Selected Shorts: McSweeney’s 25th Anniversary Extravaganza

Masks are encouraged and appreciated, but not mandatory for this event.

The wondrous and imaginative world of McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern takes the stage for a singular Selected Shorts celebration. Since 1998, McSweeney’s has published award-winning fiction, essays, comics, and letters in perpetually evolving and inventive formats, from classic hardcovers and paperbacks to issues disguised as party balloons, junk mail, or even a sweaty human head. For one night only, the best of this deeply surprising and unusual magazine comes to life with performances by actors, friends, and fans.

Hosted by John Hodgman and featuring musical guest Stephin Merritt from The Magnetic Fields. With performances by Maeve Higgins (Wait, Wait ... Don't Tell Me!), Jordan Klepper (The Daily Show), Carmen Lynch (Life & Beth), and BD Wong (Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens).

Past contributors include Dave Eggers, Lydia Davis, Percival Everett, Eileen Myles, George Saunders, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Hilton Als, Stephen King, Carmen Maria Machado, David Foster Wallace, Hernan Diaz, Ann Beattie, Samanta Schweblin, Alejandro Zambra, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Lydia Conklin, Catherine Lacey, Denis Johnson, Chris Ware, Adrian Tomine, and more.

Selected Shorts is produced by Symphony Space and broadcast on more than 130 stations around the country. The series began in 1985 and enjoys sold-out performances to this day. Selected Shorts was conceived with a simple premise: take great stories by well-known and emerging writers and have them performed by terrific actors of stage and screen. Featuring stories around a lively theme, the favorite works of a guest author, or a special collaboration, each Selected Shorts event is a unique night of literature in performance.

Real-time captioning (CART) will be available in our theater for patrons with hearing loss, deafness, different language and learning needs, and anyone whose experience will be enhanced by CART. To access CART on your individual smartphone or tablet, please visit bit.ly/SymphonySpace_Captions.