Selected Shorts’ 31st Season has Begun!
Our 2015–16 season is underway, and our signature program, Selected Shorts, kicked off its 31st season last week to a packed house! Recently, a number of people have asked me about what we plan to do in terms of a Selected Shorts host for the live program, which is an excellent question and a great excuse for me to talk to you more about this exciting program.
Our co-founder and longtime Artistic Director Isaiah Sheffer was the beloved host of Shorts since the birth of the show, and his humor, quick wit, and passionate love of literature helped to shape the personality of the program. We have aimed to infuse the radio show and podcasts with this same energy, and over the last couple of years we have opted for a rotating cast of hosts for each episode, including the likes of Stephen Colbert, Parker Posey, Jane Curtin, Neil Gaiman, Cynthia Nixon, Michael Cerveris, and many more! We received so much positive feedback from listeners that we have decided to try this model with the live show this season. We’ll be featuring recognizable voices from the worlds of film, television, and theater, as well as literary luminaries, each handpicked for the theme of the evening.
If last week’s Selected Shorts was an indication of what to expect, I am really enthusiastic about this plan for this season. At 100 Years of the Best American Short Stories, Jane Kaczmarek was exactly what you’d want a host to be. She was engaging and charmed the audience… with one minor challenge. I’m not sure that her enthusiastic support of Chicago Cubs over the Mets endeared her to our New York fan base, but she was so charming that I think all was forgiven!
Here are some details about hosts for upcoming Selected Shorts in the fall:
November 4: Humans of New York: Stories
Hosted by Brandon J. Dirden
Brandon Stanton, the photographer and storyteller behind Humans of New York, is a fan of Brandon J. Dirden, and asked that he host this event. Dirden is probably best known for playing Martin Luther King Jr., in All the Way opposite Bryan Cranston’s Lyndon B. Johnson.
November 18: Alice in Wonderland
Hosted by BD Wong
No introductions needed here! For our Alice in Wonderland event with Joyce Carol Oates, I am delighted to announce BD Wong’s return to the Symphony Space stage as host.
December 9: Michael Chabon and Sherlock Holmes
Hosted by Michael Chabon
Long-time friend of Selected Shorts Michael Chabon (The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay) hosts and curates an evening on a subject that has long intrigued him: Sherlock Holmes.
I am always at the back of the house for every Selected Shorts event, so please make sure to come up and share your thoughts about this season’s hosts and shows. I look forward to chatting!
