CWU students, staff proud to be involved in first-in-Washington play

The Central Washington University community is deeply intertwined with the City of Ellensburg, where CWU’s main campus is located.

Thanks to the interconnected nature of these two communities, Ellensburg High School’s (EHS) current production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (High School Edition) is being produced by CWU Central Access Program Coordinator Adrienne Zimny, promoted by CWU Professor of Mathematics Dominic Klyve, and will feature 11 CWU Running Start students in its cast.

The play, which opens its second weekend of shows tonight at the Morgan Performing Arts Center, is the first-ever production of the newly released High School Edition of The Cursed Child in Washington, following EHS’s successful licensing application in June.

Zimny has been involved with the EHS theater program since her middle child was cast in their production of The Music Man at age 8. While her son, Nick, has since gone on to star in this quarter’s CWU Theatre production of John Proctor is the Villain, Zimny continues her work with EHS, and relishes the opportunity to deepen the connection between Ellensburg and CWU.

“It’s nice to be able to encourage the kids to stop by the campus and check out events we have going on,” she said. “It’s really rewarding for me to be deeply connected both with CWU and with the surrounding community.”

Klyve’s oldest son, Liam, plays a lead role in The Cursed Child, which is what led Klyve to get involved with the production on the promotions side. As a longtime patron of the EHS theater program’s productions, he’s noticed a distinct trend among the strongest performers on the high school stage.

“Even when my son isn’t involved, I’ve been attending high school plays for over a decade,” he said. “Many of the best performers end up in our theater or music programs here at Central, so the interaction between our two institutions strengthens both programs.”

When CWU staff and faculty engage with the Ellensburg community, they come away with recommendations and advice for students who want to expand their horizons beyond the boundaries of campus. Zimny has found that her roots within the community make her a valuable resource for her student employees.

“The student technicians I work with are able to ask me about where the best local lunch or doctor or vet, or what have you, is, and I can give them the informed answers they deserve,” she said. “We’re able to maintain that small school feeling even though we’re a fairly large university, and that’s a benefit to everyone involved.”

Klyve concurred, noting that the collaboration on The Cursed Child is just one part of the intricate network of support between CWU and the City of Ellensburg.

“CWU is a wonderful place to work, and has a lot going on around campus, but we also have a lot to offer to, and learn from, our community,” he said. “When our staff and students are able to go out and get involved around town, I think it makes both CWU and Ellensburg stronger.”

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (High School Edition) will be performed at the Morgan Performing Arts Center on Thursday, November 21, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, November 22, at 7 p.m.; and Saturday, November 23, at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets are available online.