August 18, 2025 • 21 mins
Wands at the ready, El Paso! Amber Banda interviews Tom Zaller, President and CEO of Imagine. Imagine is producing Harry Potter: The Exhibition in Dallas.
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Tom talks about what you can expect during the tour, how it was imagined and brought to life, and talks you through your tour from the Great Hall to classes to playing Quidditch to Hagrid's Hut and more! You can earn house points, make potions, and learn behind the scenes facts from Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, and the Cursed Child show from broadyway. Tom also reveals what set props and costumes you can expect to see, including one of Amber's favorite props, (hint: it belongs to her favorite character Hagrid).
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Amber talks about how and why she fell in love with the books and movies, and it's not what you expect. Tom talks about his favorite part of the whole experience, as well as his personal patronus. He also gives some behind the scenes info on the exhibition itself, including how long it takes for setup and how they choose the location.
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Whether you're in Slytherin, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw like myself, even if you haven't been sorted, I have a CALL TO ACTION: DALLAS ROAD TRIP THIS FALL!
Opening day is October 24th. Tickets go on sale Sept 10t, but if you join the waitlist you can get special pre-order Sept. 9th. Don't be left out! Join the waitlist now.
.
https://harrypotterexhibition.com/locations/dallas/
.
Tom talks about what you can expect during the tour, how it was imagined and brought to life, and talks you through your tour from the Great Hall to classes to playing Quidditch to Hagrid's Hut and more! You can earn house points, make potions, and learn behind the scenes facts from Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, and the Cursed Child show from broadyway. Tom also reveals what set props and costumes you can expect to see, including one of Amber's favorite props, (hint: it belongs to her favorite character Hagrid).
.
Amber talks about how and why she fell in love with the books and movies, and it's not what you expect. Tom talks about his favorite part of the whole experience, as well as his personal patronus. He also gives some behind the scenes info on the exhibition itself, including how long it takes for setup and how they choose the location.
.
Whether you're in Slytherin, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw like myself, even if you haven't been sorted, I have a CALL TO ACTION: DALLAS ROAD TRIP THIS FALL!
Opening day is October 24th. Tickets go on sale Sept 10t, but if you join the waitlist you can get special pre-order Sept. 9th. Don't be left out! Join the waitlist now.
.
https://harrypotterexhibition.com/locations/dallas/
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Tom Zeller, How are you doing.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
I'm doing good. I like that raven claw gear. You're rockin'.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Oh my goodness, I'm so excited to talk to you.
How much time do I have with you? Because I
could talk to you all day about Harry Potter and imagination.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
I think we have twenty minutes, is what I think.
But I'm good. That's open.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
That's pretty good. Can you see this right here on
my arm? I just want to show it off right quarters,
right there is. I got that tattoo a couple of
weeks ago at a fundraiser right before we went to Universal.
But again, I can talk on and on and on,
but we are here to focus on something that I'm
hoping I'm going to get to that I'll get to
(00:38):
go to. I'm making all the plans in the world.
Harry Potter the exhibition. It's going to be in Dallas
this fall at Pepper Square, opening October twenty fourth. Tickets
go on sale September ninth, nine tenth. But if you
are on the waitlist tenth, correct, yep. But if you're
on the weightlist pre sale, you can get them September ninth.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
That's right, yep.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
All right, Well, you best believe I'm on that waitlist.
So Tom Zeller, president and CEO of Imagine, which is
producing this exhibition. So Tom, tell us a little bit
about what this exhibition is.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Yeah. Sure, we gave everybody the details on where we
are right we're Pepper Square. The exhibition is the most
comprehensive touring exhibition related to Harry Potter in the world.
So it has you know, if you're so, first of
if you're a Harry Potter fan, which I know you are,
(01:34):
so I can see that already and I'm going to
share with you what's inside of it. So in the show,
there's hundreds of props and costumes that were actually worn
by the actors in the film. So all the films
are represented in some way. So that's all eight of
the Potter films, as well as Fantastic Beasts and a
little bit of Chris Child, which is the Broadway Broadway show.
(01:56):
So we've the whole universe is there. What we've wanted
to do was create an environment where you sort of
you're not completely immersed in the world, like you're not
if you go to Universal you said you've been You're
going to Hogwarts, right, You're you're outside and there's just
amazing right you see the castles. Ours is a little
(02:16):
more intimate, and you do feel like you're in each
of these places, but like for moments at a time.
So we're popping you through so many different spaces. So
first we're going to bring you back and sort of
reset your memory on all things Harry Potter. So there's
a couple of little media introductory movement move moments, and
then we go into a gallery we call houses. And
(02:37):
when you go into the exhibition, you get a little
RFID wristband. It looks like this. It's got a golden
snitch on the on the side of it, and you
put a little information about who you are. And then
as you go through, you'll tap onto these RFID wristbands
and it will keep track of your points. So your
Raven Claw, you'll probably choose Raven Claw as your house.
(02:59):
You can choose any house though, whatever you want to do.
And then you'll choose a wand you'll choose a patronus
and you will go through the experience and you'll use
these your this this wristband to interact with things. So
the first thing you come across is a sorting hat,
and then there's a little it's a fundatle moment where
you tap on the wristband, you see an image of
(03:20):
yourself and then you have a Sorti hat on top
of you. So as you know, the Sorti hat always
chooses your house, you don't get to choose, but in
this case we allow you to. In that first gallery,
you've got all four of the houses represented and just
amazing props and costumes from each of them, beautifully decorated.
