Naturi Naughton-Lewis and Take Two Entertainment Join DUKE & ROYA Producing Team

Naturi Naughton-Lewis and Take Two Entertainment will join the producing team of Duke & Roya, adding to the production’s current producing team of Get Lifted Film Co.’s Emmy and Tony winner Mike Jackson, Emmy Award winner Ty Stiklorius, and EGOT winner John Legend, Laura Ivey, Janet Brenner and Smada Media.
 
Additionally, the producers are proud to announce the creative team for Duke & Roya. The Duke & Roya creative team is Ronvé O’Daniel (Original Music), Wilson Chin (Scenic Design), Sabrina Spanta (Costume Design), Amina Alexander (Lighting Design), Caite Hevner (Projection Design), and Taylor Williams (Sound Design).
 
Performances will begin on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at the Lucille Lortel Theatre for 11 weeks only, with an official opening on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. 

The Duke & Roya cast features Jay Ellis, Stephanie Nur, Olivier Award winner and Tony Award nominee Noma Dumezweni and Dariush Kashani.
 
Duke & Roya is written by acclaimed playwright Charles Randolph-Wright (Blue) 
and is directed by Warren Adams (SuperHero).
 
Naturi Naughton- Lewis said: “Being a part of this amazing team is a dream come true and I believe Duke & Roya will bring out theater goers who want an incredible ride where love and self-discovery opens their hearts! I’m especially excited for the audience to see the amazing chemistry between Jay and Stephanie. See you at the theater!”
 
A bold new play about romance, identity, and culture, Duke & Roya tells the resilient love story of when Duke, an American hip-hop superstar, meets a fearless Afghan interpreter, Roya, in the heart of war-torn Kabul. They learn to navigate the stark realities of their worlds—his of global fame, hers of survival—through a romantic relationship that challenges their beliefs, risks their safety, and redefines what it means to fight for love. Led by Jay Ellis and Stephanie Nur, Duke & Roya explores high stakes romance and the choices we make.