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Austin: Hey - look at that! Look at that.
I don't exactly know... I don't know what she looks like. At all. I guess I should explain
what we're doing.
(REWIND SOUND EFFECT)
Hi. It's me, from the future. Talking about the past. I dunno.
So two years ago I released a video about the stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed
Child - specifically, what I didn’t like about it. Six months later I made a follow-up
video explaining how I would rewrite the story. Go watch them if you want, I don’t care.
An unintended side effect of releasing those videos is that at least once a week I get
an email from a Harry Potter fan either a) begging me to write my version as a fanfic
2) begging me to let THEM write my version as a fan fic. Or d) begging me to collaborate
with them on a fanfic, in which I do all the work, and they get all of the credit.
Seriously.
So a month after I released “Let’s Fix Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”, I got
this email from a girl named Kena:
Dear Mr. McConnell,
My friend and I came across your video “Let’s Fix Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.”
We loved your story. With your permission, and/or your creative input, we’d love to
partner with you to write this story as an unofficial continuation to the Harry Potter
series.
To which *I* responded… "No."
To which she continued:
If you are not interested in partnering, we would like to obtain your expressed permission
to use elements of the story you have reworked towards our own adaptation (crediting you,
of course).
To which I responded…
"...I guess…"
I wrote it off with dozens of other emails I get from young fan fiction writers. Which,
by the way, if you ARE a young fan fiction writer contacting me: to save you the time,
the answer is no. I’m sorry, I just have too many obligations these days to commit
myself to something like that. But good on you if you do! And, good luck to you.
But then on June 12 of this year I got another email from Kena, basically telling me, "Hey
Austin - just a heads up - we went ahead and wrote the script by ourselves like we said
we would... the play was accepted by the Hollywood Fringe Festival, it’s been running in theaters
for a few weeks, and we totes magotes forgot to put your name in the program as the inspiration.
Sorry.
To which I responded
“Wait… seriously?”
Turns out, yes! Seriously! She then sent me a copy of the screenplay, called Nineteen
Years Later, and a link to the play’s official website where they had cast and crew listings,
and a place to purchase tickets.
And my immediate thought was…
“Wh-wh-wh-whoooh..."
Can I come see it?
And she was like, "Sure! I’ll reserve you some tickets."
So my buddy Lance and I booked a flight the very next day to Los Angeles and before we
knew it, we were meeting Kena and a couple of the cast members at… wait, what was it
called? "Griffith Observatory" to interview them about the show.
Anyway… that should bring you back up to speed. BOY was I dressed like a dad that day...
(FAST FORWARD SOUND EFFECT.)
Austin: Hello!
Kena: Hi.
Austin: ...You're Kena?
Kena: Yes.
Austin: ...You're?
Connor: Connor
Austin: ...Connor.
Boris: Boris!
Austin: ...Boris! Nice to meet you.
Kena: Nice to meet you!
Austin: I'm Austin!
Kena: Hi!
Austin: So, uh... I dunno. Where do you wanna go?
Boris: Uh, well, there's some nice spots up there in the park.
Austin: Okay.
Boris: It's a bit of a hike.
Austin: Okay.
Boris: Let's do it!
Austin: What's "a bit of a hike"?
Boris: It's like ten minutes.
Austin. Okay. I can do that.
Kena: *laughs*
(CHILL HIP HOP TRACK)
Austin: Come on in, guys. I can't do this by myself. There's no way to explain this
other than to just have you guys come explain it. Okay! So! Who's the director? You're the
director?
Kena: No. Um... none of us are the director.
*laughing*
Austin: None - none of you are the director? So, who are you?
Kena: Um... I wrote it.
Austin: She's the writer. You're the one who emailed me.
Kena: Yes.
Austin: And you two play in this screenplay?
Boris: Yeah.
Connor: Yes we do.
Kena: Well, it's a stage show.