You know, you'll see Luna love Goods glasses, you'll see
(03:41):
see who else? What else are you going to see?
Cedric Diggery? Who else is a raven claw? Of course,
you'll see Harry Rod and Hermione's robes, all the things
you want to see. And then from there you on
this journey. Now you leave the houses area and now
you're in in Hogwarts, and so you're going to go
into the Great Hall. You're going to go into a
(04:02):
Wand's classroom, a potions classroom, a divination classroom, an herbology classroom,
and a Defense against the Dark Arts classroom, and each
of those things you're going to do something. And so
you feel like you're there, there's an amazing photo op and
like in the Great Hall, for example, there's Professor mcgonagall's costume,
which is beautiful, and then behind you there's all these
floating candles and there's this medium moment where you see
(04:24):
you know, owls flying and or owls floats, owls flying
and pumpkins floating. It's magical. And then from there you
go into the wand gallery where you do a little
spell and you get some points for your house. So
every time you complete a task successfully you get points
towards your house. So you go into the potions classroom,
you get your choice to brew different potions, which you
(04:45):
doing a little kiosk, and then if you get it right,
you get points. If you don't, you don't. So you're
always competings, just like being at hog which you're competing
for your house points.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Can you get points taken away? Like in Hogwarts, we're
very nice.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
We don't do that. Okay, now I should be able
to come in and like do that.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Next right, Hey, you're running. You didn't fill that in
the trash?
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Can you should do that for sure? We should do
that with at work, dude. Yeah. So the and from
after you go to the once you go through all
the classrooms. You leave the grounds, you go through the
herbology classroom, and then you go outside it's the Forbidden Forest.
But before you get there, you're going to walk through
Haggard's hut, which my character, I know, he's the best.
And in Haggard's hut you'll get to sit in his
(05:26):
big oversized chair, take an awesome photograph, and even the
fun thing about Haggard's hut one of my favorite things
is as you we try to make everything feel really immersive,
and so you're like you're in the space. And so
when you're in Haggrid's hut, you know it's all made
out of wood and whatever, and this is big giant chair.
But also there's a fire in the fireplace, and it
smells like a fire, so it feels like it's a
(05:46):
little thing. When you walk through the forest, it smells
like a forest. Then there's a fire. And in that
same room is remember that umbrella that Hagrid had when
he in the first movie.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
I know you can't see, but I have it. I
have it up here in my in my Harry Potter
room is what I call it. I have Haggards and
I love it.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Well, we have the original prop from the movie in
the show, so you'll see it sitting in the same room.
So's it's really cool we have this sort of these
really awesome environment. But then also you don't see this
when you go to Universal, you don't see the original props.
The other thing. In all the in all the information
in each of these rooms, we're talking about the filmmakers
and why they chose to do what they did because
(06:21):
remember they started as a book writ or series of books,
and that book to be turned into this visual world
was completely new. So Stuart Craig, who was the art
director and the designer of the of the film, brought
this world to life. So now what you see at
Universal or with Us is an exact iteration of this
(06:42):
dreamscape that he created in his mind. So same goes
for all the costume designers, for the sound designers, for
the video editors. Why they did what they did and
how they did it. We talk about that behind the
scenes content in the show. So why did they choose
why does Voldemort's cloak have layer to it, and how
the layers were thought of where he gets eat more
(07:03):
evil and evil looking as the films go on. So
after you go to Hagridge. Then you'll go outside in
the Forbidden Forest. You cast a patronis, which is fun,
and then you go into I think you go where
do you go next? I think you go to quidditch,
which super fun. You get to throw the quidditch balls
in through a ring and you see actually the little
Golden Snitch, the original prop from the movie, which is
(07:25):
super cool. We also have an area called Travel where
you get to port key, so you touch a boot
and the room or spins around you and you may
end up somewhere else. We go into Newt's office and
there's a little suitcase interactive which is really fun where
you stand behind like you're dropping down the suitcase like
in Fantastic Beasts. There's a bowtruckle tree with bowtruckles in it.
(07:47):
You go to go here in what we call the
Greater Wizarding World, you have a dlorous Umbradge's desk you
sit behind and you get to take this awesome photo
up and you see her amazing costume. And then right
next to that is the cupboard under the stairs, which
we've recreated so you get to crawl underneath there take
a picture. You're on private drive. After that you get
(08:07):
to go into the family section and then you meet that.
You go into the you see a chamber of secret store,
which is awesome, and you see all the horcruxes. Then
you see Voldemore. Then you do a wand battle, and
then it all culminates in the pensive gallery, where you
sort of everything you've seen and done is brought back
(08:29):
to life from scenes from the movie to remind you
of all this stuff. And then of course the veryen
there's a big house points leaderboard and you get to
see where you were, where the how Raven Claude did
in your case, how Raven Claude does against the rest
of them. It's pretty often.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
The winning house do they get something like, do they
get some kind of award or you just get bragging rights,
which is still good.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Yeah, you get bragging rights and you can take a
picture next to it if you want to, so that
makes you feel better, but it's still Oh I did
I forgot to mention it. As you leave there, the
last room the retail store, and that retail store has
take my money. What's been there has is all created
only for this show, so you can't get anywhere else
in the world. So it's really you're a fan, which
(09:12):
I see you are. I'm sure you're gonna be like,
oh my god, people geek out on them them.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
Oh yeah, definitely. So I'm gonna admit something to you, Tom,
I'm this obsessed. We've so my daughter and I. I
have a nineteen and a ten year old, and you know,
we read every night since the day they were born.
