a crush on her. Harry tries to help Ron, but is distracted with blossoming feelings for Ginny, whom he asks to dance. Both Ron and Malfoy try to get Hermione's attention, but she begins to yell at each of them for their behavior and storms off, not before slapping both Ron and Draco. Meanwhile, as Harry and Ginny are dancing, they kiss, but Harry pulls away stating they could not be together because she is his best friend's sister. Ginny runs off crying, and Harry cuts in to dance with Cho while she is dancing with Cedric. Cedric accuses Harry of cheating during the dragon challenge, and Harry challenges Cedric to a duel, but before the duel starts, the two of them argue over who will get Cho punch. Cedric punches Harry, and Harry retaliates by swinging the punch ladle that Quirrell had placed in the bowl earlier.
Harry and Cedric are transported to a graveyard, revealing the ladle was a portkey. As Harry and Cedric begin to argue again, Quirrell kills Cedric with the Killing Curse and stuns Harry. At this point, Quirrell reveals Voldemort to Harry. The Death Eater
s then perform a ritual, involving a masked Snape amputating one of his hands, to separate Voldemort and Quirrell, giving them each their own body. Voldemort and Quirrell celebrate their plan's success by using the Imperius Curse on Harry to make him dance ("To Dance Again!"). Bellatrix Lestrange arrives to welcome back her master and former lover, and reveals their plan was to kill Harry and use Quirrell as a scapegoat. Quirrell and Voldemort then have a falling out, and the Death Eaters take Quirrell to Azkaban. Before Voldemort can kill Harry, Harry manages to grab Cedric's body and the portkey and returns to Hogwarts. The act ends with Harry exclaiming that Voldemort has returned.
Snape goes to the Death Eater's hideout to speak to Voldemort and reveals to two guards that he has been a spy for the Death Eaters all along. The two guards go to report to Voldemort, who is daydreaming through Bellatrix's explanation of her evil plan. Snape is let in and tells Voldemort he has discovered a way to get the Death Eaters into Hogwarts. However, due to an unbreakable vow, Snape is not allowed to divulge the details, and instead, has Malfoy tell Voldemort to get in through the ventilation
system. In order for Malfoy to show Voldemort the way, he asks for a rocket ship in order to go to Pigfarts ("Pigfarts, Pigfarts Here I Come...."). Snape brings up that they will have to kill Dumbldore, so Voldemort and Malfoy make an unbreakable vow, Malfoy promising to kill Dumbledore and Voldemort promising Malfoy his rocket ship.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione arrive at Dumbledore's office for the meeting. Dumbledore explains horcruxes, reveals that he has destroyed five of the six Voldemort has created, and tells the three of them to find and destroy the last one using Godric Gryffindor's sword and a magical horcrux finder. The Death Eaters then bust into Dumbledore's office, and Malfoy reveals that he let the Death Eaters into Hogwarts. Dumbledore tries to talk Malfoy out of killing him, but then Snape arrives and kills Dumbledore. Harry is so distraught by Dumbledore's murder, that he tells Ron and Hermione that he must finish everything alone and flees.
Voldemort kills Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge and takes over the Ministry of Magic
. Bellatrix wants to celebrate by having sexual intercourse
with Voldemort, however, Voldemort sits back to back with her, to simulate his relationship with Quirrell. Bellatrix realizes what is going on and storms off. At this point, Voldemort, Quirrell, and Harry all think about those they have lost ("Missing You"). A Death Eater then reports to Voldemort that Dumbledore is dead and that the Death Eaters have control of Hogwarts.