Austin: It's a stage - I keep forgetting - it's not a script. It's an actual production.
Kena: Yeah.
Austin: Like, you've put together - you're actors...
Boris: Yes.
Connor: Right.
Austin: ... And you're on a stage.
Connor: Yes.
*laughter*
Austin: Okay, so explain to me - walk me through how this happened.
Kena: Um...
Austin: You came across this video...
Kena: Yeah. We came across your video. We watched it, and we were like, "Hey... that's
SO much better. What if we wrote it?" And we've been planning to go - we wanted to go
to the Hollywood Fringe Festival anyway - which is when we emailed you.
Austin: ...And I blew you off.
Kena: Well, you said, "I don't really wanna write it. If you wanna say it's inspired,
fine."
Austin: Right.
Kena: And so, we were like, "Okay! Cool!" So we did. We had a stage reading in October,
which - in March, we started rehearsing for a full-mounted production for the Hollywood
Fringe Festival. We were accepted into the festival. It just kind of all came together.
Every single performance has been sold out. It's been getting reviews all over the place.
Austin: So, this is like... this is not a joke?
Connor: No.
*laughter*
Austin: This is actually a show that's actually playing?
Kena: Yeah.
Austin: Like, people watching this video can watch it. They can buy tickets and go see
it.
Kena: Yes. Yes.
Austin: Okay. So, first of all...
*laughter*
Austin: I feel like I should explain myself, because I feel like I'm gonna come off bad
in this video.
*laughter*
Austin: ...and I don't like that. So, when you emailed me and you said, "Hey, would you
like to work on this thing that we might submit to the... Hollywood Fringe Festival? Is that
what it's called?
Kena: Mhmmm. Yeah.
Austin: When I see the word "festival", I think film festival.
Kena: Oh. No. *laughs*
Austin: So when you say, "Hey we're gonna make this thing and we're gonna submit it
to a film festival..." I think: It's a couple kids, maybe they're in their back yard...
they're gonna make a "Harry Potter Fan Film", and they're gonna submit it to a festival,
and it's gonna get rejected like all other films that are made by, y'know, kids in their
back yard... but when you emailed me BACK... first of all, I found out it was a stage play.
But, secondly I found out you guys are like... actually are serious. You made this entire
production...
Kena: Mhmm.
Austin: So, is this like, something you all do regularly? Is this like a group of friends
that do these stage shows? Or, how are you all connected?
Kena: I - I was the primary writer for it. We are all actors.
Austin: Right.
Kena: Um, we're actors by trade. My dad has a PhD in Screenwriting. So I grew up around
writing.
Austin: Oooh.
Kena: I've written, um, novels since I was little.
Austin: Wow. Okay.
Kena: Um, so writing is kind of my thing. It's what I've done since I was young. I've
never mounted a full-scale production of my own work before.
Austin: Right. And after you wrote it, what happened then?
Kena: Um, we had the staged - like I said, the staged reading. Which, for those of you
who don't know, a staged reading is a bunch of actors on stage with minimal blocking,
holding scripts in their hands.
Austin: Right.
Kena: We were in full costume... um... we did have wands.
Austin: Right.
Kena: So, for a long time, things didn't happen, until February, one of the girls from that
production (who actually plays Hermione) contacted me and said, "Hey - I still want to do this."
And so, I brought her in as director. She came into the production team, and we found
the theater. The Hobgoblin Theater - which is such a perfect name for a Harry Potter
show.
Austin: Right. "Hobgoblin." Absolutely.
Kena: Yeah. So, we had the Hobgoblin, and they offered us an incredible deal for the
show. We were accepted into the Hollywood Fringe Festival. I mean, because not everyone
that applies gets to be accepted.
Austin: Sure.
Kena: So we were accepted, and then we cast the show. We got actors...
Austin: And so that's where you guys come in?
Connor: Mhmm.
Boris: That's right.
Austin: So, let's start with you. Boris.
