'Duke & Roya' to close off Broadway

The romance play, written by Charles Randolph-Wright and starring Jay Ellis and Stephanie Nur, began its limited run at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in June.

The Off-Broadway play Duke & Roya has set its final performance date. Originally scheduled to close on August 23, the show will now end its run at the Lucille Lortel Theatre on August 2.

Written by Charles Randolph-Wright, Duke & Roya follows the tumultuous romance between a hip-hop artist (Jay Ellis) doing a USO tour and the Afghan interpreter (Stephanie Nur) assigned to him. Duke and Roya's connection is instant, but their romance ends up putting them in unexpected danger and challenging their beliefs — and yet, it might still be worth fighting for.

Alongside Ellis and Nur in the cast are Noma Dumezweni as Desiree and Dariush Kashani as Sayeed. Warren Adams directs.

The play began performances off Broadway on June 10. "A love story between two unlikely lovers from different worlds is a tale as old as time, but Charles Randolph-Wright’s Duke & Roya offers a fresh take, anchored by a compelling story and undeniable onstage chemistry," New York Theatre Guide's critic wrote.

Photo credit: Duke & Roya off Broadway. (Photo by Jeremy Daniel)