Ginny finds Harry and tries to convince him that he can stop the Death Eaters, but Harry is in denial, stating he cannot do anything and that all is hope is lost. Despite this, Ginny tells Harry that he is not alone in the fight against evil, during which Ron and Hermione join them ("Not Alone"). The group then decides they need to find the last horcrux. Harry's horcrux finder reveals that the last one is in Dumbledore's office. Harry then asks how they had gotten to him with all the Death Eaters around. Ginny tells them that she got help from Malfoy, who she explains is good now, which Harry, Ron, and Hermione are reluctant to believe. Ginny and Hermione leave in order to contact the Order of the Phoenix, while Malfoy shows Harry and Ron the way to get into Dumbledore's office. Just before parting ways, Ron apologizes to Hermione, in case they do not meet again, and kisses her, leading into the two sharing a 'passionate' kiss. While searching in Dumbledore's office, Harry, Ron, and Malfoy discover the last horcrux is Dumbledore's Zac Efron
poster. The horcrux takes the shape of both Voldemort and Hermione and tries to convince Ron that Harry is the real enemy, but Ron overcomes the deception and destroys the horcrux with Godric Gryffindor's sword. Ron explains to Harry that nothing could come between their friendship. A group of Death Eaters led by Bellatrix arrives, holding Hermione and Ginny hostage. Harry, Ron, and Malfoy throw down their weapons. Snape comes to the aid of Harry and company, but is struck down by one of Bellatrix's spells. Bellatrix tries to take Harry to Voldemort, but Ron and Ginny's mother Molly comes to the rescue and kills Bellatrix. Harry rushes to Snape's side, and with his dying breath, Snape explains to Harry what happened the night Voldemort killed his parents and that Harry had become a seventh horcrux. Voldemort announces to Hogwarts that he and the Death Eaters had killed Dumbledore and taken over the castle, and would be willing to let everyone live if they obey him and hand over Harry. Harry realizes now that he has to die in order to save everyone else.
Harry makes his way to the Forbidden Forest to confront Voldemort. Harry does not fight back as Voldemort uses the Cruciatus Curse to torture him and the Killing Curse to kill him. Voldemort and the Death Eaters begin to head back to Hogwarts to give them the news of their fallen hero. Harry, in a place between the worlds of life and death, meets up with Dumbledore who tells Harry that Voldemort, by killing Harry, destroyed the last horcrux and therefore made himself mortal, and tells Harry to return to defeat him. Harry leaves and Dumbledore meets up with RumbleRoar, who reveals Dumbledore is actually still alive and takes him to Pigfarts on Mars.
Voldemort announces that Harry is dead and reiterates his loyalty-for-life policy. Meanwhile inside Hogwarts, Ron and Hermione are trying to boost morale for the upcoming battle, during which Harry returns ("Voldemort is Goin' Down"). Voldemort enters Hogwarts for the final confrontation and is shocked to see Harry alive. Harry tells everyone to stand back as it is his fight, and explains to Voldemort that he could not hurt the people of Hogwarts as Harry did what his parents did for him, sacrificing himself for others, creating an impenetrable love shield. Harry also explains the fact that because Voldemort cares for no one, and no one cares for him, that lack of love will ultimately be his downfall. Voldemort uses the Killing Curse, but Harry reflects it back at him, killing Voldemort. Hermione points out that there is still one loose end: the House Cup Championship, but Neville Longbottom reads Dumbledore's will declaring Gryffindor the winner, and leaving Hogwarts to Harry.
At Azkaban prison, a Dementor tells Quirrell the news of Voldemort's death. Quirrell is severely depressed by this, but what could be the ghost of Voldemort arrives to make amends with Quirrell, stating that everything was okay when they were together, and they embrace by standing back-to-back. The students of Hogwarts then rejoice in jubilation ("Not Alone/Goin' Back to Hogwarts (Reprise)").
Act II
, Nick Lang and a few others attending the University of Michigan
discussed the possibility of Draco Malfoy having a crush on Hermione Granger because of him constantly bullying her, and created the concept of a song "Granger Danger," which led to the idea of making a Harry Potter musical. When the book was being written, they asked Darren Criss
if they could use his songs "Sami," which was originally written for the web series
Little White Lie
, and "Not Alone" which they ended up using as a model for the show.
campus. Soon after, the group posted the entire musical on YouTube
. However, it was later taken down because the group was afraid of getting sued, but was posted again, slightly censored and under the new name A Very Potter Musical in late June 2009.
of the production was released in 2009 through Team StarKid's website. All of the songs featured on stage are present on the recording. The group also released the album through Bandcamp
on July 29th, 2010.
named the musical one of "The 10 Best Viral Videos of 2009."
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
with music and lyrics by Darren Criss
Darren Criss
Darren Everett Criss is an American actor, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, and a founding member and co-owner of the theater company StarKid Productions. He currently portrays Blaine Anderson, an openly gay high school student, on the FOX television series Glee...
and A.J. Holmes, and a book by Matt Lang, Nick Lang, and Brian Holden. The story is a parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
based on several of the Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
novels, particularly Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is the first novel in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling and featuring Harry Potter, a young wizard...
, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the fourth novel in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling, published on 8 July 2000.The novel won a Hugo Award in 2001, the only Harry Potter novel to do so...
, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is the sixth and penultimate novel in the Harry Potter series by British author J. K. Rowling...
, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
J. K. Rowling
Joanne "Jo" Rowling, OBE , better known as J. K. Rowling, is the British author of the Harry Potter fantasy series...
, as well as their film counterpart
Harry Potter (film series)
The Harry Potter film series is a British-American film series based on the Harry Potter novels by the British author J. K. Rowling...
s.
A Very Potter Musical tells the story of Harry Potter
Harry Potter (character)
Harry James Potter is the title character and main protagonist of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. The majority of the books' plot covers seven years in the life of the orphan Potter who, on his eleventh birthday, learns he is a wizard...
's return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Hogwarts
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry or simply Hogwarts is the primary setting for the first six books of the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling, with each book lasting the equivalent of one school year. It is a fictional boarding school of magic for witches and wizards between the ages of...
, the trials and tribulations of adolescence, his participation in the House Cup Championship, and the return of the dark wizard Lord Voldemort
Lord Voldemort
Lord Voldemort is the main antagonist of the Harry Potter series written by British author J. K. Rowling. Voldemort first appeared in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which was released in 1997...
to power.
The musical was performed in April 9-11th, 2009, on the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
campus. It was produced by Team StarKid
Team StarKid
StarKid Productions, also known as Team StarKid, is a student-created theatre production troupe formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, founded in 2009 by theatre students at the University of Michigan...
and directed by Matt Lang. The musical starred Darren Criss
Darren Criss
Darren Everett Criss is an American actor, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, and a founding member and co-owner of the theater company StarKid Productions. He currently portrays Blaine Anderson, an openly gay high school student, on the FOX television series Glee...
as Harry Potter, Joey Richter
Joey Richter
Joseph Michael "Joey" Richter is an American actor, singer, and internet personality. Richter rose to fame co-starring as Ron Weasley in the fan-parody musicals, A Very Potter Musical and A Very Potter Sequel , created by University of Michigan theatre group, Team StarKid...
as Ron Weasley
Ron Weasley
Ronald Bilius "Ron" Weasley is a fictional character and one of the three protagonists in the Harry Potter book series written by J. K. Rowling. His first appearance was in the first book of the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as the best friend of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger...
, Bonnie Grueson as Hermione Granger
Hermione Granger
Hermione Jean Granger is a fictional character and one of the three protagonists in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. She initially appears in the first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, as a new student on her way to Hogwarts...
, Lauren Lopez as Draco Malfoy
Draco Malfoy
Draco Malfoy is a fictional character and a major antagonist in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. He is a Slytherin student in Harry Potter's year. He is frequently accompanied by his two accomplices, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, who act as henchmen...
, Brian Rosenthal as Quirinus Quirrell, and Joe Walker as Lord Voldemort. In late June 2009, the group put the entire musical up on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, and it became a viral video
Viral video
A viral video is one that becomes popular through the process of Internet sharing, typically through video sharing websites, social media and email...
, obtaining millions of views. The musical also allowed Team StarKid to create subsequent musicals: Me and My Dick
Me and My Dick
Me and My Dick is a musical with music and lyrics by A.J. Holmes, Carlos Valdes, and Darren Criss, and a book by Matt Lang, Nick Lang, Brian Holden, and Eric Kahn Gale....
(2009), A Very Potter Sequel
A Very Potter Sequel
A Very Potter Sequel is a musical with music and lyrics by Darren Criss, and a book by Matt Lang, Nick Lang, and Brian Holden. The story is a parody based on several of the Harry Potter novels, particularly Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and...
(2010), and Starship
Starship (musical)
Starship is a musical with music and lyrics by Darren Criss, and a book by Matt Lang, Nick Lang, Brian Holden, and Joe Walker.Starship is about an alien planet inhabited by giant insects, called Bug-World...
(2011). A third installment of A Very Potter Musical is also said to be in the works.
Act I
Harry Potter, Ron WeasleyRon Weasley
Ronald Bilius "Ron" Weasley is a fictional character and one of the three protagonists in the Harry Potter book series written by J. K. Rowling. His first appearance was in the first book of the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as the best friend of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger...
, Hermione Granger
Hermione Granger
Hermione Jean Granger is a fictional character and one of the three protagonists in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. She initially appears in the first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, as a new student on her way to Hogwarts...
, and the other students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Hogwarts
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry or simply Hogwarts is the primary setting for the first six books of the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling, with each book lasting the equivalent of one school year. It is a fictional boarding school of magic for witches and wizards between the ages of...
rejoice that they are going back for their second year ("Gotta Get Back to Hogwarts"). Headmaster of Hogwarts Albus Dumbledore
Albus Dumbledore
Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is a major character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. For most of the series, he is the headmaster of the wizarding school Hogwarts...
welcomes everyone back and Potions Professor Severus Snape
Severus Snape
Severus Snape is a fictional character in the Harry Potter book series written by J.K. Rowling. In the first novel of the series, he is hostile toward Harry and is built up to be the primary antagonist until the final chapters. As the series progresses, Snape's character becomes more layered and...
discusses portkeys, foreshadowing
Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing or adumbrating is a literary device in which an author indistinctly suggests certain plot developments that might come later in the story.-Repetitive designation and Chekhov's gun:...
, horcruxes, and the houses at Hogwarts. Harry's scar begins to burn as the new professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts Quirinus Quirrell shows up to introduce the House Cup Championship. Quirrell is forced to flee suddenly when sneezing begins to emanatenate from his turban, which Quirrell claims is flatulence
Flatulence
Flatulence is the expulsion through the rectum of a mixture of gases that are byproducts of the digestion process of mammals and other animals. The medical term for the mixture of gases is flatus, informally known as a fart, or simply gas...
. Harry, Cho Chang, Cedric Diggory, and Draco Malfoy
Draco Malfoy
Draco Malfoy is a fictional character and a major antagonist in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. He is a Slytherin student in Harry Potter's year. He is frequently accompanied by his two accomplices, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, who act as henchmen...
are chosen as the four participants for the tournament, each being deemed the "champion" of their houses, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin respectively. Hermione voices her concerns about Quirrell, Snape, and the tournament to Harry and Ron, and convinces Harry to drop out of the tournament. However, Harry asks Hermione to talk to Dumbledore about it, and Dumbledore says it is out of the question due to the enchanted goblet the names of the champions were chosen from. Malfoy returns to discourage Harry about the tournament and tells him that he is transferring to the wizarding school on Mars, Pigfarts. Hermione fights back and threatens Malfoy before she, Harry, and Ron storm off.
Quirrell and Lord Voldemort
Lord Voldemort
Lord Voldemort is the main antagonist of the Harry Potter series written by British author J. K. Rowling. Voldemort first appeared in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which was released in 1997...
, who is secretly attatched to the back of Quirrell's head, discuss Harry Potter, and then begin to argue about having to live together ("Different As Can Be"). Harry convinces Hermione to do his school work and preparation for the tournament for him. Meanwhile, Harry performs a love song
Love song
A love song is about falling in love and the feelings it brings. Anthologies of love songs often contain a mixture of both of these types of song. A bawdy song is both humorous and saucy, emphasizing the physical pleasure of love rather than the emotional joy...
for Ginny Weasley intended for Cho ("Ginny's Song"). Ron arrives to tell Harry that giant cages are being brought to the dungeons. Hermione believes they have to do with the tournament's first challenge, so she, Harry, and Ron go to investigate, using Harry's Cloak of Invisibility, left to him by his deceased father. Ron does not allow Ginny to go with them, so Ginny stays behind and sings about her feelings for Harry ("Harry").
Voldemort convinces Quirrell to go out and celebrate the progress of their evil plan opposed to grading papers. Meanwhile, as Harry, Ron, and Hermione are searching for clues beneath the Cloak of Invisibility, they overhear Malfoy and his gang talking about who they think is the ugliest girl in school before stumbling on Dumbledore and Snape talking about the first task: Dragons. Voldemort and Quirrell drunkenly walk back to the school while discussing their failed romantic exploits, Voldemort's first encounter with fun, and how the two of them have become friends ("Different As Can Be (Reprise)").