Obviously we were reading to them. Now we're only maybe
about seventy five percent of the way done on the
fourth Harry Potter book. Every time we finish a book,
we watch a movie. So we've only seen the first three.
(09:39):
I'm already obsessed. But let me tell you why before
I ask a few other follow up questions. So, I'm
with a nonprofit group. We're called Guardians of the Children,
like we're bikers against child Abuse. Now, the first book,
who arrives on a motorcycle to private drive. It's Hagrid,
and he is the one that saves Harry from you
know what I can. I mean, most people consider this
(10:00):
an abusive family, right, and so that's kind of what
caught my attention was, you know, I you know, I'm
part of this group. We accompany kids when they have
to testify in court and they look like Hagrid, right,
And so that was the part that really caught my attention.
This is biker and he comes and he saves this
kid from an abusive household. So ever since the first book,
that's why I was hooked, and that's why I'm a
little you know, I'm thirty nine forty and I'm barely
(10:22):
getting into my Potterhead era, but you know, I love it.
One question that I did have for you, what was
your thought process in choosing what you wanted to clude
in this exhibition because there's so much.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Yeah, that was the hardest part. Obviously, it's not the
things that there's so much in the world, is to
what you don't include, And of course, and so honestly
most of it we did because you're just like it
when you get there, it's it's really big. It's a lot,
And that's what I think makes it so special is
(10:55):
it's like, so there's over twenty five different rooms as
you're going through this, right, It's what my favorite part is,
You're going even when I I walked I've walked through
the show a thousand times. Every time I'm walking there,
I'm like, God, I gotta go. It's another I'm only
halfway because it's there's so much and so I think
that we really didn't leave a lot out. You know,
(11:16):
I'll go back. I wish I would have done this,
So I WI shure, what done that? But I'm really happy.
I'm really I think it's it's a it's a great
experience if you're if you're a casual fan, even if
you've seen only one movie, you're still gonna You're still
gonna get it, and you're you're it's good for the
casual fan and the super fan.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
And how do you choose a city or location because
it is such a huge area that you take up.
How do you make that that that choice.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Yeah, so my company, this is what we do for
a living anyway, so we're always touring different shows around
the world and trying to find the right places. It's
not always easy. We happen to find a good spot
in Dallas, so we really feel good about that. You know,
most of the time, you know, the show is you know,
from the business perspective, it's a it's a big, expensive show,
so we have to go to markets that can support
(12:03):
it with enough people. So the cities we've been to
are you know, major markets, and Dallas is obviously a
major market in the top ten of the United States,
so we always try and go there. We'd love to
go to every single city. We just have to make
sure that the economics come. So hopefully with shows like
this we get lots of publicity and lots of people come.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Oh definitely. There's a lot of people from all passes
that are Dallas Cowboy fans or haters either way, and
they travel to Dallas to watch the games. We go
once or twice a year to watch a game. So
with that being said, people will be traveling. Are you
going to maybe work with any of the other local
businesses so people can make a weekend of it, like
a Harry Potter weekend, you know, maybe like a coffee
(12:42):
shop or something like that. We're going to work together
with somewhere else in the city.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
We do all kinds of different packages. I don't know
what we've announced so far, so I'll just I'll leave
that that one'll, but know that there's a lot of
different We always we want to become a part of
the community. That's that's you know, we come into a market,
we're there for four six months whatever, like a long
a long enough period of time where we can have
an impact. I know that the people at Pepper Square
where we're located, you know, we currently have a Titanic
(13:08):
exhibition there that's doing tremendously well. They really have enjoyed
the fact that we're there. And because you know, the
parking lot was empty before we were there and now
it was full a lot for the local businesses. It's
good for people. So we do, we do, really try
and become a part of the local community everywhere we go.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Is there going to be a Harry Potter Dallas Cowboy collab?
Because then i'd really go broke.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
Well, but the Cowboys, Yeah, that'd be a good ideas.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
What is your favorite part of the attraction? I know
that's a loaded question, but what like really stands out
to you?
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Yeah, I mean I think I you know, I was
saying earlier, the part that whenever people ask me that
question all the time, and it's really about how much
is in there. It's not about one particular thing to me,
It's about the aggregate of there's so much and it
just feels it feels so it's powerful. Like if you
(14:03):
if you're if it's not just a couple of rooms,
or it's not just you know, one ride, or it's
not a it's really it's it's you know, it takes
you a solid hour to go through there if you're casual,
and if you're a super fan, you can be in
there for two hours. You know, it just depends on
how much you want out of it. We also have
these really nice accompanying other things, like you can get
(14:23):
you get an audio tour, and it's it's kind of
like a podcast. I mean, it's so much content about
again about the filmmakers, why they did what they did,
the evolution of things, the evolution of the storyline, the costuming,
so on. There's really cool photo ops in there and
all these different little environments. I mean, it's it's really
the culmination of all of it together. So but I
(14:45):
do love sitting in Hagrid.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Oh I'm just gonna live in there. You can just
you know, I'll just charge me and I'll just staying
there the whole time. Actually, I did hear a little
bit of that audio at harrypottertheexhibition dot com and it looks,
you know, just that little bit and I was already
already hooked. And I'm very curious. You say you stay
at these locations for you know, four to six months.
