“Incisive… Shetty imbues her message with creativity and charm.”
TV Jerry

“Immediate and authentic. Exceptionally timely.”
Columbus Alive

“Will make you laugh, cry and leave having learned something important.”
Cavalier Daily

“Incredibly brave.”
Columbus Underground

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – November 12, 2019 – Priyanka Shetty’s one-woman show The Elephant in the Room performs on Saturday, November 23rd at 6 pm on the Millennium Stage at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington DC.

Unapologetically Indian, The Elephant in the Room is a tumultuous ride through seemingly immiscible cultures, love and loss, issues of race, and the desperation of not belonging anywhere. The play navigates playwright Priyanka Shetty’s transition from her deeply embedded roots in India to finding context and common ground in America.

The Elephant in the Room is written and performed by Priyanka Shetty. The play made its World Premiere in March 2019 with Evolution Theatre and CATCO in Columbus, OH under the direction of Joe Bishara, Associate Producing Director at CATCO. The play is currently on a multi-city tour that kickstarted at Yale University, New Haven, CT and will cover venues across the country.

Playwright and actor Priyanka Shetty recently graduated with a Master of Fine Arts degree in Acting from the University of Virginia and currently serves as a Faculty member at the UVA Department of Drama. Priyanka is the author of two original plays – her one-woman show The Elephant in the Room, and #Charlottesville, a play constructed verbatim from interviews with the residents of Charlottesville, VA who speak about the city in light of the white supremacist rallies and events of August 11-12, 2017.

The Elephant in the Room will be presented on Saturday, November 23rd at 6 pm on the Millennium Stage at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington DC. Speaking about the upcoming performance, Priyanka says, “The play has been evolving with every performance and the new version we’ll be presenting at The Kennedy Center has undergone significant changes. I hope the underlying message will resonate with the audience on a deeper level.” This performance at The Kennedy Center is directed by Theresa M. Davis, Associate Professor of Performance at the University of Virginia Department of Drama. The event will be live-streamed and available for viewing on YouTube.

Millennium Stage, now celebrating its 23rd season, is a manifestation of the Kennedy Center’s mission and vision to welcome all to celebrate our collective cultural heritage in the most inclusive, accessible way possible. Millennium Stage is the only place in the United States to offer a free performance every day of the year that is streamed live on the internet.

Tickets: Free performance. No tickets required.
For more information visit www.kennedy-center.org

Supported by UVA Arts & The Office of the Provost and the Vice Provost for the Arts & the UVA Department of Drama.