SELECTED SHORTS

About the Show

Selected Shorts features some of the finest artists of the American theater reading contemporary and classic short fiction. The program features the distinguished works of the early masters—Chekhov, Maupassant, Malamud, and Singer – as well as the fresh, vivid, diverse works of a new generation of remarkable literary talents, including Pulitzer Prize-winning Jhumpa LaHiri, literary catalyst Jonathan Franzen, and beloved storytellers including Alice Munro, John Updike, Ethan Canin, John Edgar Wideman, Dorothy Parker, Grace Paley, William Trevor, Alice Walker, and more. Their tales are brought to life by readers like Jane Curtin, Paul Reiser, Leonard Nimoy, Alec Baldwin, Jerry Orbach, and Meryl Streep.

The results of these pairings are captivating radio programs that take listeners on unparalleled literary journeys.

About the Host

Isaiah Sheffer, playwright, librettist, and actor, is also the cofounder and Artistic Director of Symphony Space in New York City. Symphony Space is dedicated to fostering artistically and culturally diverse performing arts, literary, and film programs that bring artists and audiences together.

Sheffer lent his narrative voice to two documentaries: “Greenwich Village Writers: The Bohemian Legacy” and “New York: A Documentary Film,” directed by Ric Burns. He also played the role of Carnegie Hall Concert Director in the 1999 film “Music of the Heart.”

Visit Symphony Space web site for more information on Selected Shorts.