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Event Program
WED, DEC 06
Hosted by Roz Chast
The Wife on Ambien by Ed Park
Performed by John Fugelsang
Bad Dreams by Tessa Hadley
Performed by Rita Wolf
Stay Up With Me by Tom Barbash
Performed by Jason Ralph
Excerpt from I Must Be Dreaming
Art & Reading by Roz Chast
Our Children by Vanessa Cuti
Performed by Claire Danes
At this performance of Selected Shorts, real-time captioning (CART) will be available in our theater for patrons with hearing loss, deafness, and/or different language and learning needs. CART can be accessed through individual smartphones and tablets at bit.ly/SymphonySpace_Captions.
Roz Chast's cartoons began appearing in The New Yorker in 1978, where she has since published more than one thousand. She is the author of the graphic memoirs Going Into Town, which won the New York City Book Award; the #1 New York Times bestseller Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?, a National Book Critics Circle Award and Kirkus Prize winner and finalist for the National Book Award; What I Hate: From A to Z; and her cartoon collections The Party, After You Left, and Theories of Everything, among others. Chast was awarded the Harvey Hall of Fame Award. I Must Be Dreaming was published in October.
Roz Chast's cartoons began appearing in The New Yorker in 1978, where she has since published more than one thousand. She is the author of the graphic memoirs Going Into Town, which won the New York City Book Award; the #1 New York Times bestseller Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?, a National Book Critics Circle Award and Kirkus Prize winner and finalist for the National Book Award; What I Hate: From A to Z; and her cartoon collections The Party, After You Left, and Theories of Everything, among others. Chast was awarded the Harvey Hall of Fame Award. I Must Be Dreaming was published in October.
Claire Danes recently starred on the Hulu limited series Fleishman Is in Trouble, for which she was nominated for Emmy, Golden Globe, and Critics Choice awards for Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series. She is well known for starring as Carrie Mathison on eight seasons of Homeland, a role which garnered her two Emmys, three Golden Globes, and a SAG Award. Additionally, she received an Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG Award for starring in the HBO film Temple Grandin. Danes is also known for starring in My So-Called Life, for which she won a Golden Globe. Her film credits include Little Women, Romeo + Juliet, The Hours, Shopgirl, Stardust, and A Kid Like Jake, among others. Danes made her Broadway debut as Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion in 2007 and appeared in Dry Powder at the Public Theater in 2016. Her audiobook recording of Margaret Atwood’s novel The Handmaid’s Tale won the 2013 Audie Award. Her recent television credits include Stephen Soderbergh’s Full Circle and The Essex Serpent opposite Tom Hiddleston.
Claire Danes recently starred on the Hulu limited series Fleishman Is in Trouble, for which she was nominated for Emmy, Golden Globe, and Critics Choice awards for Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series. She is well known for starring as Carrie Mathison on eight seasons of Homeland, a role which garnered her two Emmys, three Golden Globes, and a SAG Award. Additionally, she received an Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG Award for starring in the HBO film Temple Grandin. Danes is also known for starring in My So-Called Life, for which she won a Golden Globe. Her film credits include Little Women, Romeo + Juliet, The Hours, Shopgirl, Stardust, and A Kid Like Jake, among others. Danes made her Broadway debut as Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion in 2007 and appeared in Dry Powder at the Public Theater in 2016. Her audiobook recording of Margaret Atwood’s novel The Handmaid’s Tale won the 2013 Audie Award. Her recent television credits include Stephen Soderbergh’s Full Circle and The Essex Serpent opposite Tom Hiddleston.
John Fugelsang is a comedian, actor, and broadcaster on SiriusXM. He's been killed on CSI, picketed by Westboro Baptist Church, was the host of America’s Funniest Home Videos, and has appeared frequently on news commentary shows on CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, Fox News, and NPR. He appears in the features The Girl on the Train, Coyote Ugly, and The Whole Truth. In 2016, his film Dream On was named Best Documentary at the New York Independent Film Festival.
John Fugelsang is a comedian, actor, and broadcaster on SiriusXM. He's been killed on CSI, picketed by Westboro Baptist Church, was the host of America’s Funniest Home Videos, and has appeared frequently on news commentary shows on CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, Fox News, and NPR. He appears in the features The Girl on the Train, Coyote Ugly, and The Whole Truth. In 2016, his film Dream On was named Best Documentary at the New York Independent Film Festival.
