Kerry Washington, Pilar Savone, and Simpson Street Join DUKE & ROYA Producing Team

Emmy Award winning producer, actor and filmmaker Kerry Washington, Pilar Savone, and their Simpson Street production banner will join the producing team of Duke & Roya, adding to the production’s producing team of Get Lifted Film Co.’s Emmy and Tony winner Mike Jackson, Emmy Award winner Ty Stiklorius, and EGOT winner John Legend,  Naturi Naughton-Lewis & Take Two Entertainment, Laura Ivey, Janet Brenner and Smada Media.

Additionally, the producers have announced the understudies for Duke & Roya completing the full cast. They are Ariana Afradi (Pieces), Shirine Babb (A Beautiful Noise), René David Ifrah (“Homeland”), and Jequrey Slaton (“Power Book II: Ghost”).

Performances will begin tomorrow, Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street) for 11 weeks only, with an official opening on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. 

Duke & Roya features Jay Ellis (Top Gun: Maverick, “Insecure”), Stephanie Nur (“Lioness,” “1883”), Olivier Award winner and Tony Award nominee Noma Dumezweni (“Only Murders in The Building,” Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) and Dariush Kashani (Oslo, The Band’s Visit).

Duke & Roya is written by acclaimed playwright Charles Randolph-Wright (Blue) and is directed by Warren Adams (SuperHero).

“We are beyond excited to be joining the producing team of Duke & Roya and to support bringing new work to the stage,” said Kerry Washington and Pilar Savone in a joint statement under their Simpson Street banner. “The piece is emotionally rich, timely, and manages to be romantic and funny in all the right places. It is bold, intimate, sharp, and says something urgent about what it means to live with fear but not in it. That spirit is what drew us to the project. With a top-notch cast led by Jay Ellis and Stephanie Nur and an exceptional creative team, we look forward to welcoming audiences to the Lortel Theatre this summer.”