Host Meg Wolitzer presents stories about characters coping with pre-existing difficulties, large and small—and then encountering someone or something ready to change everything. In “Shoulder-Top Secretary” by Shinichi Hoshi, performed by Thom Sesma, a door-to-door salesman unveils the must-have technology of the future. In “It Had Wings” by Allan Gurganus, performed by Marian Seldes, a celestial being offers up a possible remedy for the aches and pains of life. And our final story, “The Toynbee Convector,” is a Ray Bradbury classic in which a time machine delivers a hero to our tumultuous present. It’s read by Mike Doyle, with whom we also spoke backstage on the night of his performance. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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57:50
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57:50
Classics with a Twist
Host Meg Wolitzer presents three imaginative and funny reworkings of classic stories. In Ginny Hogan’s “Phantoms and Prejudice,” Jane Austen’s Bennet sisters learn about ghosting. The reader is Sara Bareilles. Anthony Marra invents a plausible reason for murder in his reworking of Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart,” read by Mike Doyle. And Michael Cunningham turns Jack into an entrepreneur in “Jacked,” read by Jim Parsons. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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58:15
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58:15
Meg Wolitzer Talks to Author Michael Cunningham
Meg Wolitzer sits down with her friend, writer Michael Cunningham. Michael is an American novelist, screenwriter, and educator. He is best known for his novel The Hours, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the PEN/Faulkner Award and was later adapted into an Oscar-winning film and opera. What happens when two writers get together? Well, of course, they talk about writing, specifically his story, “Jacked,” read by Jim Parsons, which we featured on Selected Shorts, but they also nerd out about the semicolon and Scrabble. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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22:54
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22:54
It’s About Time
Host Meg Wolitzer presents two stories about the nature of time and how it shapes our lives. In Helen Phillips’ “The Knowers,” a woman chooses to learn a vital fact about her future, while her husband does not. Stockard Channing reads this thought-provoking fantasy. In Anita Felicelli’s “Time Invents Us” a chance encounter turns the clock back for an aging artist. It’s read by Kirsten Vangness. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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59:00
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59:00
Accidental Revelations
Host Meg Wolitzer presents two stories in which characters are faced with unexpected revelations that alter their lives. In “A Fable with Slips of White Paper Spilling from the Pockets,” by Kevin Brockmeier, performed by Geoffrey Arend, a thrift purchase comes with unusual fringe benefits. In “Lady Tigers,” by Nick White, performed by Michael Urie, the bus driver of a girls’ softball team encounters a storm, and a secret. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Our greatest actors transport us through the magic of fiction, one short story at a time. Sometimes funny. Always moving. Selected Shorts connects you to the world with a rich diversity of voices from literature, film, theater, and comedy. New episodes every Thursday, from Symphony Space.
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