Hermione lectures Harry about not preparing for the tournament, as Malfoy tells Cedric about Pigfarts before the first task of the tournament begins. Dumbledore arrives to give each of the competitors their dragon assignment, with Harry getting the fiercest one, The Hungarian Horntail. Harry tries to bribe Malfoy with various treats in order to get him to trade dragons, but Malfoy refuses. The crowd cheers Harry on as he begins to fight his dragon. Harry summons his guitar and serenade
Serenade
In music, a serenade is a musical composition, and/or performance, in someone's honor. Serenades are typically calm, light music.The word Serenade is derived from the Italian word sereno, which means calm....
s the dragon into submission and moves on to the next round of the competition ("The Dragon Song").
Snape announces the annual Yule Ball. Ginny attempts to ask Harry to the ball, but Harry reveals his plans to ask Cho to go with him, causing Ginny to run off, devastated. Harry plays his love song for Cho, but is also rejected because she already said she would go with Cedric ("Ginny's Song Reprise (Cho's Song)"). Ron tries to cheer Harry up, but to no avail. Malfoy enters, bragging about his tournament victory, and is shocked to see Gregory Goyle holding a Yule Ball wreath. The two of them, along with Vincent Crabbe, discuss the absurdity of school dances, deeming it "for pansies," before Malfoy asks Pansy Parkinson to go with him to the ball. Quirrell relieves Voldemort of his worries surrounding their master plan as the two weigh the pros and cons of their upcoming physical separation. As Qurriell puts his turban back on, covering Voldemort, Snape arrives to question him about his being in the ball room, which Quirrell claims to be "just decorating," placing a "special" ladle in the punch bowl.
At the Yule Ball, Ron mentions to Harry he heard Hermione had been crying in the bathroom all day. Malfoy joins the conversation, ignoring his date, but then he and Ron begin fighting about their feelings for Hermione as she arrives looking Supermegafoxyawesomehot ("Granger Danger"). Afterward, Ron, appearing drunk, rants to Harry that Hermione is dancing with every guy at the ball but him. When she comes over to talk to them, Ron scolds her and she walks away. Harry puts the pieces together and calls Ron out for having a crush on her. Harry tries to help Ron, but is distracted with blossoming feelings for Ginny, whom he asks to dance. Both Ron and Malfoy try to get Hermione's attention, but she begins to yell at each of them for their behavior and storms off, not before slapping both Ron and Draco. Meanwhile, as Harry and Ginny are dancing, they kiss, but Harry pulls away stating they could not be together because she is his best friend's sister. Ginny runs off crying, and Harry cuts in to dance with Cho while she is dancing with Cedric. Cedric accuses Harry of cheating during the dragon challenge, and Harry challenges Cedric to a duel, but before the duel starts, the two of them argue over who will get Cho punch. Cedric punches Harry, and Harry retaliates by swinging the punch ladle that Quirrell had placed in the bowl earlier.
Harry and Cedric are transported to a graveyard, revealing the ladle was a portkey. As Harry and Cedric begin to argue again, Quirrell kills Cedric with the Killing Curse and stuns Harry. At this point, Quirrell reveals Voldemort to Harry. The Death Eater
Death Eater
In the fictional world of the Harry Potter series, the Death Eaters constitute a group of wizards and witches, led by the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, the chief antagonist of the series, who seek to purify the Wizarding community by eliminating the Muggle-borns...
s then perform a ritual, involving a masked Snape amputating one of his hands, to separate Voldemort and Quirrell, giving them each their own body. Voldemort and Quirrell celebrate their plan's success by using the Imperius Curse on Harry to make him dance ("To Dance Again!"). Bellatrix Lestrange arrives to welcome back her master and former lover, and reveals their plan was to kill Harry and use Quirrell as a scapegoat. Quirrell and Voldemort then have a falling out, and the Death Eaters take Quirrell to Azkaban. Before Voldemort can kill Harry, Harry manages to grab Cedric's body and the portkey and returns to Hogwarts. The act ends with Harry exclaiming that Voldemort has returned.
