The Royal Court Theatre Partners With Producers Brian and Dayna Lee

The Royal Court Theatre London has announced a new partnership with award-winning theatre producers Brian and Dayna Lee, following the success of their collaboration on the Olivier Award-winning Giant.

This multi-year exclusive ‘first look' agreement will see Brian and Dayna Lee working with the Royal Court to develop the future life of productions originating in the Court's Jerwood Theatre Downstairs. The partnership will increase investment in ambitious new work on the Royal Court's main stage while growing pathways for new plays to reach wider national and international audiences.

Brian and Dayna Lee are a Canadian born, New York based husband-and-wife team and founders of AF Creative Media, a three-time Tony Award and two-time Olivier Award winning production company.

Their first collaboration with the Royal Court was Mark Rosenblatt's Giant, directed by Nicholas Hytner and starring John Lithgow as Roald Dahl. The production, which won multiple Olivier Awards, including Best New Play, enjoyed sold out runs at the Royal Court's Jerwood Theatre Downstairs in 2024 and broke capacity and box office records at Harold Pinter Theatre in London's West End in 2025, now set to transfer to Broadway in 2026. Brian and Dayna Lee's other credits include Regent's Park Open Air Theatre's Fiddler on The Roof, which received a record-breaking 13 Olivier nominations before transferring to the Barbican.

Royal Court Artistic Director David Byrne and Executive Director Will Young said: “Working together on Giant, from our first meeting, Brian and Dayna were dream collaborators. It wasn't long before we were discussing all our future plans together - and it became clear we needed to make them an extended part of the Court team. We couldn't be happier that this new partnership will see us expand the future life possibilities for the work presented in our Jerwood Theatre Downstairs to audiences around the world. Long live the UK-Canadian artistic axis!”

Brian and Dayna Lee said: “The Royal Court is, without question, the world's foremost home for new writing. It's a place for daring ideas, radical voices and the most visionary playwrights of our time. For decades, it has redefined the possibilities of theatre, setting the standard for bold, original storytelling, both in the UK, and on the global stage.

From our very first conversations with David and Will, it was clear that they carried a powerful vision: one rooted in the Court's extraordinary legacy, but also fearlessly focused on the future. We are deeply honored to support that vision and help carry the Royal Court's astonishing work from its iconic home in Sloane Square to the West End, to Broadway and on to international audiences around the world.”

The Royal Court's production of Giant will open on Broadway in March 2026 at a to be announced Shubert Theatre. It is lead produced by Brian and Dayna Lee, Stephanie Kramer and Nicole Kramer, Josh Fiedler and Robyn Goodman and The Royal Court Theatre.