#charlottesville program

March 29-April 11

Abbey Theatre of Dublin presents

#charlottesville Written & performed by PRIYANKA SHETTY Directed by JOE BISHARA

#CHARLOTTESVILLE had a workshop production at The Abbey Theatre of Dublin in Dublin OH in February 2021.

Presented as part of 59E59 Theaters’ EAST TO EDINBURGH GOES VIRTUAL

JOE BISHARA Director

PRIYANKA SHETTY Playwright/performer Priyanka Shetty is an actor, director and playwright. She graduated with a Master of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Virginia and served as a Faculty member at the University of Virginia, Department of Drama.

Priyanka is the author of two original plays – her one woman show The Elephant in the Room, and #Charlottesville constructed verbatim from interviews with residents of Charlottesville, VA who speak about the city in light of the white supremacist rallies and events of August 1112, 2017. Priyanka is currently working on her third play The Wall which deals with the immigrant experience in America. www.priyankashetty.com

Joe Bishara (Director) has collaborated on over 200 theatrical productions across the United States as an awardwinning Actor, Artist Educator, Director, and Producer. He is the Theater Supervisor for The City of Dublin, Ohio (Abbey Theater of Dublin), Founder and Managing Director of New Albany Youth Theatre and the Creative Consultant for Evolution Theatre Company. Proud graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University, member of AEA and an associate member of SDC. www.joe-bishara.com

More about THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM (TEITR): The Elephant in the Room premiered at CATCO/Evolution Theatre in Columbus OH in March 2019 and kickstarted The Elephant on the Road Tour at Yale University in April 2019. Since then Priyanka has performed at several venues across the country and her most recent performance was on the Millennium Stage at The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington DC. TEITR won the 2020 Broadway World Awards for Best Actor of the Decade (Professional) and Best Play of the Decade (Professional) as well as the 2019 Broadway World Awards for Best Lead Actor in a Play (Professional), Best Play (Professional), and Best Director of a Play (Professional.) Priyanka is excited to continue touring with this performance and taking it to The Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2022.

ABOUT THE COMPANY The Abbey Theater of Dublin creates dynamic programming for the stage, classroom, and the community that captivates and inspires. www.dublinohiousa.gov/ abbey-theater #charlottesville is part of 59E59 Theaters PLAYS IN PLACE season of virtual events. 59E59 Theaters was established by the Elysabeth Kleinhans Theatrical Foundation in 2004 to grant professional space and expertise to nonprofit theater companies premiering their work in New York City. Under the leadership of Val Day, Artistic Director, and Brian Beirne, Managing Director, 59E59 Theaters presents a year-round curated program of Off Broadway plays and musicals that are nurtured and supported through highly-subsidized rental rates, as well as production, ticketing, FOH, marketing, and press support.