Actor from Harry Potter films will appear at this year's Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival

Christian Coulson of the Harry Potter film series will play the title role in Shakespeare's King Richard II (July 19–Aug 5) at this summer's Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. Among other stage and film creds, Coulson played Tom Riddle in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in 2002. Right: the younger, cuter Voldemort.

Richard II is a story of power and leadership, and is the first of Shakespeare's plays about the House of Lancaster — followed by Henry IV, Part 1; Henry IV, Part 2; and Henry V. Actors who have taken on the role range from David Tenant and Mark Rylance, to Ian McKellan and the great John Gielgud, who made his mark at the Old Vic with her performance in 1929.

Coulson's going to be a busy guy. That's because the cast of Richard II will also be doing the stage version of Shakespeare in Love (July 11-Aug. 5) in repertory, sometimes both plays on the same day. Coulson will play Wessex (the Colin Firth role in the movie) in Shakespeare in Love, about the love affair that eventually led to the creation of Twelfth Night, which will also be at the festival. 

Coulson's other credits include Mozart in the Jungle and Nashville.

The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival takes place June 1-Aug. 5 at the Labuda Center at DeSales University in Center Valley, Pa. Other shows on the schedule include Ragtime and All's Well That Ends Well.