By: Melissa,
on 7/16/2012
Word through our (Leaky-only) grapevine has it that LeakyCon is set to make an announcement in about an hour. Keep an eye out! We're (ahem) told it has to do with an already announced programming event. (No, J.K. Rowling isn't coming to the conference.)
Guesses? Thoughts? Ideas? Leave 'em here! This post will be updated at noon.
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By: Catherine,
on 6/17/2012
Monday, June 18, marks the second anniversary of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter! Universal Studios is celebrating with the promise of treats and discounted tickets. Orlando Fun Tickets wrote:
Bringing to life the wonder, excitement and adventures of the Harry Potter books and films, this spectacular world has captivated people from across the globe, ushering in thousands of fans on a daily basis to experience all things Harry Potter. And this Monday, as the attraction celebrates its 2-year anniversary, guests can expect even more Harry Potter magic at the park.
And as if all of that wasn’t enough to make the Wizarding World of Harry Potter one of the best attractions ever, Universal Orlando recently confirmed a Harry Potter expansion is in the works, though details have not yet been revealed.
Stay tuned to Leaky for more of the celebration tomorrow!
By: Catherine,
on 6/11/2012
A new 90-minute Harry Potter walking tour has been created in the city of Edinburgh. As some fans may know, J.K. Rowling completed much of the Harry Potter series in Edinburgh and still lives there to this day. Because of the city's large connection to the Harry Potter series, The Potter Trail was created to take fans on a "dedicated" walking tour of sites where J.K. Rowling wrote and sites that inspired settings of the books. The tour was also organized to help support Edinburgh's status as a "World City of Literature", a title given to the city in 2004. The Potter Trail is set to launch this year during the city's annual Fringe Festival. The Potter Trail creator, Stuart Young, explains:
“I’ve always thought there was a gap in the market for Harry Potter fans. Although Harry Potter is often mentioned on other tours, there’s never been a tour dedicated to the books.
“Despite Rowling writing many of her books in Edinburgh, Potter devotees are not well catered for, with only a couple of cafes espousing their connections.
“I hope to change that with a comprehensive tour covering all the important sites, with an entertaining and interactive style.”
Important sites pertaining to the novel are set to include:
[...the] two cafes where the author sat to pen her debut book, The Elephant House and the former Nicholson’s Cafe.
Tourists will be taken into Greyfriar’s Kirkyard to view the grave of father and son Thomas Riddell – said to be the inspiration for Lord Voldemort’s ancestors and known in the books as the scene of the rebirth of the world’s most evil wizard.
Also buried in the cemetery is poet William Topaz McGonagall, who lent his surname to strict Scottish teacher Minerva McGonagall.
Around the corner, visitors will be taken to the inspiration for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, George Heriot’s School, while magical shopping street Diagon Alley is, in reality, nearby Victoria Street.
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By: Catherine,
on 5/29/2012
The International Quidditch Association has released official team jerseys for the 2012 Summer Quidditch Olympic Games. The jerseys are designed by IQA and manufactured by Quiyk. There are four team jerseys available for sale: United States, United Kingdom, France, and Australia. Each team jersey is $49.99. However, if one would like to buy a jersey with the name of a specific player, the jersey will cost $64.99. Customers can also order a customized jersey, with his/her name printed on the back, for $74.99. Jersey sizes range from extra-small to extra-large, and can be purchased here on the IQA website. The features of the jerseys include:
Features:
Tagless Labels
92% Polyester/8% Spandex Fabric
Anti-microbial/Quick dry/Moisture wicking
100% Made in the USA
By: Catherine,
on 5/9/2012
After seven months of performances, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying was handed it's final notice. The show opened in December 2010 with Daniel Radcliffe as the lead. Radcliffe's role packed the theater, and quickly recuperated the $9 million that was initially invested in the musical. Nick Jonas took over Radcliffe's role after Darren Criss, and the cast was unable to continue to bring in expected profits. CBS reports:
When it closes, the revival will have played just over 500 performances since it opened at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre in February 2011. It quickly recouped its $9 million initial investment that December, thanks to its then-star Daniel Radcliffe.