Jason Ralph recently co-starred as a series regular on the last season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and will next be seen in Three Women opposite Shailene Woodley. Previously he starred as Quentin Coldwater in Syfy’s The Magicians. He has recurred on the Paramount series Younger, NBC’s Aquarius, WGN’s Manhattan, and the CBS series Madam Secretary. Additional notable credits include Charlie Kaufman’s I’m Thinking of Ending Things; J.C. Chandor’s A Most Violent Year opposite Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac; HBO’s Random Acts of Flyness, The Night Of, and Looking; Netflix’s Grace and Frankie; and the CW series Gossip Girl. On stage, Jason starred in the New World Stages/Off-Broadway cast of Peter and the Starcatcher directed by Alex Timbers and Roger Reese. He was also seen as Chris Conrad in On the Head of Pin written and directed by Frank Winters. He is a founding member and former Artistic Director of the Strangemen Theater Company in New York City.
Jason Ralph recently co-starred as a series regular on the last season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and will next be seen in Three Women opposite Shailene Woodley. Previously he starred as Quentin Coldwater in Syfy’s The Magicians. He has recurred on the Paramount series Younger, NBC’s Aquarius, WGN’s Manhattan, and the CBS series Madam Secretary. Additional notable credits include Charlie Kaufman’s I’m Thinking of Ending Things; J.C. Chandor’s A Most Violent Year opposite Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac; HBO’s Random Acts of Flyness, The Night Of, and Looking; Netflix’s Grace and Frankie; and the CW series Gossip Girl. On stage, Jason starred in the New World Stages/Off-Broadway cast of Peter and the Starcatcher directed by Alex Timbers and Roger Reese. He was also seen as Chris Conrad in On the Head of Pin written and directed by Frank Winters. He is a founding member and former Artistic Director of the Strangemen Theater Company in New York City.
Rita Wolf most recently appeared in the musical United States v. Gupta at JACK in Brooklyn. She has been featured in Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance with the Transport Group and Out of Time at The Public Theater, both co-productions with The National Asian American Theatre Company; and The Michaels and What Happened? The Michaels Abroad, written and directed by Richard Nelson, at The Public Theater and Hunter College. Additional theater credits include An Ordinary Muslim at New York Theatre Workshop, The American Pilot at Manhattan Theatre Club, for which she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award, and the premiere of Tony Kushner's Homebody/Kabul at New York Theatre Workshop and BAM. Next spring, Wolf will be a Beinecke Fellow at the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University while appearing in Caryl Churchill's play Escaped Alone.
Rita Wolf most recently appeared in the musical United States v. Gupta at JACK in Brooklyn. She has been featured in Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance with the Transport Group and Out of Time at The Public Theater, both co-productions with The National Asian American Theatre Company; and The Michaels and What Happened? The Michaels Abroad, written and directed by Richard Nelson, at The Public Theater and Hunter College. Additional theater credits include An Ordinary Muslim at New York Theatre Workshop, The American Pilot at Manhattan Theatre Club, for which she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award, and the premiere of Tony Kushner's Homebody/Kabul at New York Theatre Workshop and BAM. Next spring, Wolf will be a Beinecke Fellow at the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University while appearing in Caryl Churchill's play Escaped Alone.
Tom Barbash is the author of four books as well as reviews, essays, and articles for publications such as McSweeney’s, Tin House, The Believer, Narrative Magazine, ZYZZYVA, and The New York Times. His short story collection Stay Up With Me was nominated for the Folio Prize and picked as a Best Book of the Year by the Independent of London, NPR, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the San Jose Mercury News. His most recent book, the novel The Dakota Winters, was a national bestseller and named as an Editors Choice by The New York Times Book Review. He teaches in the writing program at California College of the Arts.
Tom Barbash is the author of four books as well as reviews, essays, and articles for publications such as McSweeney’s, Tin House, The Believer, Narrative Magazine, ZYZZYVA, and The New York Times. His short story collection Stay Up With Me was nominated for the Folio Prize and picked as a Best Book of the Year by the Independent of London, NPR, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the San Jose Mercury News. His most recent book, the novel The Dakota Winters, was a national bestseller and named as an Editors Choice by The New York Times Book Review. He teaches in the writing program at California College of the Arts.
Vanessa Cuti's fiction has appeared in The Best American Short Stories 2021, The Kenyon Review, AGNI, West Branch, and others. She received her MFA from Stony Brook University and lives in the suburbs of New York City. The Tip Line (Crooked Lane, 2023) is her debut novel.
