Off‑Broadway’s Duke & Roya at the Lucille Lortel Theatre brings together three standout performers, Stephanie Nur, Noma Dumezweni, and Dariush Kashani, who recently stopped by the iHeartRadio Broadway studio to speak about their experience joining the play in an illuminating group interview.
Nur, making her stage debut as Roya, shared how she deeply connects with Roya - a fearless interpreter shaped by tradition and personal ambition. She described stepping into Roya’s shoes as both challenging and transformative. Dumezweni, in her first all American theatre production, plays Desiree, Duke’s mother. An Olivier Award–winning veteran, she revealed how Desiree’s sharp intellect and emotional honesty struck a chord with her own journey as a mother and artist. Kashani plays Sayeed, Roya’s protective father. He spoke about discovering new layers in this characte, balancing cultural authority and paternal love, and finding kinship with Dumezweni in portraying parents navigating grief and hope.
Together the ensemble described a creative synergy shaped by mutual respect and generational exchange. Dumezweni and Kashani, both elders in the cast, supported Nur’s growth, helping foster a collaborative environment rooted in trust. They also reflected on falling back in love with theatre itself, discovering again the power of live performance to transform audiences and themselves. Check out the interview in the video player above!