Boris: Yes.
Austin: Look at that! I remembered.
*laughter*
Austin: How did you get to sit right here?
Boris: I should probably admit now that I've actually never read The Cursed Child.
Kena: *laughs*
Austin: Alright.
Boris: I was...
Austin: (to Kena) Is this the first that you're hearing of this?
Kena: Yeah! *laughter*
Boris: Yeah.
Austin: Okay!
Boris: But I became familiar with it through your video. And so I...
*laughter*
Austin: So the first exposure you have to this book is me tearing it to pieces?
Boris: Yeah.
Austin: *laughs* Okay. I like it.
Boris: I watched your video. I really like it, and then I get a message from a friend
of mine saying, "Hey, a friend of mine is casting a Harry Potter show. Do you want to
audition?"
Austin: Right.
Boris: I was like, "Sure! I like Harry Potter." So, I get in contact with Kena. She was really
nice and she sends me all the sides and I do a tape, and I'm reading the script, because
she sends me the whole script, and I realize... hold on, Harry just cast Avada Kedavra...
I think this is...
Kena: Spoilers!
Austin: Oh!
Boris: You can bleep it out.
Austin: Sorry.
Boris: But that was the point where I was like... okay... this is starting to sound
familiar. And then I remembered, and I was saying, "Is this Austin's rewrite?" and she
said "Yes."
Austin: So, you watched my video first...
Boris: Yeah.
Austin: ...Then somebody approaches you later...
Boris: Yeah.
Austin: ...And then you find out that it's based on... my video?
Boris: Yeah. Yeah. That's pretty much it.
Austin: I dunno why any of this is happening.
*laughter*
Boris: Yeah, and... but they wanted to do the original Fringe run first, so I wasn't
available, so... I'm gonna be part of the extension, which is happening in August.
Austin: Right. So, you're going to play...
Boris: Albus.
Austin: Albus!
Boris: Yeah.
Austin: You're like... you're the guy. You are The Cursed Child.
Boris: Allegedly, yeah. *laughter*
Austin: Allegedly. But you're not gonna play in it tomorrow.
Boris: No, not tomorrow.
Austin: So, this is like a rotating cast.
*laughter*
Austin: And so, Connor...
Connor: Conner, yes.
Austin: Who do you play in this?
Connor: I play Scorpius.
Austin: You play Scorp - *laughs* I'm sorry. This is ridiculous.
*laughter*
Austin: You play Scorpius.
Connor: I play Scorpius.
Austin: Okay, so tell me how you got to be where we are right now.
Connor: *laughs* Um, I... I met Ken, y'know, our fabulous writer over here... um... we
were doing another show together. It was my first play ever, doing West Side Story...
Austin: Right.
Connor: Um, we became really good friends on, um, y'know, backstage, and she was working
on this show... this production, she was kind of building it, and it had this team, and
she was looking for actors, and um, she knows I'm obsessed with Harry Potter. I'm a huge
fan.
Austin: Right.
Connor: So, she was like, "Hey, would you actually be interested in working on this
thing that I wrote?" And I was like, "Yeah, sure, I'll check it out..." cause, y'know,
friends like offer you things all the time...
Austin: Right.
Connor: Sometimes they're not that great... sometimes they are great.
Kena: *laughs*
Austin: Sure.
Connor: But I read the script, and I was, y'know, I was really impressed. I thought
it was clever and thought it was like, funny, and it was heartfelt, so I was like, "Yeah!"
Yknow, "Let's go for it." y'know? I came in, and I've been having a blast ever since.
Austin: You're going to be playing Scorpius in what we're gonna watch tomorrow?
Connor: Tomorrow. Yes. Absolutely.
Austin: 'Cause we're gonna go to this thing, and we're gonna actually watch it.
Connor: Yeah. You will see me tomorrow.
Austin: I wanna see this show!
*laughter*
Austin: So, you're a big Harry Potter fan?