How long does it take you to set it all up?
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Yeah, well it's a it's a big show. So the
exhibition comes in almost fifty trucks, so it's it's an
enormous production. We usually take about three weeks to install it,
and then it takes about two weeks to take it down,
so it's it's you know, it's in between cities is
about five weeks, and it's you know, it's hundreds of people,
(15:29):
both our team that comes in and also lots of
local people. So it's it's a big effort, a big uh.
It's a big effort.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
That Yeah, no, I would imagine. And Okay, I have
some personal questions for you. Talked earlier about the patronis.
Have you thought about your patronis? What yours is? Either
the animal or your happy memory if you ever had
to use it.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
I guess I must have been influenced by the film,
because my patronis is always a.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
Stag, the shag. Yeah, are you gryffindor you like?
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Though if I had a patron it wouldn't necessarily be personally,
it wouldn't necessarily be an animal per se as much
as it would be water. I think water would be
even though I don't know that you can do that
in the in the cannon of the film you probably can't.
But to me, my happy places are surrounded by water,
so I feel like it. Water's a big part of
(16:20):
my life. So to me, it would be water, even
though it's I think it's supposed to be an animal.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
But that's interesting. Actually, I was just talking to one
of my friends about, like, this is off topic, elements
like elements at your personality elements, so maybe yours is water,
which which makes sense. So I did tell you my connection,
you know, with the bikers and Haggard, and that just
sent me, you know, spiraling into the whole Harry Potter world. Now,
I have a ten year old and I always let
her ask a question. I say, hey, i'm interviewing so
(16:46):
and so, I'm interviewing you know this person, and she
her question, which I think you already answered, but I'm
going to ask you, can you get a wand like
an Olive Vander's wand at the Harry Potter exhibition?
Speaker 3 (16:59):
Would you like a regular wand or a chocolate wand.
The answer is yes, in the gift shop. But there
are both character wands as well as chocolate wands, So yes,
the short answers.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Yes, but you can also bring your own, and you
don't need one if you don't have it, but you
can bring them. But I just happened to have the
elder wand in my hand right now, So.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
She actually did when we were at you know, Universal,
she got chosen at Ollivander. She has her wand, so
I'll have her take it, but I'm more than likely
she's also going to get a chocolate wand, you know,
for her.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Yeah, exactly right for her, right right, right.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Yeah, for her. I mean, you know it's displayed in
my room, but you know it's yours.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
And I also have a one more question. The exhibition.
It's been around since twenty twenty two. It started in.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Pittsburgh, correct, Philadelphia?
Speaker 1 (17:48):
Philadelphia? Is it the same? Is the exhibition the same
everywhere and in all the locations that it's in or
is it different for every location?
Speaker 2 (17:58):
So the touring one in with America is essentially the
same exhibition since Philadelphia, we've changed it. We've made some modifications.
But the collection of artifacts is the same. The rooms.
You know, when we go to one, then you know
one location versus the other. Maybe the ceiling height is
a little different, a little higher, a little lower, we
(18:20):
have to wider. Those things change, but to the to
most people, it's the same.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
Oh okay, And I lied one more question. The fans
when they go in. I told I could talk all
day about this. I warned you. The fans when they
go in, you know, and you see adults, you see kids,
and you see like them light up in the magic. Like,
do you have any stories where people have come to
tell you about their experience or either with the exhibition
(18:46):
or with Harry Potter, there any stories that stand out
to or how does it make you feel when you
see like them enjoying the magic that you helped to create?
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Yeah, well that's I mean, honestly, we've had over four
million people have seen this exhibition and we have This
is why I do what I do. Like when you see,
first of all, people when you stand outside and you
watch them queued up in the line and they're all
dressed in their robes, or they have their wand or
they're just excited. They get me in their regular clothes whatever,
(19:18):
and then they go through and you see people like
they come. One of my favorite things is all of
our rooms are sort of set up. We come around
the corner and discover things, and so I'll stand sometimes
in a room like we have this. I didn't mention this,
but we have a giant dragon that's inside and right
by the Triwizard cup area. It might be a Hungarian Horntael,
I don't know. So then you come around the corner
(19:39):
and people don't know what's coming and you see them
like the surprise and delight moments are just so awesome.
We also see people who get teared up, like they're
like they're emotional there because they're there, right, they feel
like emotionally connected to the story. And now we've been
able to give them a place where they feel like
they're literally there. It's it's you know, it's it's it's
(20:00):
really powerful. So yeah, and then of course seeing them
reave happy.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
Oh yes, I'm pretty sure that's going to be me
crying again. You know, I told you know with Hagrid,
that's why I get to your eye because I it
reminds me of what I do with my nonprofit. So
everyone has their different connection to Harry Potter and Tom.
