The Royal Court Theatre in London has announced a new partnership with New York-based theatre producers Brian and Dayna Lee.
The partnership comes following their collaboration on the Olivier Award-winning production of Giant starring John Lithgow.
The deal includes a multi-year exclusive ‘first look’ for Brian and Dayna Lee to transfer Royal Court productions to commercial theatres.
The partnership promises to increase the investment in the Royal Court’s new work and reach wider national and international audiences.
Brian and Dayna Lee are a Canadian born, New York based husband-and-wife team and founders of AF Creative Media, a three-time Tony Award and two-time Olivier Award winning production company.
Their first collaboration with the Royal Court was Mark Rosenblatt’s Giant, directed by Nicholas Hytner and starring John Lithgow as Roald Dahl.
The production, which won multiple Olivier Awards, including Best New Play, enjoyed sold out runs at the Royal Court’s Jerwood Theatre Downstairs in 2024 and broke capacity and box office records at Harold Pinter Theatre in London’s West End in 2025.
The production announced last week that it will transfer to Broadway in 2026 starring John Lithgow, starting on 11 March 2026 at a Shubert Theater in New York.
Brian and Dayna Lee’s other credits include Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s Fiddler on The Roof, which received a record-breaking 13 Olivier nominations before transferring to the Barbican Theatre, and is now touring the UK.
Royal Court Artistic Director David Byrne and Executive Director Will Young said in a joint statement: “Working together on Giant, from our first meeting, Brian and Dayna were dream collaborators. It wasn’t long before we were discussing all our future plans together – and it became clear we needed to make them an extended part of the Court team. We couldn’t be happier that this new partnership will see us expand the future life possibilities for the work presented in our Jerwood Theatre Downstairs to audiences around the world. Long live the UK-Canadian artistic axis!”
Brian and Dayna Lee said: “The Royal Court is, without question, the world’s foremost home for new writing. It’s a place for daring ideas, radical voices and the most visionary playwrights of our time. For decades, it has redefined the possibilities of theatre, setting the standard for bold, original storytelling, both in the UK, and on the global stage. From our very first conversations with David and Will, it was clear that they carried a powerful vision: one rooted in the Court’s extraordinary legacy, but also fearlessly focused on the future. We are deeply honored to support that vision and help carry the Royal Court’s astonishing work from its iconic home in Sloane Square to the West End, to Broadway and on to international audiences around the world.”
What’s on at the Royal Court
Currently playing at the Royal Court is Cow | Deer until 11 October.
Coming up is The Unbelievers starring Nicola Walker, from 10 October; and Porn Play starring Ambika Mod from 6 November 2025.
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