Priyanka Shetty. Photo by.Cameron Whitman.
“Happiness is a place called Charlottesville.” But what comes of that happiness when Charlottesville is plagued with the violence hundreds of white supremacists? “#Charlottesville” at The Keegan Theatre bravely tackles the almost contradictory idyllic-ism of the University of Virginia (UVA) town and ever present undertones of the infamous 2017 brutality on the grounds. Through her one-woman replica of interviews with a band of diverse Charlottesville residents, Priyanka Shetty who is the playwright and performer, uncovers the stirring truth the “Unite the Right” rally brought to the surface.
Shetty’s writing matches her performance as smart, distinct, and impactful…
“#Charlottesville” centers around the two-day “Unite the Right” rally. On the night of August 11, 2017, hundreds gathered to protest the removal of a tendentious Robert E. Lee monument in Charlottesville, VA. What started under the guise of first amendment activity rapidly escalated into an alarming proclamation of white supremacy, complete with fire-lit torches encircling counter protestors. Just as the community was recovering from a vehement act of hate, a car was driven into a crowd of counter protesters killing one and injuring many. As a UVA graduate student at the time, Shetty deeply understands the heaviness and uses it to her advantage in conveying the horrors this incident revealed.
Directed by the award-winning Yury Urnov, the piece forms itself around “verbatim theatre,” a technique pioneered by Anna Deavere Smith through which the spoken words of real people interviewed by the playwright are performed to drive a message grounded in truth. Shetty’s use of this vehicle shapes her message to the audience through multiple perspectives. It allows the audience to see the story from the perspective of a conservative radio host and a local waitress. They can hear from the Dean of Students and an undergraduate student. When used for the intended core of this piece, this device unquestionably answers why this piece is necessary right now.
Shetty’s writing matches her performance as smart, distinct, and impactful, particularly when she finds her voice and her tone. The piece is at its strongest when Shetty directly addresses the audience at its conclusion, spurring her call to action. However, snags in the smooth silk of her writing appear when this piece tries to be something it is not. Where some humor and lightheartedness keeps the audience interested, forced jokes and a late-act musical number feel misplaced. The execution and writing itself is impressive, but not meant for this show. Despite these tears in the fabric of a devastating story, this docu-play’s use of personal tie-ins to an event that feels so abstract, thrusts television tragedy into reality.
Matthew J. Keenan’s set design and projections elevate Shetty’s words by laying bare the cracks in the literal and figurative marble pillars that once shone with prestige. Utilizing the historical nature of UVA’s campus to draw comparisons between the events of the rally and the current state of politics in America, the minimal set drops audiences into the scene of the crime, whether it be the UVA Rotunda or United State Capitol. These creative aspects guide the straight line the words draw to the ultimate message of “#Charlottesville,” these events did not come out of nowhere, they have been the monster lurking under minute changes in society. Shetty’s Charlottesville is not an anomaly, it’s a microcosm.
#Charlottesville is a seventy-minute realization taught through the lens of an immigrant and shaped by a court case that came out in favor of democracy this time. As a performer, Shetty’s ability to expose her own experiences’ throughline to her intended message is the truth of this play. In the intimate Keegan Theatre, this piece doesn’t just address a rally, it addresses the state of the nation.
Running Time: Approximately one hour and 10 minutes with no intermission.
“#Charlottesville” runs through April 13, 2025 at The Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St NW, Washington, DC, 20036 with performances Thursdays-Saturdays at 8:00 pm, Sundays at 3:00 pm, and select Mondays and Wednesdays at 8:00 pm. For more information and to purchase tickets, call the Box Office at (202) 265-3767 or go online.
