BETHEL – Bethel Community Theater launches its very first season with the Maine debut of the musical parody “A Very Potter Musical” by Team Starkid, directed by Ron Figaratto and with music direction by Jim McLaughlin on-stage in the Helen C. Berry Auditorium at Telstar High School  Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Aug. 6, 7 and 8 at 7 p.m.

Admission is free; first come, first served. Reserve tickets at http://tinyurl.com/pvw7wgz.

“A Very Potter Musical” is a PG-13 musical parody that tells the story of Harry Potter’s return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the trials and tribulations of adolescence, his irreverent participation in the House Cup Championship, first love and the return of the dark wizard Lord Voldemort to power.

Razor-sharp comedy punctuated by hilarious and upbeat musical numbers made “A Very Potter Musical” an instant cult classic among throngs of Potter fans worldwide. Team Starkid posted their original performance on Youtube and it immediately went viral and got over 5 million hits.

In addition to “A Very Potter Musical,” its sequels, “A Very Potter Sequel” and “A Very Potter Senior Year,” Team Starkid has written and produced an impressive slew of musical comedies such as: “Starship,” “Holy Musical,” “B@tman!”, “Ani”, “Twisted,” and” The Trail To Oregon.”

Team Starkid co-founder, Darren Criss, played Harry Potter and has since gone on to star on Broadway in “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying,” on television in “Glee,” and on the big screen in “Girl Most Likely.”

“A Very Potter Musical” features The Bethel Players, a troupe of talented singers, actors, dancers, comedians, musicians and artists from Bethel, western, central and southern Maine.

The Creative Team includes Aaron Speakman, technical director, lighting and sound design; Hillary Perry, choreography; Janelle Raven, costume design; Kathleen Figaratto, scenic design; Meg Osgood, marketing design and promotion;  Elliot Clark, tech design, set design; and Tom Gallagher, set design and construction.

This is Bethel Community Theater’s first-ever production, with a cast and crew of amazingly talented local teens and adults who offer a riotous performance that is worth the drive for Potter/Starkid fans from across the state.

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Ron Figaratto; Managing Director Roxanne Gullikson, and a growing Board of Directors, Bethel Community Theater’s mission is to bring fun, excitement, enrichment, and learning to area youth and families.