Still Delivering After All These Years

Symphony Space’s Selected Shorts Program Celebrates Forty Years of Great Storytelling.

When I was a young PR rep for a New York City public radio station, I helped promote a program new to radio. It was called “Selected Shorts,” a production of Symphony Space, which featured actors from stage and screen bringing to life great stories from well-known and emerging writers. It was a joy to do, and it was well received by our radio listeners, and is now in its fortieth year!

Over that time, the public radio program broadened its reach and is available in audio collections, via national tours, while it continues on-stage at the venue located at Broadway and 95th Street. It’s even got its own podcast series.

Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar (Photo Credit: Carlos Alayo)

This summer, for example, there was a Selected Shorts program with the theme “Sibling Revelry,” read by real-life sisters, Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar. The two women collaborate frequently, having co-authored two books about their humorous experiences, and anecdotes of modern-day racism. The stories they read that evening featured works by Jesse Eisenberg, Jess Walter, Joanne Harris, and Hannah Kingsley-Ma, all focused on the joys and challenges of the sibling world: something our performers could easily identify with.

The literary programming team for the program casts each show and selects the stories to be read.  Past readers this season included Jason Alexander, Julianna Margulies, Richard Kind, and Martin Short.  If you’re looking to get a taste of what the Selected Shorts is all about, recent shows are available for replay on their website.

There’s an extensive calendar of events for the upcoming Fall season including readings from the Best American Short Stories of 2025 and a night to celebrate 250 Years of Jane Austen with Hugh Dancy.  There are film series, and evenings with writers and entertainers. If you love cats, there’s even a Cat Film Festival (yes, you read that right). Plus, evenings scheduled with Judd Apatow, and Cameron Crowe.

Symphony Space

Top photo, left to right: Nathan Hinton, Michel Gill, Jayne Atkinson, Amber Ruffin, Lacey Lamar, Marin Ireland
Photo credit: Carlos Alayo

Share This Post:

Bluesky Icon Bluesky
Facebook

Be a part of the Martha Graham Dance Company Centennial Celebration. The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center is now presenting the exhibition, Martha Graham: The Mother of Psychological Dance. 

In the early 1990s, Margaret Thatcher’s government was in trouble. Illegal drugs were pouring into the country. With Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise having failed to stem the flood across the border, ordinary people were…

Sally Field has made a career out of playing mothers in films (“Forest Gump,” “Steel Magnolias,” and “Mrs. Doubtfire.”) She scores again in “Remarkably Bright Creatures,” playing Tova, a widow who has never recovered from…

I finally may become a vegetarian, at least where lamb is concerned.

One of the best mystery writers in the world now has an intriguing series streaming on Netflix. But one caution: Jo Nesbó’s “Detective Hole” is not for the faint of heart. But it will keep…

New York City was the epi-center  of the American Revolution. In the run up to the 250th anniversary of the revolution, the Museum of the City of New York presents a new exhibition celebrating the…

7 Tips for Booking the Perfect Wine Tours for Small Groups

Exploring a renowned vineyard region with friends or family is one of the most rewarding ways to discover the nuances of premium viticulture. Unlike large commercial bus tours, a small group setting allows for a more intimate connection with the land and the people who craft the wine. This article provides practical advice on how to plan a journey that balances relaxation with education. 1. Select a Local Expert Guide The most important step in

read more

Why Medieval-Inspired Dresses Resonate in an Age of Fast Fashion

Fast fashion has trained us to expect novelty on demand. New drops appear weekly, microtrends flare up and burn out in a month, and clothes are often treated less like possessions than passing content. So why, in that landscape, are medieval-inspired dresses finding such a devoted audience? At first glance, it seems counterintuitive. These are silhouettes associated with another era entirely: flowing sleeves, laced bodices, generous skirts, rich fabrics, and shapes that suggest folklore, ritual,

read more

Why More Businesses Are Strengthening Their Pre-Employment Checks Process

Hiring has always involved an element of trust. You review a CV, speak to a candidate, weigh up their answers, and decide whether they are the right fit. But for many employers, that trust is no longer enough on its own. Across sectors, businesses are taking a closer look at how they vet new hires before an offer becomes final. That shift is not just about being cautious. It reflects a hiring environment that has

read more

How London Became the Go-To Jurisdiction for High-Net-Worth Divorce Cases

For years, London has carried a reputation that family lawyers around the world know well: if a marriage involving serious wealth breaks down, England is often one of the first jurisdictions considered. That reputation did not appear by accident, and it has survived for good reason. At the top end of family law, divorce is rarely just about a house, a pension, and a savings account. It can involve international property portfolios, private equity interests,

read more

The Smart Event Planner’s Guide to Temporary Refrigeration Solutions

Great events are remembered for the right reasons: seamless service, fresh food, cold drinks, and a back-of-house operation nobody notices because it simply works. Temporary refrigeration rarely gets much attention in the planning stages, yet it can make or break everything from a wedding breakfast to a three-day food festival. If you’ve ever watched caterers scramble for space in an overloaded kitchen fridge, or seen pallets of stock arrive hours before service with nowhere suitable

read more
You've loaded all available articles in this category

7 Tips for Booking the Perfect Wine Tours for Small Groups

Exploring a renowned vineyard region with friends or family is one of the most rewarding ways to discover the nuances of premium viticulture. Unlike large commercial bus tours, a small group setting allows for a more intimate connection with the land and the people who craft the wine. This article provides practical advice on how to plan a journey that balances relaxation with education. 1. Select a Local Expert Guide The most important step in

read more

Why Medieval-Inspired Dresses Resonate in an Age of Fast Fashion

Fast fashion has trained us to expect novelty on demand. New drops appear weekly, microtrends flare up and burn out in a month, and clothes are often treated less like possessions than passing content. So why, in that landscape, are medieval-inspired dresses finding such a devoted audience? At first glance, it seems counterintuitive. These are silhouettes associated with another era entirely: flowing sleeves, laced bodices, generous skirts, rich fabrics, and shapes that suggest folklore, ritual,

read more

Why More Businesses Are Strengthening Their Pre-Employment Checks Process

Hiring has always involved an element of trust. You review a CV, speak to a candidate, weigh up their answers, and decide whether they are the right fit. But for many employers, that trust is no longer enough on its own. Across sectors, businesses are taking a closer look at how they vet new hires before an offer becomes final. That shift is not just about being cautious. It reflects a hiring environment that has

read more

How London Became the Go-To Jurisdiction for High-Net-Worth Divorce Cases

For years, London has carried a reputation that family lawyers around the world know well: if a marriage involving serious wealth breaks down, England is often one of the first jurisdictions considered. That reputation did not appear by accident, and it has survived for good reason. At the top end of family law, divorce is rarely just about a house, a pension, and a savings account. It can involve international property portfolios, private equity interests,

read more

The Smart Event Planner’s Guide to Temporary Refrigeration Solutions

Great events are remembered for the right reasons: seamless service, fresh food, cold drinks, and a back-of-house operation nobody notices because it simply works. Temporary refrigeration rarely gets much attention in the planning stages, yet it can make or break everything from a wedding breakfast to a three-day food festival. If you’ve ever watched caterers scramble for space in an overloaded kitchen fridge, or seen pallets of stock arrive hours before service with nowhere suitable

read more
You've loaded all available articles in this category