Jonas, best known as part of the Jonas Brothers boy band, took over the lead this January and had committed to staying until at least July 1, but ticket sales took a noticeable hit. Last week, the box office took in just $368,000 out of a potential gross of $1,394,000.Add a Comment
By: Catherine,
on 5/2/2012
Nearly two years after the grand opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the theme park is still magically raising Universal profits. Orlando reports that the theme park ticket and souvenir sales have contributed to a 17.1% growth rate. The Wizarding World has helped Universal's revenue gain 5.7% in the past three months! The article goes on to say:
"Nearly two years after the Wizarding World of Harry Potter's opening, Universal parent company Comcast credits the attraction with "reliable growth" in guest spending. Operating cash flow jumped 17.1 percent to $157 million, a measure of profitability Comcast says was primarily due to higher guest spending on tickets, food and souvenirs."
By: Edward,
on 3/20/2012
This weekend, Leaky was in attendance at one of the preview showings for Team StarKid's latest production "Holy Musical, B@man," and is now able to share this early--and spoiler free-- review of the musical. The full performance will be online care of YouTube in April, following four more performances taking place next weekend.
Comic books. Superheroes. Music. Dancing. StarKids. It's a combination that speaks to everything their fans love: fantasy characters, good stories, quality music and lyrics and fun. And they know how to make that combination work. Without giving anything away, the StarKid team continues to perform at their peak with each production they debut. With this new show, they bring us again the kind of entertaining and clever performances they've given in the "A Very Potter Musicals," "Starship," and "Me and My Dick." Just as "Starship" was a fantastic mash-up of multiple classic sci-fi plots and characters from our collective cultural geek-ness, "Holy Musical, B@man" gives us the same with the superhero genre and involves several elements from comic/comic-to-film lore that both the casual and hardcore fan of such matters should appreciate.
The entire cast and crew gives it their all, and it shows. While I won't say who's who, the entire cast is at their best and gets an opportunity for both their characters and voices to shine. The show is paced well and builds to a great finale that captures the show's essence. The sets and costumes, designed by Corey Lubowich and June Saito, respectively, are bright and work wonderfully with the theme of the show. And the music and songs by Nick Gage and Scott Lamps are very well constructed and clever. I wish I could say more about the details of the show and its plot, but I couldn't spoil something that's so worth the wait to see.
One of the most impressive things about Team StarKid’s evolution from show to show is just how much geekier they become. Not geeky in a way that only speaks to the most hardcore fans of a particular genre, but geeky in a way that both shows and includes everyone in the things all people love about a character or series. They are able to do this—again—with "Holy Musical, B@man" and do it well. It's a great two hours of your day and may even make you feel as if you're a bit of a superhero too.
The show is written and directed by Matt and Nick Lang, music and lyrics by Nick Gage, with additional music by Scott Lamps. Choreography by Katie Spelman, set design by Corey Lubowich, costume design by June Saito, lighting design by Sarah Petty and sound design by Mark Swiderski.
Cast:
By: Edward,
on 11/28/2011
Registration for LeakyCon 2012, our next Harry Potter conference taking place August 9-12, 2012 in Chicago, Illinois, is now open to all and can be completed right here!
As a special for this Cyber Monday, regular registration is $180 for today ONLY. Act quick before registration goes to its full price of $200 on November 29th. This rate lasts through February 1, 2012. Rock Star registration is $400 and is your all access pass to everything LeakyCon and LeakyCon Lit. Full track information, including LeakyCon Lit, can be found here.
Our latest conference will be a long weekend of Harry Potter and literary-based fun, panels, games, music, sports, podcasts and so much more! Your favorite wizard rock, HP actors, Team StarKid, the Esther Earl Rockin' Charity Ball are all slated be there, so don't delay in getting your spot at the conference as registrations are sure to go quickly.
Registration is open to all aged 13 and older, but if you are aged 13, 14 or 15 by the time the conference begins, you will have to have a chaperone at the conference; if that chaperone (over 21) is not your legal guardian, you will need to download and have signed and notarized our permission form, and bring it with you to the conference for presentation with your chaperone.
