Priyanka Shetty

Priyanka Shetty is an Indian-born actor, playwright, and director based in Philadelphia, United States. She is known for the solo plays The Elephant in the Room and #CHARLOTTESVILLE (2025), the latter developed from interviews and documents about the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and later presented at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Early life and education Shetty is from Bangalore, India. She has also served on the faculty of UVA's Department of Drama.

Career The Elephant in the Room Shetty's one-woman show The Elephant in the Room premiered in 2019 and has toured widely in North America and the UK, including a performance at the John F. Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage and a run at the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The UK premiere followed at the Pleasance Courtyard during the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Critical reception At the Edinburgh Fringe, The Guardian called Shetty's performance "polished and confident," highlighting the show's collage of perspectives and its exploration of discrimination. The show also received The Scotsman's Fringe First Award for outstanding new writing premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe. Earlier in Washington, D.C., reviews noted the work's urgency and Shetty's multi-character performance.