WINNING showbill/Playbill cover design for harry potter and the cursed child on broadway
Hosted by Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway | Fall 2024
New York, NY
Second-place winning Showbill/Playbill Cover Design
“You are a Light to Someone’s Darkness” by Leif Estrada, 2024, 3D model and digital painting.
Showbill Art submission for @cursedchildus
Based and inspired by the stage design by Christine Jones
Music by Imogen Heap
Video and narration by Leif Estrada
*Art glows under UV/black light, watch until the end for glowing effect.
**The Showbill Art can also implement an AR/VR feature.
•••
Artist Statement:
The stage is set, let the light shine!
Nothing compares to the feeling of excitement as you’re handed a Playbill, or in this case a Showbill—as you step into the theater, whether it’s your first visit or you’re returning for another magical performance.
For my Showbill Art contest submission, I wanted to celebrate the dynamic architecture of the stage, the vital link between the House, the actors, and all those who tirelessly bring the show to life, eight times a week! Focusing on the stage’s intricate details, this piece pays homage to numerous elements of the play…but of course… ssshhhh one must #𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴.
In a view only seen by few, Hogwarts house banners hang as the clock strikes 11, signaling the departure from Platform 9 ¾ at the start of September. Like a seer, you gaze upon the 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴, a constellation dispelling the darkness with its light - #𝘐𝘯𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘓𝘶𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦. Feathers fall from above, hinting that “𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴, 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘶𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴.”
After the curtain call and being immersed in the exhilarating performance, you hold onto the Showbill as a cherished souvenir. Whenever life dims, you glance at it and are reminded when “𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯.”
•••
Award Statement:
I am honored to be one of three winners in the Inaugural Showbill Cover Design Contest for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. My design serves as a tribute to the intersection of architecture, history, and theatrical magic.
The Design Concept
The artwork celebrates the stage as a portal between the audience and the performers. Key elements include:
Historical Homage: Two falling black feathers reference the production’s original two-part Showbills.
Symbolic Light: The inscription Inlustret Lumine and a star-mapped Scorpius constellation brightens the darkness.
Theatrical Integration: The piece is low-tech engineered to glow caused by the UV light utilized in the show.
Inspiration & Architecture
My passion for architecture was born from the "other-worldly" environments of film and theatre—specifically Weta Workshop’s "Big-Ature" set designs.
This cover also honors Christine Jones’ Tony Award-winning set design, which mirrors the iconic steel arches of London’s King’s Cross Station (originally designed by Lewis Cubitt). By blending my love for architecture and the Wizarding World, I aimed to capture the architectural soul of the production.