New for this year, if you are aged 16 or 17 by the time of the conference, you just have to download the form and have it signed by a parent or legal guardian, and have it notarized so we know it's legit. Then you don't need to have a chaperone.
Please read ALL of our FAQs on this page and be sure to let your parent/guardian read too. All forms will be available shortly.
Do not delay in getting your spot at LeakyCon 2012! Stay close to this site and LeakyCon.com for all the latest.
See you there!
By: Edward,
on 11/11/2011
Happy 11/11/11!
Leaky is thrilled to announce that the next LeakyCon will take place August 9 - 12, 2012 in beautiful Chicago, IL! Our latest Harry Potter fandom conference will be hitting the "Windy City" this coming August for a long weekend of Harry Potter and literary-based fun, panels, games, music, sports, podcasts and so much more! Your favorite wizard rock, HP actors, Team StarKid, the Esther Earl Rockin' Charity Ball - all this and more will make for another unbelievable weekend.
Location details will be released very shortly, and registration opens soon, so do stick close to this site and LeakyCon.com to be sure you have the latest info. If you have registered in the past you will get an early shot at registration in the next few days - so watch your inbox!
LeakyCon 2012 marks our third conference venture; our first LeakyCon took place in Boston, Mass. in 2009, and our second in Universal Studios' Royal Pacific Hotel in Orlando, Florida this past July.
See you in Chicago!
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By: Rosi,
on 10/27/2011
The IQA have uploaded a documentary about the 2010 Quidditch World Cup IV to their YouTube channel. The film, just over 29 minutes in length, was produced by Boxer Films and Alivan's Wand and Broom Makers and can be seen here on YouTube or below. A synopsis is as follows:On November 13-14, 2010, 46 colleges, 750 players, and over 10,000 spectators descended on New York City's Dewitt Clinton Park for the fourth annual World Cup, a real-life version of the quidditch game, based on the sport in the harry potter books. Boxer films came to capture the spirit of the event (and the game) that is sweeping the world.
You can get tickets for the fifth Quidditch World Cup at this link!
By: Edward,
on 10/7/2011
As readers will recall, Spike TV's 2011 Scream Awards is set to feature a special Harry Potter Farewell as part of its awards ceremony broadcast on Tuesday, October 18th. Today, Leaky has exclusive information about how you can be a part of this event next Friday, October 14th, if you live in or around New York, New York. Details are as follows:
Come One, Come All, Come Dressed in All Things Potter!
On Friday, October 14th, a select group of 1000 Harry Potter fans will gather in NYC for a final farewell to the greatest film franchise of all time, Harry Potter. The gathering will be used as part of a televised tribute during the SCREAM AWARDS airing on SPIKE TV Tuesday October 18th at 9/8c PM.
Let the trending begin! Please tweet your pics, videos and experiences @spike_tv #SCREAMFORPOTTER. That way, the rest of the Potter community around the world can share the fun.
If invited, you will be rewarded with the experience of a lifetime AND a very, very special SURPRISE GUEST OF HONOR.
To participate, you must be over 18 years old, live in the Tri-State area, be prepared to stay for two hours and come dressed as your favorite Harry Potter character. The time and location are still TBD.
If you are a diehard Potter fan and want to be part of this historic event, request free tickets here and enter the promo code POTTER.