Vanessa Cuti's fiction has appeared in The Best American Short Stories 2021, The Kenyon Review, AGNI, West Branch, and others. She received her MFA from Stony Brook University and lives in the suburbs of New York City. The Tip Line (Crooked Lane, 2023) is her debut novel.
Tessa Hadley is the author of more than a dozen works of fiction and non-fiction, including the critical study Henry James and the Imagination of Pleasure, the short story collections Married Love and Bad Dreams, which was a New York Times Book Review Notable Book, and the novels Accidents in the Home, Everything Will Be Alright, Clever Girl, The Past, Late in the Day, and Free Love. Her writing has also appeared in The New Yorker and Granta. Hadley has been honored with the O. Henry Award, the Windham-Campbell Literature Prize, and the Edge Hill Short Story Prize, among others. She teaches creative writing at Bath Spa University in England. Hadley’s latest collection, After the Funeral, was published in July.
Tessa Hadley is the author of more than a dozen works of fiction and non-fiction, including the critical study Henry James and the Imagination of Pleasure, the short story collections Married Love and Bad Dreams, which was a New York Times Book Review Notable Book, and the novels Accidents in the Home, Everything Will Be Alright, Clever Girl, The Past, Late in the Day, and Free Love. Her writing has also appeared in The New Yorker and Granta. Hadley has been honored with the O. Henry Award, the Windham-Campbell Literature Prize, and the Edge Hill Short Story Prize, among others. She teaches creative writing at Bath Spa University in England. Hadley’s latest collection, After the Funeral, was published in July.
Ed Park is the author of the novels Personal Days and Same Bed Different Dreams. He is a founding editor of The Believer and has worked in newspapers, book publishing, and academia. His writing appears in The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, Harper’s Magazine, The Atlantic, and elsewhere. Born in Buffalo, he lives in Manhattan with his family.
Ed Park is the author of the novels Personal Days and Same Bed Different Dreams. He is a founding editor of The Believer and has worked in newspapers, book publishing, and academia. His writing appears in The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, Harper’s Magazine, The Atlantic, and elsewhere. Born in Buffalo, he lives in Manhattan with his family.
“The Wife on Ambien,” by Ed Park, as published in The New Yorker (July 16, 2017). Copyright © 2017 by Ed Park. Used by permission of the author.
“Bad Dreams,” by Tessa Hadley, from Bad Dreams and Other Stories (Harper, 2017). Copyright © 2017 by Tessa Hadley. Used by permission of the author.
“Stay Up With Me,” by Tom Barbash, from Stay Up With Me (Ecco, 2013). Copyright © 2013 by Tom Barbash. Used by permission of the author.
Excerpts from I Must Be Dreaming, by Roz Chast (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2023). Copyright © 2023 by Roz Chast. Used by permission of the author.
“Our Children,” by Vanessa Cuti, from The Best American Short Stories 2021 (Mariner Books, 2021). First published in West Branch (November 2020). Copyright © 2020 by Vanessa Cuti. Used by permission of the author.
Selected Shorts is supported by the Dungannon Foundation, creator of The Rea Award for the Short Story.
Symphony Space’s season of programming is also made possible by the generous support of Susan Bay Nimoy, Estate of Douglas M. Matheson, Seedlings Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, MacMillan Family Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Fund, Charina Endowment Fund, Henry Nias Foundation, The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, PECO Foundation, Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina, Mustang Foundation, Michael Tuch Foundation, Axe-Houghton Foundation, Jody and John Arnhold and the Arnhold Foundation, The Grodzins Fund, The Isambard Kingdom Brunel Society of North America, and Theatre Development Fund.
Programming is also made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.
Symphony Space thanks our generous supporters, including our Board of Directors, Producers Circle, and members, who make our programs possible with their annual support.
Floral Design by PlantShed
Kathy Landau Executive Director
Peg Wreen Managing Director
Isaiah Sheffer*
Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director (1978-1988)
Artistic Director (1988-2010)
Founding Artistic Director (2010-2012)
Allan Miller
Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director (1978-1988)
Jennifer Brennan Director of Literary Programs
Drew Richardson Lead Producer of Literary Programs
Vivienne Woodward Producer of Literary Programs
Mary Shimkin Director of Broadcast & Literary Initiatives
Sarah Montague Selected Shorts Radio Producer
Jenny Falcon Selected Shorts Radio Producer
Miles B. Smith Selected Shorts Recording Engineer
Matthew Love Consultant for Literary Programs
Magdalene Wrobleski Literary Assistant
Sophia Raimondi Literary Intern
Lulu Chatterjee Literary Intern
*in memoriam