Act II
The wizarding world is in disbelief of Voldemort's return. Harry tries to talk to Ron about the upcoming battle, but Ron is still stuck on his feelings for Hermione. Harry tries to sympathize with Ron, but Ron calls Harry out on making every conversation "Potter talk." Hermione walks up to Harry after Ron leaves, asking questions about Ron. Harry tries to get in a word about Voldemort, but Hermione tells him to grow up and face his challenges instead of worrying about them. Malfoy shows up to mock Harry, but quickly has the tables turned on him, which causes Snape to bring Malfoy to his office. Ginny walks in to ask Harry about what had happened at the Yule Ball. Harry explains, using the Spider-Man film trilogy as an example, that as long as Voldemort had returned, Ginny would be in too much danger if she and Harry were to be together. Dumbledore arrives to tell Harry to meet him in his office later to discuss important things involving Voldemort. Dumbledore tells Harry that the two people he can trust are Snape and himself, but Harry argues that Snape is in fact a Death Eater, which Dumbledore denies.Snape goes to the Death Eater's hideout to speak to Voldemort and reveals to two guards that he has been a spy for the Death Eaters all along. The two guards go to report to Voldemort, who is daydreaming through Bellatrix's explanation of her evil plan. Snape is let in and tells Voldemort he has discovered a way to get the Death Eaters into Hogwarts. However, due to an unbreakable vow, Snape is not allowed to divulge the details, and instead, has Malfoy tell Voldemort to get in through the ventilation
Ventilation (architecture)
Ventilating is the process of "changing" or replacing air in any space to provide high indoor air quality...
system. In order for Malfoy to show Voldemort the way, he asks for a rocket ship in order to go to Pigfarts ("Pigfarts, Pigfarts Here I Come...."). Snape brings up that they will have to kill Dumbldore, so Voldemort and Malfoy make an unbreakable vow, Malfoy promising to kill Dumbledore and Voldemort promising Malfoy his rocket ship.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione arrive at Dumbledore's office for the meeting. Dumbledore explains horcruxes, reveals that he has destroyed five of the six Voldemort has created, and tells the three of them to find and destroy the last one using Godric Gryffindor's sword and a magical horcrux finder. The Death Eaters then bust into Dumbledore's office, and Malfoy reveals that he let the Death Eaters into Hogwarts. Dumbledore tries to talk Malfoy out of killing him, but then Snape arrives and kills Dumbledore. Harry is so distraught by Dumbledore's murder, that he tells Ron and Hermione that he must finish everything alone and flees.
Voldemort kills Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge and takes over the Ministry of Magic
Ministry of Magic
The Ministry of Magic is the government of the fictional Magical community of Britain in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. First mentioned in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the Ministry makes its first proper appearance in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix...
. Bellatrix wants to celebrate by having sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
with Voldemort, however, Voldemort sits back to back with her, to simulate his relationship with Quirrell. Bellatrix realizes what is going on and storms off. At this point, Voldemort, Quirrell, and Harry all think about those they have lost ("Missing You"). A Death Eater then reports to Voldemort that Dumbledore is dead and that the Death Eaters have control of Hogwarts.
Ginny finds Harry and tries to convince him that he can stop the Death Eaters, but Harry is in denial, stating he cannot do anything and that all is hope is lost. Despite this, Ginny tells Harry that he is not alone in the fight against evil, during which Ron and Hermione join them ("Not Alone"). The group then decides they need to find the last horcrux. Harry's horcrux finder reveals that the last one is in Dumbledore's office. Harry then asks how they had gotten to him with all the Death Eaters around. Ginny tells them that she got help from Malfoy, who she explains is good now, which Harry, Ron, and Hermione are reluctant to believe. Ginny and Hermione leave in order to contact the Order of the Phoenix, while Malfoy shows Harry and Ron the way to get into Dumbledore's office. Just before parting ways, Ron apologizes to Hermione, in case they do not meet again, and kisses her, leading into the two sharing a 'passionate' kiss. While searching in Dumbledore's office, Harry, Ron, and Malfoy discover the last horcrux is Dumbledore's Zac Efron
Zac Efron
Zachary David Alexander "Zac" Efron is an American actor. He began acting professionally in the early 2000s and became known with his lead roles in the Disney Channel Original Movie High School Musical, the WB series Summerland, and the 2007 film version of the Broadway musical Hairspray...
poster. The horcrux takes the shape of both Voldemort and Hermione and tries to convince Ron that Harry is the real enemy, but Ron overcomes the deception and destroys the horcrux with Godric Gryffindor's sword. Ron explains to Harry that nothing could come between their friendship. A group of Death Eaters led by Bellatrix arrives, holding Hermione and Ginny hostage. Harry, Ron, and Malfoy throw down their weapons. Snape comes to the aid of Harry and company, but is struck down by one of Bellatrix's spells. Bellatrix tries to take Harry to Voldemort, but Ron and Ginny's mother Molly comes to the rescue and kills Bellatrix. Harry rushes to Snape's side, and with his dying breath, Snape explains to Harry what happened the night Voldemort killed his parents and that Harry had become a seventh horcrux. Voldemort announces to Hogwarts that he and the Death Eaters had killed Dumbledore and taken over the castle, and would be willing to let everyone live if they obey him and hand over Harry. Harry realizes now that he has to die in order to save everyone else.