I don't want to take up more of your time,
but is there anything else that you would like to
tell the audience about the exhibition or anything else that
(20:27):
we've talked about today.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
Well, the cool you know, the cool thing is is
that it's in Dallas, and so it's not far from
all of Texas. Uh, and so certainly I'll pass. So
so it's I think it's it's only going to be
their limited time. I would say, take advantage while it's
in town. It does, it's a big show, takes a
lot to move. We currently don't have any other dates
in Texas, so I would say, if you're a fan,
(20:52):
you should, you should make the trip.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
I'm actually going to make a call out to all
of my fellow Potter Heads, especially my Raven claws. Let's
make a trip up. Let's get out there as a
group represent al Paso. Let's win, because even if we
don't win for our house, we win for al Paso.
So believe you me, I'm gonna be making that call.
I'm actually gonna I'm actually on my way right now
to Krispy Kreme. You know they have those Harry Potter
Donuts that came out today, So you know, I'm gonna
(21:16):
see what other potterheads I find there and just spread
the word. I'm so excited again, Tom, thank you so
much for talking with us today.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
Thank you Amber, It's been a pleasure.
Tom Zeller, How are you doing.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
I'm doing good. I like that raven claw gear. You're rockin'.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Oh my goodness, I'm so excited to talk to you.
How much time do I have with you? Because I
could talk to you all day about Harry Potter and imagination.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
I think we have twenty minutes, is what I think.
But I'm good. That's open.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
That's pretty good. Can you see this right here on
my arm? I just want to show it off right quarters,
right there is. I got that tattoo a couple of
weeks ago at a fundraiser right before we went to Universal.
But again, I can talk on and on and on,
but we are here to focus on something that I'm
hoping I'm going to get to that I'll get to
(00:38):
go to. I'm making all the plans in the world.
Harry Potter the exhibition. It's going to be in Dallas
this fall at Pepper Square, opening October twenty fourth. Tickets
go on sale September ninth, nine tenth. But if you
are on the waitlist tenth, correct, yep. But if you're
on the weightlist pre sale, you can get them September ninth.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
That's right, yep.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
All right, Well, you best believe I'm on that waitlist.
So Tom Zeller, president and CEO of Imagine, which is
producing this exhibition. So Tom, tell us a little bit
about what this exhibition is.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Yeah. Sure, we gave everybody the details on where we
are right we're Pepper Square. The exhibition is the most
comprehensive touring exhibition related to Harry Potter in the world.
So it has you know, if you're so, first of
if you're a Harry Potter fan, which I know you are,
(01:34):
so I can see that already and I'm going to
share with you what's inside of it. So in the show,
there's hundreds of props and costumes that were actually worn
by the actors in the film. So all the films
are represented in some way. So that's all eight of
the Potter films, as well as Fantastic Beasts and a
little bit of Chris Child, which is the Broadway Broadway show.
(01:56):
So we've the whole universe is there. What we've wanted
to do was create an environment where you sort of
you're not completely immersed in the world, like you're not
if you go to Universal you said you've been You're
going to Hogwarts, right, You're you're outside and there's just
amazing right you see the castles. Ours is a little
(02:16):
more intimate, and you do feel like you're in each
of these places, but like for moments at a time.
So we're popping you through so many different spaces. So
first we're going to bring you back and sort of
reset your memory on all things Harry Potter. So there's
a couple of little media introductory movement move moments, and
then we go into a gallery we call houses. And
(02:37):
when you go into the exhibition, you get a little
RFID wristband. It looks like this. It's got a golden
snitch on the on the side of it, and you
put a little information about who you are. And then
as you go through, you'll tap onto these RFID wristbands
and it will keep track of your points. So your
Raven Claw, you'll probably choose Raven Claw as your house.
(02:59):
You can choose any house though, whatever you want to do.
And then you'll choose a wand you'll choose a patronus
and you will go through the experience and you'll use
these your this this wristband to interact with things. So
the first thing you come across is a sorting hat,
and then there's a little it's a fundatle moment where
you tap on the wristband, you see an image of
(03:20):
yourself and then you have a Sorti hat on top
of you. So as you know, the Sorti hat always
chooses your house, you don't get to choose, but in
this case we allow you to. In that first gallery,
you've got all four of the houses represented and just
amazing props and costumes from each of them, beautifully decorated.
You know, you'll see Luna love Goods glasses, you'll see
(03:41):
see who else? What else are you going to see?
Cedric Diggery? Who else is a raven claw? Of course,
you'll see Harry Rod and Hermione's robes, all the things
you want to see. And then from there you on
this journey. Now you leave the houses area and now
you're in in Hogwarts, and so you're going to go
into the Great Hall. You're going to go into a
(04:02):
Wand's classroom, a potions classroom, a divination classroom, an herbology classroom,
and a Defense against the Dark Arts classroom, and each
of those things you're going to do something. And so
you feel like you're there, there's an amazing photo op and
like in the Great Hall, for example, there's Professor mcgonagall's costume,
which is beautiful, and then behind you there's all these
floating candles and there's this medium moment where you see
(04:24):
you know, owls flying and or owls floats, owls flying
and pumpkins floating. It's magical. And then from there you
go into the wand gallery where you do a little
spell and you get some points for your house. So
every time you complete a task successfully you get points
towards your house. So you go into the potions classroom,
you get your choice to brew different potions, which you
(04:45):
doing a little kiosk, and then if you get it right,
you get points. If you don't, you don't. So you're
always competings, just like being at hog which you're competing
for your house points.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Can you get points taken away? Like in Hogwarts, we're
very nice.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
We don't do that. Okay, now I should be able
to come in and like do that.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Next right, Hey, you're running. You didn't fill that in
the trash?
