Producer Richard Jordan Joins Priyanka Shetty's #CHARLOTTESVILLE As Touring Producer

Richard Jordan has announced that he has joined the creative team for playwright/actress Priyanka Shetty's critically acclaimed solo play, #CHARLOTTESVILLE. Richard Jordan, an Olivier, Tony, and Emmy Award-winning producer will be involved in the UK premiere of #CHARLOTTESVILLE beginning with 2025 Edinburgh Fringe followed by a North American and international tour.

The play will have a month-long run during the Edinburgh Fringe from July 30th to August 25th with Richard Jordan Productions producing. The UK's acclaimed The Pleasance has just signed on as Associate Producers for the Edinburgh run. Established in 1985, The Pleasance now provides a year-round home platform for leading and emerging talent to develop their work, hone their craft and grow new audiences.

Written and performed by Shetty, #CHARLOTTESVILLE chronicles the tragic events of August 11th and 12th, 2017, when white supremacists gathered in Charlottesville, Virginia for the "Unite the Right" rally on the pretext of expressing outrage against the removal of the confederate monument of Robert E. Lee. These rallies lead to a violent clash with counter-protesters, the deaths of 32-year-old Heather Heyer, two state troopers and at least 19 serious injuries.

Constructed verbatim from interviews with over a hundred local residents, court transcripts, and news reports, #CHARLOTTESVILLE offers a nuanced examination of the complex issues surrounding race and identity, and how they intersect with the broader political and cultural landscape of the United States.

Known for his commitment to discovering and developing new work, Richard Jordan has worked with an array of prominent and emerging artists, including Martin McDonagh, Conor McPherson, Danai Gurira, and Miriam Margolyes, among many others. His work often tackles strong social and political themes, a perfect match for Shetty's #CHARLOTTESVILLE.

#CHARLOTTESVILLE is a work that not only demands to be seen but also deeply resonates with audiences across the world," said Richard Jordan. "I am excited to be part of bringing this extraordinary performance to international audiences and look forward to collaborating with Priyanka and her team as we embark on this journey."

"I am deeply honored to have Richard Jordan join #CHARLOTTESVILLE as producer," said Priyanka Shetty. "His unparalleled expertise, reputation, and global network will undoubtedly take this vital piece of theatre to new audiences around the world. Together, we aim to create an impactful and transformative experience for all who encounter this story."

#CHARLOTTESVILLE follows Shetty's critically praised solo performances, including The Elephant in the Room, which has toured internationally, and her involvement in high-profile cultural festivals and symposiums. The play has already earned rave reviews for its powerful, immersive storytelling and its exploration of timely issues of race, politics, and community.

Prior to The Edinburgh Fringe, Shetty will premiere #CHARLOTTESVILLE at Washington, D.C.'s Keegan Theatre from March 22-April 13, 2025. The production will be directed by Yury Urnov, who won a 2024 Tony Award as co-artistic director of the in Philadelphia's Wilma Theater (Best Regional Theater) and whose prodigious directing credits include My Mama and The Full-Scale Invasion, which won the 2024 Helen Hayes Award for the best theater production in Washington DC.

About Richard Jordan/Richard Jordan Productions

Richard Jordan Productions is a TONY, Olivier, and EMMY Award-winning production company under the artistic leadership of British producer, Richard Jordan. Based in London, the company was founded in 1998 and enjoys associations with many of the world's leading theaters and arts organizations. Described by The Stage newspaper "as one of the UK's most prolific theatre producers" and named seven times in their annual list of the top 100 UK theater professionals, Richard Jordan Productions has produced over 260 productions (over 30 New York presentations) in the UK as well as 28 other countries including 90 world premieres and 91 North American, UK or Australian premieres by new and established writers, artists and companies. Past productions have won a number of major awards including: the Laurence Olivier Award; 17 Scotsman Fringe Firsts; 10 Total Theatre Awards; 2 Herald Angel Awards; Emmy Award; Off-West End Award; US Black Alliance Award; 2 Jeff Awards; Obie Award; 3 Helen Hayes Awards; John Gardner Award for Best New American Play; Tony Award (along with eleven other Tony nominations); and Drama Desk, Drama League, New York Critics, Broadway.com and Outer Critic Circle Best New Play Awards. Richard was the first recipient of the TIF/Society of London Theatre Producers Award. In 2013, he became the first British producer to have won every notable Broadway and off-Broadway Best New Play Award.

A new writing specialist, Mr. Jordan served for seven years as an Associate Artist of London's Bush Theatre, and in London's West End as Creative Director of the Theatre Royal Haymarket and Artistic Consultant for the creation and inaugural season of the Theatre Royal Haymarket Company. Between 2011 and 2023, he was International Producing Partner at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, working closely on their World Stage Programme. In 2023 working with founding and former Executive Director of Chicago Shakespeare Theater Criss Henderson, Richard joined as Creative Associate of his new US theatre and festival producing company Serendipity City, which will provide an exciting vibrant addition to North America's cultural landscape. He is an International Associate at Illawarra Performing Arts Centre (IPAC) in Australia.

About The Pleasance

Starting at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1985, Pleasance has gone on to become one of the leading voices in national and international fringe theatre and contemporary comedy. Providing a launch pad for some of the most memorable productions and recognisable artists over the past four decades, our mission is to provide a platform for exciting new and established talent. Now with three sites in Edinburgh (Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance Dome and Pleasance at EICC) with 30 venues and a year-round home in London, we welcome hundreds of thousands of audiences each year. Our diverse programme of theatre, comedy, dance, circus and children's shows creates a compelling platform to discover, nurture and support fresh artistic talent from across the globe. As a not-for-profit organisation, all proceeds from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and our London base are invested back into the development of new people and new ideas.

About Priyanka Shetty

Priyanka Shetty is an award-winning actor, playwright, and director based in Philadelphia. Her critically acclaimed one-woman show The Elephant in the Room has been performed at numerous venues across the US and internationally, including The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington DC and the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe at the Assembly Festival, which led to a tour in Scotland. She made her Off-Broadway debut with this play at 59E59 Theaters in NYC. She has been awarded a generous grant by the National Endowment of the Arts for the development of The Wall, which will follow The Elephant in the Room and #CHARLOTTESVILLE as the third and final play in her Triptych of Solos. Triptych of Solos will have a coordinated nationwide premiere across multiple cities in 2025/26. Priyanka is an alumna of the prestigious Kennedy Center Playwriting Intensive. She has served on the jury of Open Screenplay's MFilm Lab in Canada and as a mentor for emerging screenwriters of South Asian descent, and most recently on the jury for the 2024 Atlanta Indian Film Festival. Priyanka earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in Acting from the University of Virginia and has served on the faculty of the University of Virginia's Department of Drama.

To post a comment, you must register and login.