Harry Potter mania is sweeping the world right now, and it might be for the last time. Now, I take that with a grain of salt since J.K. Rowling has said that she is maybe, possibly, kind of considering writing another installment in the 7 book saga about an orphaned boy with glasses, a lightning scar and magical abilities. However, this is the end of an era of sorts; the final film is coming out in a few days, and, in a way, it feels like the story is ending all over again. While I personally feel more strongly about the books ending, it is a sad to see the films' finale. They've been a part of popular culture for the last 10 years, and I know many people who have had their midnight tickets for weeks so that they can pay their final respects.
Yet, we can see Harry Potter any time we want. In books and film, he'll always be around. My favorite interpretation and representation of Harry and his friends comes courtesy of the brilliant theatre troupe Team Starkid. Founded in 2009 by students at the University Michigan, Team Starkid combine irreverent humor with poignant, beautifully crafted songs. Their most well-known member is Darren Criss, my favorite cast member of Glee, but all members of the production company work in harmony, creating great songs and stories. And, best of all, all of their shows are taped and posted on Youtube. As of today, the Team Starkid channel has almost 82 million views. They have four original productions with two original stories, but my favorites are A Very Potter Musical and A Very Potter Sequel. They highlight the best part of the books while still putting their own spin on things. A tap-dancing, Quirrell- loving Voldemort? Malfoy rolls on the floor an talks about a wizarding school on Mars called Pigfarts? I don't want to reveal too much more, but it's all set to original music - part of the AVPM and all of AVPS music was written by Criss (who also plays Harry Potter).
While they do take liberties with the original story, Team Starkid celebrates the books and proves that their motivation is being unabashed fans of Harry, Ron and Hermione. They bring a joy and verve to all of their musicals, and with rumors swirling about A Very Potter Threequel, I can't wait to see where they go next. Their last musical Starship was theatricality at its finest with puppets, complex choreography and a fantastic story. What began as a student company is taking shape as a full-fledged professional troupe, and I can't wait to see where they take Harry next.
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