Harry makes his way to the Forbidden Forest to confront Voldemort. Harry does not fight back as Voldemort uses the Cruciatus Curse to torture him and the Killing Curse to kill him. Voldemort and the Death Eaters begin to head back to Hogwarts to give them the news of their fallen hero. Harry, in a place between the worlds of life and death, meets up with Dumbledore who tells Harry that Voldemort, by killing Harry, destroyed the last horcrux and therefore made himself mortal, and tells Harry to return to defeat him. Harry leaves and Dumbledore meets up with RumbleRoar, who reveals Dumbledore is actually still alive and takes him to Pigfarts on Mars.
Voldemort announces that Harry is dead and reiterates his loyalty-for-life policy. Meanwhile inside Hogwarts, Ron and Hermione are trying to boost morale for the upcoming battle, during which Harry returns ("Voldemort is Goin' Down"). Voldemort enters Hogwarts for the final confrontation and is shocked to see Harry alive. Harry tells everyone to stand back as it is his fight, and explains to Voldemort that he could not hurt the people of Hogwarts as Harry did what his parents did for him, sacrificing himself for others, creating an impenetrable love shield. Harry also explains the fact that because Voldemort cares for no one, and no one cares for him, that lack of love will ultimately be his downfall. Voldemort uses the Killing Curse, but Harry reflects it back at him, killing Voldemort. Hermione points out that there is still one loose end: the House Cup Championship, but Neville Longbottom reads Dumbledore's will declaring Gryffindor the winner, and leaving Hogwarts to Harry.
At Azkaban prison, a Dementor tells Quirrell the news of Voldemort's death. Quirrell is severely depressed by this, but what could be the ghost of Voldemort arrives to make amends with Quirrell, stating that everything was okay when they were together, and they embrace by standing back-to-back. The students of Hogwarts then rejoice in jubilation ("Not Alone/Goin' Back to Hogwarts (Reprise)").
Cast and characters
| Actor/Actress | Character |
|---|---|
| Darren Criss Darren Criss Darren Everett Criss is an American actor, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, and a founding member and co-owner of the theater company StarKid Productions. He currently portrays Blaine Anderson, an openly gay high school student, on the FOX television series Glee... |
Harry Potter Harry Potter (character) Harry James Potter is the title character and main protagonist of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. The majority of the books' plot covers seven years in the life of the orphan Potter who, on his eleventh birthday, learns he is a wizard... |
| Joey Richter Joey Richter Joseph Michael "Joey" Richter is an American actor, singer, and internet personality. Richter rose to fame co-starring as Ron Weasley in the fan-parody musicals, A Very Potter Musical and A Very Potter Sequel , created by University of Michigan theatre group, Team StarKid... |
Ron Weasley Ron Weasley Ronald Bilius "Ron" Weasley is a fictional character and one of the three protagonists in the Harry Potter book series written by J. K. Rowling. His first appearance was in the first book of the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as the best friend of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger... |
| Bonnie Gruesen | Hermione Granger Hermione Granger Hermione Jean Granger is a fictional character and one of the three protagonists in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. She initially appears in the first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, as a new student on her way to Hogwarts... |
| Lauren Lopez | Draco Malfoy Draco Malfoy Draco Malfoy is a fictional character and a major antagonist in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. He is a Slytherin student in Harry Potter's year. He is frequently accompanied by his two accomplices, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, who act as henchmen... |
| Jaime Lyn Beatty | Ginny Weasley |
| Joe Walker | Lord Voldemort Lord Voldemort Lord Voldemort is the main antagonist of the Harry Potter series written by British author J. K. Rowling. Voldemort first appeared in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which was released in 1997... |
| Dylan Saunders | Albus Dumbledore Albus Dumbledore Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is a major character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. For most of the series, he is the headmaster of the wizarding school Hogwarts... |
| Brian Rosenthal | Quirinus Quirrell |
| Joe Moses | Severus Snape Severus Snape Severus Snape is a fictional character in the Harry Potter book series written by J.K. Rowling. In the first novel of the series, he is hostile toward Harry and is built up to be the primary antagonist until the final chapters. As the series progresses, Snape's character becomes more layered and... |
