The Royale

THE PRICE OF THE PRIZE

This is one of those plays that will have people talking; a production you simply will not want to miss. About the glory, and the doubt, and the very real danger that comes with blazing trails as a Black man in America. Like the sport at its center, it’s a story suffused with grace. Theatrical and kinetic, like a boxing ballet, swept along by language that’s beautiful, crisp and crystalline clear. And then there’s the fighter himself. Irresistible. Brash. Confident. At least on the outside. A man at the very top of his craft, forced by society into the role of underdog. Not that he’ll let that get in his way. Though there may be a price to be paid. A sports thriller that’s so much more, based on the life of the great Jack Johnson. Runs June 16 - September 27.

Featuring: Dee Dee Batteast, Reginald A. Jackson, Jamal James, Brian Mani

Synopsis

In the early 1900s, Jay Jackson, known in boxing circles as “The Sport,” is primed to become the first Black heavyweight champion of the world. It’s an opportunity to open doors for himself, and all the potential prize-fighters who come after him - most immediately, his young could-be protégé, Fish. But what is the price of bringing those barriers down? And who is reaping the rewards of his sacrifice? What do his accomplishments mean to those who come after, and what do they mean to the safety of his family in an intolerant time? A graceful, theatrical play punctuated with percussion and movement; boxing as dance.

Casting subject to change