J.K. Rowling has confirmed, via her official Facebook page , that she is producing a new stage play about Harry Potter, which will debut in London. The still yet to be titled project will "explore the previously untold story of Harry's early years as an orphan and outcast" - as in his time before he discovered he was a wizard and was taken to Hogwarts.

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Sonia Friedman (The Book of Mormon) and Colin Callender (Broadway's Lucky Guy, starring Tom Hanks) will produce alongside Rowling. While Rowling is busy writing the Potter spinoff film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, she is not writing this play, and a writer and director are currently being sought.Said Rowling, in her statement, "Over the years I have received countless approaches about turning Harry Potter into a theatrical production, but Sonia and Colin’s vision was the only one that really made sense to me, and which had the sensitivity, intensity and intimacy I thought appropriate for bringing Harry's story to the stage. After a year in gestation it is exciting to see this project moving on to the next phase. I’d like to thank Warner Bros. for their continuing support in this project."The focus on Harry's pre-Hogwarts years is interesting, in that we're essentially looking at a story about a fairly sad little boy, living an unhappy life, all very much away from the world of magic - though we obviously could see glimpses of the abilities Harry has that he's not yet aware of. While this show's existence will open up speculation about this story being turned into a film down the line, a stage play sounds appropriate, considering the more small-scale story, which obviously couldn't include the kind of spectacle the eight Harry Potter films focused on.It's safe to assume the Dursley family will be a part of this show, but could there be appearances from other Potter characters, watching Harry from afar? The press release says, "Featuring some of our favourite characters from the Harry Potter books, this new work will offer a unique insight into the heart and mind of the now legendary young wizard. A seemingly ordinary boy, but one for whom Destiny has plans..."