| Britney Coleman | Bellatrix Lestrange |
| Tyler Brunsman | Cedric Diggory Cornelius Fudge |
| Devin Lytle | Cho Chang |
| Richard Campbell | Neville Longbottom |
| Julia Albain | Vincent Crabbe |
| Sango Tajmia | Lavender Brown |
| Jim Povolo | Gregory Goyle RumbleRoar |
| Lily Marks | Pansy Parkinson Molly Weasley |
Musical numbers
Act I- "Goin' Back to Hogwarts" – Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Cedric Diggory, Draco Malfoy, Albus Dumbledore, Students of Hogwarts
- "Different As Can Be" – Lord Voldemort, Quirinus Quirrell
- "Ginny's Song" – Harry Potter
- "Harry" – Ginny Weasley
- "Different As Can Be" (Reprise) – Lord Voldemort, Quirinus Quirrell
- "Hey Dragon" or "The Dragon Song" – Harry Potter, The Hungarian Horntail
- "Ginny's Song Reprise (Cho's Song)" – Harry Potter
- "Granger Danger" – Ron Weasley, Draco Malfoy
- "To Dance Again!" – Lord Voldemort, Quirinus Quirrell, Death Eaters
Act II
- "Pigfarts, Pigfarts Here I Come...." – Draco Malfoy
- "Missing You" – Harry Potter, Quirinus Quirrell, Lord Voldemort
- "Not Alone" – Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger
- "Voldemort is Goin' Down" – Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Students of Hogwarts
- "Not Alone/Goin' Back to Hogwarts" (Reprise) – Everyone in the Wizarding World
- A rendition of "Granger Danger" performed by Darren Criss is played during the credits of the YouTube version of the production.
Development
While reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of FireHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the fourth novel in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling, published on 8 July 2000.The novel won a Hugo Award in 2001, the only Harry Potter novel to do so...
, Nick Lang and a few others attending the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
discussed the possibility of Draco Malfoy having a crush on Hermione Granger because of him constantly bullying her, and created the concept of a song "Granger Danger," which led to the idea of making a Harry Potter musical. When the book was being written, they asked Darren Criss
Darren Criss
Darren Everett Criss is an American actor, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, and a founding member and co-owner of the theater company StarKid Productions. He currently portrays Blaine Anderson, an openly gay high school student, on the FOX television series Glee...
if they could use his songs "Sami," which was originally written for the web series
Web series
A web series is a series of episodes released on the Internet or also by mobile or cellular phone, and part of the newly emerging medium called web television. A single instance of a web series program is called an episode .While the popularity of web series is continuing to rise, the concept...
Little White Lie
Little White Lie (web series)
Little White Lie is an American web series created by members of what would eventually become Team StarKid. The series follows Sami and Duder Reese who steal a friend's music to turn their go-nowhere band, Reeses Pieces, into the next sensation, Little White Lie...
, and "Not Alone" which they ended up using as a model for the show.
Productions
Harry Potter: The Musical was performed April 9-11th, 2009, on the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
campus. Soon after, the group posted the entire musical on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. However, it was later taken down because the group was afraid of getting sued, but was posted again, slightly censored and under the new name A Very Potter Musical in late June 2009.
Recording
A cast recordingCast recording
A cast recording is a recording of a musical that is intended to document the songs as they were performed in the show and experienced by the audience. An original cast recording, as the name implies, features the voices of the show's original cast...
of the production was released in 2009 through Team StarKid's website. All of the songs featured on stage are present on the recording. The group also released the album through Bandcamp
Bandcamp
Bandcamp is an online music store, as well as a platform for artist promotion, that caters mainly for independent artists. Artists on Bandcamp have a customizable microsite with the albums they upload. All tracks can be played for free on the website and some artists offer free music downloads...
on July 29th, 2010.
Critical reception
Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
named the musical one of "The 10 Best Viral Videos of 2009."
External links
- Team StarKid official website
- Star Kid Productions on YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....