Tony winner André De Shields (Hadestown, The Wiz) will star in the title role of an industry reading of a new 100-minute translation of Molière’s Tartuffe November 11 at Sunlight Studios.

Adapted by Ranjit Bolt and directed by Keaton Wooden, the reading will also feature Hannah Beck as Cleante, Phoebe Dunn (The Looming Tower) as Dorine, Jordan Fisher (Hadestown, Dear Evan Hansen) 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. Music accompaniment will be provided by Dan Pardo.

The play is set in Orgon's household as the scheming Tartuffe, disguised as a pious priest, aims to steal Orgon's fortune, home, and even his daughter—or wife. While Orgon is blinded by Tartuffe's charade, his family and loved ones devise a plan to expose the fraud.

In a statement director and producer Wooden said, “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.” 

Tartuffe is produced by Wooden and The Tall Order Company (Kenneth Chamberlain with executive producer Morgan Freeman), Max Adler, and Eámonn Wrightstone; and executive-produced by Tony winner Jonathan Demar.

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