Connor: I'm a huge Harry Potter fan.
Austin: I have to ask you: what's your opinion on The Cursed Child?
*laughter*
Austin: You can have a completely different opinion than me. That's totally fine.
Connor: No, uh... I'm-
Austin: I'm not one of those crazy internet guys who says you have to think what I think
of this.
Connor: No, no that's... I... I was not a big fan of The Cursed Child.
*laughter*
Austin: Right. You can still be a Harry Potter fan and not be a fan of a certain -
Connor: Oh, no... yeah...
Boris: It won the Tonys!
Austin: Right!
Connor: It did! It won a lot of Tonys!
Kena: I've seen it! And it's wonderful to watch in person.
Austin: That's what I hear. I hear it's a great show to see in person.
Kena: The actors are incredible, and they make something out of... something.
Austin: Right. I mean, a show can still be great to watch and not necessarily have the
strongest of writing.
Connor: Exactly.
Austin: And it's amazing to see the divide of people who say - people who've watched
- Harry Potter fans who've watched the show love it and rave about it. And those who have
just read the screenplay say, "Ehhh. It's weird. It's kinda..."
Kena: Watching it is an entirely different experience.
Austin: Right. As it should be with a stageplay. So, I'm trying to put into words... like...
I get approached by people. I made this video about a comic book I wrote when I was a kid
a few weeks ago. And, after I released this video, I get like 15 to 25 emails from people
who say "Hey! I'm gonna rewrite that comic as a legit thing. Will you help me work on
this?" And, I go... "No!"
*laughter*
Austin: Because, why would you do that?
*laughter*
Austin: And... I feel guilty because - you emailed me, and I blew you off. I mean, well,
put yourself in my shoes.
*laughter*
Kena: Oh, yeah! It sounds crazy.
Austin: A lot of people write fanfiction. There's not many people that say, "Hey. I'm
going to write a fan script, and then I'm going to cast that script, I'm going to get
a theater, I'm going to get costumes, and makeup and all of the trimmings, and I'm gonna
make an actual stage show around it. So, I feel like I should, number one, issue an apology
to you.
*laughter*
Austin: But also, not to just say that I'm sorry, but to say that I am thoroughly impressed
with...
Kena: Well, thank you.
Austin: ...what you've been able to accomplish. And, um... I... you - you've proven me wrong,
and I'm pleasantly surprised. I've never been more pleasantly surprised to be shocked by
the work of fans on the internet, and the things that they can accomplish. We're gonna
go see the stage play.
Kena: Have YOU read the script?
Austin: You're asking me?
Kena: Yes.
Austin: ...I'm gonna be honest with you.
*laughter*
Austin: I have not read the script. Now, you sent me the script.
Kena: I did.
Austin: You sent me this email that basically was like, "Hey... Hey, guess what, jerk?!"
*laughter*
Austin: "I did this without you!"
*laughter*
Austin: "Here's the script, if you wanna see our show... I mean, this is what you're missing."
I opened it up, and I read the first page, and then I opened it up to the middle and
I read another random page just to make sure it wasn't some kind of trick.
*laughter*
Austin: ...that you were pulling on me. And then I stopped, and I said "I don't want to
read any more, because I want to go see it."
Kena: That's fair.
Austin: "And I want to go see it and I don't want to know what I'm going to see before
I see it."
Kena: You kind of know...
Austin: Well, I dunno! Cause I don't know how true that you have stayed, Kena, to the
author notes that I have provided you.
*laughter*
Austin: This is a... you said it's an hour and forty minutes?
Kena: Yes.
Austin: ...With a ten minute intermission?
Kena: Yes.
Austin: It is a full stage show...
Kena: ...with light up wand sound effects.
Austin: There are sound effects?!
Kena: There are sound effects. There are costumes...
Austin: I can't wait to see this!
*laughter*
Austin: I - I'm so excited. So, it's not The Cursed - It's called Nineteen Years Later.
