Priyanka Shetty
Indian-born actor and playwright
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Priyanka Shetty is an Indian-born actor, playwright, and director based in Philadelphia, United States.[1] She is known for the solo plays The Elephant in the Room (2019) and #CHARLOTTESVILLE (2025), the latter developed from interviews and documents about the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and later presented at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[1][2]
Priyanka Shetty | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Alma mater | University of Virginia (MFA) |
| Occupations | Actor, playwright, director |
| Years active | 2019–present |
| Notable work | The Elephant in the Room; #CHARLOTTESVILLE |
| Website | www |
Early life and education
Career
The Elephant in the Room
Shetty's one-woman show The Elephant in the Room premiered in 2019 and has toured widely in North America and the UK, including a performance at the John F. Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage and a run at the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[3][5]
#CHARLOTTESVILLE
Shetty developed #CHARLOTTESVILLE from more than one hundred interviews, court transcripts and news reports about the events at the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville while she was an MFA student at UVA.[1] The professional world premiere took place at the Keegan Theatre in Washington, D.C., in March 2025, directed by Yury Urnov in association with Voices Festival Productions.[6][7] The UK premiere followed at the Pleasance Courtyard during the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[8]
Critical reception
At the Edinburgh Fringe, The Guardian called Shetty's performance "polished and confident," highlighting the show's collage of perspectives and its exploration of discrimination.[2] The Stage described it as a "solidly crafted documentary play" about the Unite the Right rally.[9] The show also received The Scotsman's Fringe First Award for outstanding new writing premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe. Earlier in Washington, D.C., reviews noted the work's urgency and Shetty's multi-character performance.[6][7]
Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | The Scotsman Fringe First Awards | Fringe First Award for Outstanding New Writing | #CHARLOTTESVILLE | Won | [10] |