André De Shields, Jordan Fisher & More to Star in TARTUFFE Industry Reading

Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award winner André De Shields (Hadestown, The Wiz, CATS the Jellicle Ball) will star as the title character in an upcoming reading of Molière’s Tartuffe. In a new 100-minute translation and adaptation by Ranjit Bolt, OBE, Tartuffe will be directed by Keaton Wooden and will receive an industry reading on Monday, November 11th at Sunlight Studios.

Alongside De Shields, the cast of Tartuffe features Hannah Beck as Cleante, Phoebe Dunn (“The Looming Tower”) as Dorine, Jordan Fisher (Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, Sweeney Todd, Hadestown) as Damis, Chris Hahn as Orgon, Charlie Lubeck (“The Glee Project”) as Valere, Bryonha Marie (Our Town, Prince of Broadway) as Elmire, Jason O’Connell (Sense and Sensibility, Happy Birthday Wanda June) as MME Pernelle, and Jessie Shelton (Hadestown) as Mariane. The reading will feature music accompaniment by Dan Pardo (Sack Lunch Bunch).

In Orgon's household, the scheming Tartuffe, disguised as a pious priest, aims to steal his fortune, home, and even his daughter—or wife. While Orgon is blinded by Tartuffe's charade, his family and loved ones - including a saucy maid, clever sister, fiery son, two weepy lovers, and a wife who enjoys a good flirt - devise a plan to expose the fraud. Ranjit Bolt’s lively translation of Tartuffe brings Molière’s classic comedy to life with modern wit, capturing timeless themes of hypocrisy, power, and human folly.

“When you take a step back, a fraud is incredibly easy to spot. But up close - it is nearly impossible. Above all else Tartuffe shows what it feels like to be on the outside witnessing others being pulled like puppets on a string by their own devotion. And in the vein of the greatest farces, we see the truth when it is revealed to be as absurd as it really is. Tartuffe is a play that is the exact embodiment of our time,” said director and producer Keaton Wooden.

Tartuffe is produced by Keaton Wooden & The Tall Order Company (Kenneth Chamberlain w/ EP Morgan Freeman), Max Adler (Trial of the Chicago 7) and Eámonn Wrightstone; and Executive Produced by Tony-winner Jonathan Demar (Hadestown, Stereophonic, Merrily We Roll Along)