Kena: Yes.
Austin: And it's going to be running in August?
Kena: Yes.
Austin: Okay. Uh... pick which camera you want, and tell people when and where.
Kena: It's going to be at the Studio/Space Theater in Hollywood. It's Studio/Space Theater
in Hollywood from August 15th to August 26th. Um, there are thirteen - fourteen shows. So,
fourteen performances... fourteen chances to see Harry Potter on stage again.
Austin: If you live in this area, go to it.
Boris: If you DON'T live in this area, go to it!
*laughter*
Austin: Right! I - I am so excited. I cannot wait to see what this is like.
Austin, narrating: So the next day I headed out to the Hobgoblin Theatre on Hollywood
Boulevard to meet the cast and crew, and to watch the show.
To be clear this was one of the more bizarre experiences I’ve had. Dozens of people all
coming together, working really hard on a project I inspired.
Hobgoblin is a small-scale theatre, and at first sight, seemed like it probably wouldn’t
amount to much… but before I knew it, the theatre was packed. And backstage, everyone
was getting ready, putting on costumes, hair and makeup, going over last minute changes
and building excitement for the performance.
It was fun to watch the frantic scrambling around by cast and crew, making sure everyone
was on the same page and ready to go for the show.
I did my best to stay out of the way, but in the little bits and pieces of conversations
I had while everyone was setting up, I discovered lots of the folks involved were HUGE Harry
Potter fans, and they were thrilled to express their love for the franchise in this creative
way.
Pretty soon I slipped out to find my seat, the lights went down, and the show started.
The best way to describe what I watched is, well, it’s like a group of fans who all
have a background in theater came together to perform something that bears great resemblance
to the plot I dreamed up.
Without the glitz and gloss of fancy sets and stage effects, the show can only survive
on the basis of the writing and performances. It was quite a fun experience to see just
how much they did with a limited set of resources.
There was mystery, intrigue, drama - there were even a few action scenes peppered throughout.
And the audience was into it. A woman sitting near me audibly gasped when Harry and Hemione’s
storyline hit its first major turn. It reminded me again just how much Harry Potter fans care
about these characters, even when viewing them in this unofficial capacity.
The more I watched, the more it dawned on me that this wasn’t just a little dinky
or experimental one act. This was a full stage show that had been crafted, rehearsed and
produced with great care, and I sat there in a state of bewilderment that a couple videos
I had made in a few nights at my apartment in Arkansas had somehow reached so far across
the world wide web that professional performers in Hollywood were inspired to actually bring
it to life.
And, I was once again reminded that, man - the internet is weird.
So, for those of you who are hoping that one day I'll drop a massive, sprawling Harry Potter
fanfic into the wild - I just don’t have it in me.
But don’t be too disappointed! Do what Kena and company did. If there’s a story you
want to see, don’t wait around for someone else to make it. Pick up the tools you have,
and make it yourself.
And, whatever you end up making, you'll want other people to see it, right? Which means,
you're gonna need a website. Squarespace (the sponsor of this video) wants to help with
that. They've got tons of designer templates to help get you started. If you've got fanfiction,
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Thanks to the cast and crew of Nineteen Years Later. Break a leg, guys!
Austin (in a car, reading Pottermore on his phone):
"Join your Hogwarts House..." What is this? "Forest or River? That's the
first question?!
Kena: Yeah! Pick one.
Austin: "Which would you rather be: Envied, Imitated, Trusted, Praised, Feared?"
Oh, here's a good one! This is my favorite one of the entire thing! "Left, or Right?"
*laughter*
Austin: Ugh. I knew this would happen. I KNEW this would be it. "Congratulations on being
sorted... to Gryffindor."
Kena: Yeah! *laughter*
Connor: Ugh.
Austin: What's he? Oh! He's a Slytherin! *laughs*
Kena: He's so sulky! *laughs*