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Can you should do that for sure? We should do
that with at work, dude. Yeah. So the and from
after you go to the once you go through all
the classrooms. You leave the grounds, you go through the
herbology classroom, and then you go outside it's the Forbidden Forest.
But before you get there, you're going to walk through
Haggard's hut, which my character, I know, he's the best.
And in Haggard's hut you'll get to sit in his
(05:26):
big oversized chair, take an awesome photograph, and even the
fun thing about Haggard's hut one of my favorite things
is as you we try to make everything feel really immersive,
and so you're like you're in the space. And so
when you're in Haggrid's hut, you know it's all made
out of wood and whatever, and this is big giant chair.
But also there's a fire in the fireplace, and it
smells like a fire, so it feels like it's a
(05:46):
little thing. When you walk through the forest, it smells
like a forest. Then there's a fire. And in that
same room is remember that umbrella that Hagrid had when
he in the first movie.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
I know you can't see, but I have it. I
have it up here in my in my Harry Potter
room is what I call it. I have Haggards and
I love it.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Well, we have the original prop from the movie in
the show, so you'll see it sitting in the same room.
So's it's really cool we have this sort of these
really awesome environment. But then also you don't see this
when you go to Universal, you don't see the original props.
The other thing. In all the in all the information
in each of these rooms, we're talking about the filmmakers
and why they chose to do what they did because
(06:21):
remember they started as a book writ or series of books,
and that book to be turned into this visual world
was completely new. So Stuart Craig, who was the art
director and the designer of the of the film, brought
this world to life. So now what you see at
Universal or with Us is an exact iteration of this
(06:42):
dreamscape that he created in his mind. So same goes
for all the costume designers, for the sound designers, for
the video editors. Why they did what they did and
how they did it. We talk about that behind the
scenes content in the show. So why did they choose
why does Voldemort's cloak have layer to it, and how
the layers were thought of where he gets eat more
(07:03):
evil and evil looking as the films go on. So
after you go to Hagridge. Then you'll go outside in
the Forbidden Forest. You cast a patronis, which is fun,
and then you go into I think you go where
do you go next? I think you go to quidditch,
which super fun. You get to throw the quidditch balls
in through a ring and you see actually the little
Golden Snitch, the original prop from the movie, which is
(07:25):
super cool. We also have an area called Travel where
you get to port key, so you touch a boot
and the room or spins around you and you may
end up somewhere else. We go into Newt's office and
there's a little suitcase interactive which is really fun where
you stand behind like you're dropping down the suitcase like
in Fantastic Beasts. There's a bowtruckle tree with bowtruckles in it.
(07:47):
You go to go here in what we call the
Greater Wizarding World, you have a dlorous Umbradge's desk you
sit behind and you get to take this awesome photo
up and you see her amazing costume. And then right
next to that is the cupboard under the stairs, which
we've recreated so you get to crawl underneath there take
a picture. You're on private drive. After that you get
(08:07):
to go into the family section and then you meet that.
You go into the you see a chamber of secret store,
which is awesome, and you see all the horcruxes. Then
you see Voldemore. Then you do a wand battle, and
then it all culminates in the pensive gallery, where you
sort of everything you've seen and done is brought back
(08:29):
to life from scenes from the movie to remind you
of all this stuff. And then of course the veryen
there's a big house points leaderboard and you get to
see where you were, where the how Raven Claude did
in your case, how Raven Claude does against the rest
of them. It's pretty often.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
The winning house do they get something like, do they
get some kind of award or you just get bragging rights,
which is still good.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Yeah, you get bragging rights and you can take a
picture next to it if you want to, so that
makes you feel better, but it's still Oh I did
I forgot to mention it. As you leave there, the
last room the retail store, and that retail store has
take my money. What's been there has is all created
only for this show, so you can't get anywhere else
in the world. So it's really you're a fan, which
(09:12):
I see you are. I'm sure you're gonna be like,
oh my god, people geek out on them them.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
Oh yeah, definitely. So I'm gonna admit something to you, Tom,
I'm this obsessed. We've so my daughter and I. I
have a nineteen and a ten year old, and you know,
we read every night since the day they were born.
Obviously we were reading to them. Now we're only maybe
about seventy five percent of the way done on the
fourth Harry Potter book. Every time we finish a book,
we watch a movie. So we've only seen the first three.
(09:39):
I'm already obsessed. But let me tell you why before
I ask a few other follow up questions. So, I'm
with a nonprofit group. We're called Guardians of the Children,
like we're bikers against child Abuse. Now, the first book,
who arrives on a motorcycle to private drive. It's Hagrid,
and he is the one that saves Harry from you
know what I can. I mean, most people consider this
(10:00):
an abusive family, right, and so that's kind of what
caught my attention was, you know, I you know, I'm
part of this group. We accompany kids when they have
to testify in court and they look like Hagrid, right,
And so that was the part that really caught my attention.
This is biker and he comes and he saves this
kid from an abusive household. So ever since the first book,
that's why I was hooked, and that's why I'm a
little you know, I'm thirty nine forty and I'm barely
(10:22):
getting into my Potterhead era, but you know, I love it.
One question that I did have for you, what was
your thought process in choosing what you wanted to clude
in this exhibition because there's so much.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Yeah, that was the hardest part. Obviously, it's not the
things that there's so much in the world, is to
what you don't include, And of course, and so honestly
most of it we did because you're just like it
when you get there, it's it's really big. It's a lot,
And that's what I think makes it so special is
(10:55):
it's like, so there's over twenty five different rooms as
you're going through this, right, It's what my favorite part is,
You're going even when I I walked I've walked through
the show a thousand times. Every time I'm walking there,
I'm like, God, I gotta go. It's another I'm only
halfway because it's there's so much and so I think
that we really didn't leave a lot out. You know,
(11:16):
I'll go back. I wish I would have done this,
So I WI shure, what done that? But I'm really happy.
I'm really I think it's it's a it's a great
experience if you're if you're a casual fan, even if
you've seen only one movie, you're still gonna You're still
gonna get it, and you're you're it's good for the
casual fan and the super fan.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
And how do you choose a city or location because
it is such a huge area that you take up.
How do you make that that that choice.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Yeah, so my company, this is what we do for
a living anyway, so we're always touring different shows around
the world and trying to find the right places. It's
not always easy. We happen to find a good spot
in Dallas, so we really feel good about that. You know,
most of the time, you know, the show is you know,
from the business perspective, it's a it's a big, expensive show,
so we have to go to markets that can support
(12:03):
it with enough people. So the cities we've been to
are you know, major markets, and Dallas is obviously a
major market in the top ten of the United States,
so we always try and go there. We'd love to
go to every single city. We just have to make
sure that the economics come. So hopefully with shows like
this we get lots of publicity and lots of people come.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Oh definitely. There's a lot of people from all passes
that are Dallas Cowboy fans or haters either way, and
they travel to Dallas to watch the games. We go
once or twice a year to watch a game. So
with that being said, people will be traveling. Are you
going to maybe work with any of the other local
businesses so people can make a weekend of it, like
a Harry Potter weekend, you know, maybe like a coffee
(12:42):
shop or something like that. We're going to work together
with somewhere else in the city.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
We do all kinds of different packages. I don't know
what we've announced so far, so I'll just I'll leave
that that one'll, but know that there's a lot of
different We always we want to become a part of
the community. That's that's you know, we come into a market,
we're there for four six months whatever, like a long
a long enough period of time where we can have
an impact. I know that the people at Pepper Square
where we're located, you know, we currently have a Titanic
(13:08):
exhibition there that's doing tremendously well. They really have enjoyed
the fact that we're there. And because you know, the
parking lot was empty before we were there and now
it was full a lot for the local businesses. It's
good for people. So we do, we do, really try
and become a part of the local community everywhere we go.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Is there going to be a Harry Potter Dallas Cowboy collab?
Because then i'd really go broke.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
Well, but the Cowboys, Yeah, that'd be a good ideas.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
What is your favorite part of the attraction? I know
that's a loaded question, but what like really stands out
to you?
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Yeah, I mean I think I you know, I was
saying earlier, the part that whenever people ask me that
question all the time, and it's really about how much
is in there. It's not about one particular thing to me,
It's about the aggregate of there's so much and it
just feels it feels so it's powerful. Like if you
(14:03):
if you're if it's not just a couple of rooms,
or it's not just you know, one ride, or it's
not a it's really it's it's you know, it takes
you a solid hour to go through there if you're casual,
and if you're a super fan, you can be in
there for two hours. You know, it just depends on
how much you want out of it. We also have
these really nice accompanying other things, like you can get
(14:23):
you get an audio tour, and it's it's kind of
like a podcast. I mean, it's so much content about
again about the filmmakers, why they did what they did,
the evolution of things, the evolution of the storyline, the costuming,
so on. There's really cool photo ops in there and
all these different little environments. I mean, it's it's really
the culmination of all of it together. So but I
(14:45):
do love sitting in Hagrid.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Oh I'm just gonna live in there. You can just
you know, I'll just charge me and I'll just staying
there the whole time. Actually, I did hear a little
bit of that audio at harrypottertheexhibition dot com and it looks,
you know, just that little bit and I was already
already hooked. And I'm very curious. You say you stay
at these locations for you know, four to six months.
How long does it take you to set it all up?
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Yeah, well it's a it's a big show. So the
exhibition comes in almost fifty trucks, so it's it's an
enormous production. We usually take about three weeks to install it,
and then it takes about two weeks to take it down,
so it's it's you know, it's in between cities is
about five weeks, and it's you know, it's hundreds of people,
(15:29):
both our team that comes in and also lots of
local people. So it's it's a big effort, a big uh.
It's a big effort.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
That Yeah, no, I would imagine. And Okay, I have
some personal questions for you. Talked earlier about the patronis.