By: Edward,
on 10/5/2011
Team StarKid have announced, via video on their YouTube channel, the dates and locations for an upcoming tour across North America. Entitled The Space Tour, members from Team StarKid will be headed around the Midwest and East Coast during the month of November. The tour schedule is as follows:
By: Melissa,
on 9/15/2011
Posted on 10/6/2009
Calling all Quidditch fans. Great news today as the Third Annual Quidditch World Cup event is due to take place again on October 25th at Middlebury College in Vermont. According to the Facebook page for the event "26 teams from around the country and beyond will compete for the title in a field that includes Washington University, Oklahoma State, and the University of Texas. Tournament play wil... Read the rest of this post
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Posted on 7/5/2009
The Orlando Sentinel has an article online today, with more details on the upcoming Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park attraction currently being built in Orlando, Florida. Readers will recall we've posted before regarding rumors and reports of a possible ride inside the giant castle of Hogwarts which will serve as the center of the new park at Universal Orlando. Today the paper states:... Read the rest of this post
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Posted on 6/20/2009
Azkatraz, the Harry Potter symposium happening July 17-20 in San Francisco, CA, is nearly here, so we have a number of updates and reminders:
First, the conference just announced a screening of Cherrybomb, the new film starring Rupert Grint. It costs $15 for a film festival ticket, which includes a screening of We Are Wizards and a fan video presentation. Only 200 tickets are available for the...
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Posted on 5/26/2009
LeakyCon 2009 has ended, and it was a spectacular time; for a clue about how things went down here, search LeakyCon on Twitter and YouTube; you'll find hundreds of posts from the events of the weekend. If you missed it, we have two special ways to share some of the magic that happened this weekend in Boston.
The first is the live album. We're extending the discount until the END OF DAY TODAY (...
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Posted on 5/21/2009
Reminder! As robed people start to fill up the lobby of the Boston Park Plaza Hotel, we have been told by many of you how sad you are that you couldn't be there. Never fear: we are professionally recording and producing a live wizard rock album and you only have a few more days to get it at a discount so GO HERE to get it.
Who will be on this album, you ask?
Harry and the Potters
Draco and the M...
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Posted on 5/19/2009
Reminder! We are professionally recording and producing a live wizard rock album at this week, the sales of which will also benefit Book Aid and the HP Alliance.
And pre-orders are open NOW, and will only be available at a discount for five more days.
To be clear, this is a never-been-done, one-of-a-kind, two-disc live album featuring the best moments from our huge three-show wizard ro...
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Posted on 5/14/2009
Just a few days from LeakyCon 2009, and we have a couple of reminders:
First, we have noticed a number of you have not connected your reservation at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers with the conference; the only way to get our block room rate is to do this. Make your reservation here or call the hotel at 617-426-2000 and let them know your reservation is for LeakyCon.
Second, we will announce...
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Posted on 5/11/2009
We told you we weren't done! We're yet again thrilled to make a big LeakyCon announcement: Potter Puppet Pals, the geniuses behind The Mysterious Ticking Noise and other YouTube sensations, have been added to the Friday Night wizard rock show at LeakyCon 2009 (which again, is free with registration as is an unbelievable host of other even...
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Posted on 5/10/2009
LeakyCon is coming and we are not yet done with announcements and surprises: We're thrilled to announce a PotterCast first today: Wizard rock band Ministry of Magic is set to appear on and perform at the LeakyCon 09 PotterCast (which is Saturday morning the 22nd and free with a conference registration). The band will be performing acoustically as well as sitting down for an interview, and we ca
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Posted on 5/9/2009
In two weeks, the first ever HP screenwriter-fan chat will be taking place at LeakyCon 2009 in Boston, MA. Today, we're asking you to take part, even if you can't go to the conference.
We're taking your questions ahead of time: leave a question for Michael Goldenberg, scriptwriter of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, here in this thread, and we'll pick out the best ones to be asked duri...
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Posted on 5/7/2009
We are less than TWO WEEKS from LeakyCon 2009, and things are getting even more exciting. We'll have another big announcement for you soon. In the meantime, here's the schedule of events, so those of you registered can start getting your schedules in order:
Thursday
Friday Morning
Friday Afternoon and Evening
Saturday Morning
Saturday Afternoon and Evening
Sunday
We'll be highlighting much...
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Posted on 4/30/2009
The 193rd episode of PotterCast, our Harry Potter podcast, is now online for your audible enjoyment. This week, Sue starts off the show with a round up of the latest HP news including: Cherrybomb being screened as part of the Cannes Film Festival, Emma Watson on DH filming, new Half-Blood Prince photos, aging the Trio for the Epilogue scene, and the big LeakyCon Keynote announcement involvin...
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