Montego Glover, Clarke Peters & More to Lead LCT's THE ROYALE Off-Broadway

Lincoln Center Theater (under the direction of Producing Artistic Director André Bishop) has announced that McKinley Belcher III, Khris Davis, Montego Glover, John Lavelle, and Clarke Peters will be featured in its upcoming production of THE ROYALE, a new play by Marco Ramirez, directed by Rachel Chavkin, which begins performances Thursday, February 11 at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater (150 West 65 Street). Opening night is Monday, March 7.

Loosely based on the real-life experiences of Jack Johnson, the first African-American heavyweight world champion, THE ROYALE tells, in six rounds, the fictional story of Jay "The Sport" Johnson (to be played by Khris Davis), a charismatic Negro Heavyweight Champion. It's 1905 and as Johnson faces his opponents - and confronts his demons - he exposes the troublesome events in his life that have propelled him into the ring with a burning desire to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.

THE ROYALE will have sets by Nick Vaughan, costumes by Dede Ayite, lights by Austin R. Smith, and sound by Matt Hubbs.

Marco Ramirez has had plays produced at The Kennedy Center, Louisville's Humana Festival of New American Plays, San Diego's Old Globe Theatre, London's Bush Theatre, and the Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles. His honors include Juilliard's Lila Acheson Wallace Playwriting Fellowship, the Lecomte du Nouy Award, and TCG's Edgerton Foundation New Play Award. A WGA and Emmy Award nominated television writer, his credits include "Sons of Anarchy" (FX), "Orange is the New Black" (Netflix), "Fear The Walking Dead" (AMC), and Marvel's "Daredevil" (Netflix).

Rachel Chavkin developed and directed the recent, critically-acclaimed LCT3 production of Dave Malloy's Preludes and previously directed THE ROYALE at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego. Her Off-Broadway credits include Bess Wohl's Small Mouth Sounds (Ars Nova); Dave Malloy's Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (Ars Nova, Kazino); The TEAM's RoosevElvis (Bushwick Starr, Vineyard Theatre with PS122); Rick Burkhardt, Alec Duffy, and Dave Malloy's Three Pianos (Incubator, New York Theatre Workshop, ART); Taylor Mac's The Lily's Revenge (Act II, HERE); James Monaco and Jerome Ellis' Aaron/Marie (with Annie Tippe, Under the Radar Incoming). Regional/UK: The TEAM and Heather Christian's Mission Drift (London's National Theatre), Meg Miroshnik's Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls (Yale Rep), Joseph Heller's Catch-22 (Northern Stage, English National Tour). She is Artistic Director of the Brooklyn-based experimental ensemble The TEAM.

Major support for this production of THE ROYALE is provided by The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation.