The Harry Potter’s World exhibit, which opened Thursday, Jan. 28, provides an opportunity for fans to revel in the magic world of J.K. Rowling’s broom-wielding adolescent.
To kick off the month-long installation, the band Harry and the Potters performed inside of the well in the library atrium. The two brothers in the band, Joe and Paul DeGeorge, dress as the main character for every concert. Many of the students dressed in costume as well.
Mount Holyoke was selected to display the exhibit, according to Susan Brandehoof of the America Library Association, for the “creativity of their proposed programs and for making strong connections between the programs and the main themes of the exhibit.” Mount Holyoke responded to the themes of “Renaissance Science, Magic, and Medicine” by borrowing objects from multiple academic departments.
Harry and the Potters played for an hour and a half, fitting dozens of songs in to their set as each lasted under one minute. Some songs consisted of only one sentence repeated over and over, such as “When I cut my hair it grows back!” and “Dudley can I play with your play station?”
The set ended with the song “Save Ginny Weasley,” during which three students in a homemade basilisk costume chased a girl dressed as Ginny Weasley up and down the stairs to the reference room. A student dressed as a phoenix chased after them, presumably in hopes of curing Ginny’s wounds with phoenix tears—the antidote to basilisk poison.
Inspired by Spinal Tap, the brothers DeGeorge started Harry and the Potters in their backyard in 2002. The brothers have since made “introducing kids to music through the Harry Potter books” their full time job. Paul DeGeorge, 30, said that they still take it one step at a time.
“Playing in a chasm, that’s what we live for,” Paul explained. “Playing in a well,” Joe, 22, chimed in. Being able to see the world on tour is also a plus.
Said Paul: “We might get to fly to Ireland to play a show this summer, who wouldn’t do that?”
Music is not the DeGeorge brothers’ only venture. Founded in 2005 by the brothers in partnership with teacher Andrew Slack, the Harry Potter Alliance “[translates] some of the world’s most pressing issues into the framework of Harry Potter,” therefore making activism accessible to fans. Slack proposed that they could “introduce kids to social justice and activism” through the books.
The brothers say they may be Rowling’s most grateful fans. “She deserves all the money she’s got because she’s brought so much joy to the world,” Paul enthused.
Joe said he appreciated Harry’s disdain for authority and willingness to “stick it to the man” when necessary. “He’s [Harry] a punk rocker,” he added.
Paul referenced their own career as an example of what the books have helped to inspire: “For a work of literature to have that profound an impact on peoples lives is something kind of magical in itself, you know?”
Related posts:
- Of Mandrakes and Gillyweed: Williston Library Transformed into Harry Potter’s World
- Up close and personal with Harry Potter’s magic wand
- Women of the wizarding world: Harry Potter’s feminist friends
- A Trip to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
- A Harry Potter “virgin” blogs the books
