AN Off-Broadway Premiere

This Off-Broadway premiere is a kinetic portrait of one of boxing's forgotten greats. Set inside a boxing ring, The Royale tells the incredible story of Jack Johnson, the world's first black Heavyweight Champion. It's written by Marco Ramirez, an Award-winning playwright who also has an impressive list of tv credits to his name, including Orange is the New Black, Fear of the Walking Dead and Daredevil.

The Royal had its world premiere in 2013 in Culver City, and has since enjoyed an acclaimed staging at London's Bush Theatre. On that staging, The Telegraph's Theatre critic Ben Lawrence wrote that it "captures both the beautiful frenzy of boxing and the (sadly still relevant) volatile state of race relations in America."

What Is The Royale About?

Based on the life of real life black boxer Jack Johnson, we follow Jim Crow-era fighter Jay Jackson as he prepares for the most important match of his life. It's a fight which could land him his biggest title yet, but his opponent is seen as 'The Great White Hope', and maybe victory will lead to more trouble than its worth.