Starz Orders Katori Hall Drama ‘P-Valley’ to Series, Formally Picks Up Crime Drama ‘Hightown’

By Joe Otterson

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Starz has given out series orders to two drama series: “P-Valley” from Katori Hall, based on her play “Pussy Valley,” and “Hightown” from Rebecca Cutter.

The Hall project, which has been in development at since 2016, is an hour-long series set deep in the Mississippi Delta. It tells the story of a little-strip-club-that-could and the characters who come through its doors—the hopeful, the lost, the broken, the ballers, the beautiful, and the damned. It will star Brandee Evans as Mercedes and Nicco Annan as Uncle Clifford. Shannon Thornton and J. Alphonse Nicholson will appear as series regulars.

Hall will serve as showrunner and executive producer with Chernin Entertainment executive producing. Khaliah Neal will serve as consulting producer and Patrik-Ian Polk will act as co-executive producer. Award-winning music video director Karena Evans will direct the premiere episode. Starz’ senior vice presidents of original programming Marta Fernandez and Susan Lewis are the executives in charge.

“Hightown,” formerly known as “P-Town,” is a crime drama set amid the drug trade on Cape Cod. The series begins when a body washes ashore and discovered by an irreverent National Marine Fisheries Service officer (Monica Raymund) who is determined to help solve the murder even if the state cops want her nowhere near the case. The project was rumored to have been ordered to series back in September, with Starz now confirming the order.

Cutter is the writer and executive producer on the series. Gary Lennon will executive produce with Jerry Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman, and KristieAnne Reed of Jerry Bruckheimer Television. Monica Raymund stars. Production begins in March. Senior vice presidents of original programming Ken Segna and Susan Lewis as well as director of original programming Kathleen Clifford are the Starz executives overseeing “Hightown.”

Starz retains all domestic multiplatform pay TV and SVOD rights to both series. Lionsgate retains all international and domestic distribution and home entertainment rights.

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