Jamaican actor Shevrado Oliver, acclaimed for his work in the hit TV series From Yard and the upcoming thriller Behind Closed Doors, is set to make his New York stage debut in David Heron’s celebrated romantic comedy Love and Marriage and New York City.
The Silver Anniversary performance will take place at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center (JPAC) in Queens on Sunday, June 22, as part of New York City’s Caribbean American Heritage Month celebrations.
Oliver will be joined by a powerhouse cast that includes Denise Hunt (How Stella Got Her Groove Back), James Duke Walker, and Gabrielle C. Archer. The one-night-only staged reading production promises to be a cultural highlight, preceded by a complimentary Caribbean cuisine reception beginning at 5:30 p.m. The performance starts at 7 p.m.
Set in late 1990s Manhattan, Love and Marriage and New York City tells the humorous and heartfelt story of two Jamaican-born couples who enter marriages of convenience for green cards—only to discover that love has plans of its own. Oliver plays Damian Lewis, a charming, wisecracking photographer who marries aspiring model Natalie Taylor (played by Archer). Meanwhile, Damian’s unemployed cousin Theophilus (Walker) is paired off with Natalie’s best friend Jessica (Hunt), a driven Wall Street broker with a skeptical outlook on romance.
The play originally premiered in Kingston, Jamaica in 1999 and has since become Heron’s most widely produced work, performed in cities across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., including an Off-Broadway run at Brooklyn’s Billie Holiday Theatre. It earned eight Actor Boy Award nominations and led to Heron receiving a Proclamation and Award for Excellence from the New York City Council in 2006.
“This play is more relevant today than ever,” said Heron. “With immigration still at the center of our national conversation, the story of green card marriages as a gateway to the American dream is deeply resonant—and often, deeply funny. I’m excited to see how audiences, old and new, respond.”
The Silver Anniversary performance marks the return of several past cast members. Denise Hunt, a veteran of both screen and Jamaican television, previously played Natalie in a U.K. tour of the show. James Duke Walker and Gabrielle C. Archer, both veterans of Heron’s Against His Will, bring a wealth of stage and screen experience. Walker’s breakout acting role came while working construction in NYC, and his résumé now includes performances at The Apollo and appearances in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Archer has trained at the Stella Adler Studio and acted in numerous socially conscious theatre productions.
Shevrado Oliver, fresh off his 2024 Accolade Global Film Recognition Award win, continues his upward trajectory with this NY stage debut. Known in Jamaica for roles in Thicker Than Water and stage plays like Marriage Bizniz, Oliver’s arrival signals a dynamic addition to the U.S. theatre scene.
Tickets are now available at loveandmarriagetheplay.eventbrite.com, with early bird discounts running through Sunday, May 11. A limited number of complimentary tickets are also available for students 16 and older, thanks to the Sure Thing Productions Free Student Ticket Initiative.
For more details, contact Sure Thing Productions at (646) 533-7021.