Have you thought about your patronis? What yours is? Either
the animal or your happy memory if you ever had
to use it.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
I guess I must have been influenced by the film,
because my patronis is always a.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
Stag, the shag. Yeah, are you gryffindor you like?
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Though if I had a patron it wouldn't necessarily be personally,
it wouldn't necessarily be an animal per se as much
as it would be water. I think water would be
even though I don't know that you can do that
in the in the cannon of the film you probably can't.
But to me, my happy places are surrounded by water,
so I feel like it. Water's a big part of
(16:20):
my life. So to me, it would be water, even
though it's I think it's supposed to be an animal.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
But that's interesting. Actually, I was just talking to one
of my friends about, like, this is off topic, elements
like elements at your personality elements, so maybe yours is water,
which which makes sense. So I did tell you my connection,
you know, with the bikers and Haggard, and that just
sent me, you know, spiraling into the whole Harry Potter world. Now,
I have a ten year old and I always let
her ask a question. I say, hey, i'm interviewing so
(16:46):
and so, I'm interviewing you know this person, and she
her question, which I think you already answered, but I'm
going to ask you, can you get a wand like
an Olive Vander's wand at the Harry Potter exhibition?
Speaker 3 (16:59):
Would you like a regular wand or a chocolate wand.
The answer is yes, in the gift shop. But there
are both character wands as well as chocolate wands, So yes,
the short answers.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Yes, but you can also bring your own, and you
don't need one if you don't have it, but you
can bring them. But I just happened to have the
elder wand in my hand right now, So.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
She actually did when we were at you know, Universal,
she got chosen at Ollivander. She has her wand, so
I'll have her take it, but I'm more than likely
she's also going to get a chocolate wand, you know,
for her.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Yeah, exactly right for her, right right, right.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Yeah, for her. I mean, you know it's displayed in
my room, but you know it's yours.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
And I also have a one more question. The exhibition.
It's been around since twenty twenty two. It started in.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Pittsburgh, correct, Philadelphia?
Speaker 1 (17:48):
Philadelphia? Is it the same? Is the exhibition the same
everywhere and in all the locations that it's in or
is it different for every location?
Speaker 2 (17:58):
So the touring one in with America is essentially the
same exhibition since Philadelphia, we've changed it. We've made some modifications.
But the collection of artifacts is the same. The rooms.
You know, when we go to one, then you know
one location versus the other. Maybe the ceiling height is
a little different, a little higher, a little lower, we
(18:20):
have to wider. Those things change, but to the to
most people, it's the same.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
Oh okay, And I lied one more question. The fans
when they go in. I told I could talk all
day about this. I warned you. The fans when they
go in, you know, and you see adults, you see kids,
and you see like them light up in the magic. Like,
do you have any stories where people have come to
tell you about their experience or either with the exhibition
(18:46):
or with Harry Potter, there any stories that stand out
to or how does it make you feel when you
see like them enjoying the magic that you helped to create?
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Yeah, well that's I mean, honestly, we've had over four
million people have seen this exhibition and we have This
is why I do what I do. Like when you see,
first of all, people when you stand outside and you
watch them queued up in the line and they're all
dressed in their robes, or they have their wand or
they're just excited. They get me in their regular clothes whatever,
(19:18):
and then they go through and you see people like
they come. One of my favorite things is all of
our rooms are sort of set up. We come around
the corner and discover things, and so I'll stand sometimes
in a room like we have this. I didn't mention this,
but we have a giant dragon that's inside and right
by the Triwizard cup area. It might be a Hungarian Horntael,
I don't know. So then you come around the corner
(19:39):
and people don't know what's coming and you see them
like the surprise and delight moments are just so awesome.
We also see people who get teared up, like they're
like they're emotional there because they're there, right, they feel
like emotionally connected to the story. And now we've been
able to give them a place where they feel like
they're literally there. It's it's you know, it's it's it's
(20:00):
really powerful. So yeah, and then of course seeing them
reave happy.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
Oh yes, I'm pretty sure that's going to be me
crying again. You know, I told you know with Hagrid,
that's why I get to your eye because I it
reminds me of what I do with my nonprofit. So
everyone has their different connection to Harry Potter and Tom.
I don't want to take up more of your time,
but is there anything else that you would like to
tell the audience about the exhibition or anything else that
(20:27):
we've talked about today.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
Well, the cool you know, the cool thing is is
that it's in Dallas, and so it's not far from
all of Texas. Uh, and so certainly I'll pass. So
so it's I think it's it's only going to be
their limited time. I would say, take advantage while it's
in town. It does, it's a big show, takes a
lot to move. We currently don't have any other dates
in Texas, so I would say, if you're a fan,
(20:52):
you should, you should make the trip.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
I'm actually going to make a call out to all
of my fellow Potter Heads, especially my Raven claws. Let's
make a trip up. Let's get out there as a
group represent al Paso. Let's win, because even if we
don't win for our house, we win for al Paso.
So believe you me, I'm gonna be making that call.
I'm actually gonna I'm actually on my way right now
to Krispy Kreme. You know they have those Harry Potter
Donuts that came out today, So you know, I'm gonna
(21:16):
see what other potterheads I find there and just spread
the word. I'm so excited again, Tom, thank you so
much for talking with us today.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
Thank you Amber, It's been a pleasure.
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