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Event Program
TUE, MAY 07 | 7:30PM
DISCUSSION
Jessica St. Clair and Casey Wilson
SPECIAL GUESTS
Jake Cornell and Phoebe Robinson
A CONVERSATION WITH THE AUDIENCE
All tickets come with a copy of The Art of Small Talk audiobook.
Ticket buyers will receive download instructions via email in advance of the May 7 event.
There will not be a book signing at this event.
Actress and writer Jessica St. Clair initially gained notoriety by performing at the legendary Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in New York and Los Angeles. With her writing partner, Lennon Parham, she went on to co-create and co-star in Best Friends Forever on NBC in 2012 and the critically acclaimed Playing House in 2014, which ran for three seasons on USA Network. She starred in not one—but two—space comedies: Space Force, opposite Steve Carrell on Netflix, and Avenue 5, opposite Hugh Laurie on HBO. Additional television credits include recurring appearances on HBO’s award-winning comedy Veep and guest-starring appearances on Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Goldbergs, How I Met Your Father, American Housewife, Weeds, and Bob’s Burgers.
Actress and writer Jessica St. Clair initially gained notoriety by performing at the legendary Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in New York and Los Angeles. With her writing partner, Lennon Parham, she went on to co-create and co-star in Best Friends Forever on NBC in 2012 and the critically acclaimed Playing House in 2014, which ran for three seasons on USA Network. She starred in not one—but two—space comedies: Space Force, opposite Steve Carrell on Netflix, and Avenue 5, opposite Hugh Laurie on HBO. Additional television credits include recurring appearances on HBO’s award-winning comedy Veep and guest-starring appearances on Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Goldbergs, How I Met Your Father, American Housewife, Weeds, and Bob’s Burgers.
Casey Wilson is an actress, writer, author, director, and podcaster. Her first book, The Wreckage of My Presence, was a New York Times bestseller and is currently being adapted for TV. Some of her more recent television credits include The Shrink Next Door alongside Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd, and The Righteous Gemstones. Additionally, she starred in Showtime’s Black Monday and co-starred in HBO’s Mrs. Fletcher, opposite Kathryn Hahn. She was a featured player on Saturday Night Live for two seasons and a series regular on the sitcoms Marry Me and the critically acclaimed Happy Endings. Film credits include Gone Girl, The Disaster Artist, Always Be My Maybe, and Julie and Julia. Together with Danielle Schneider, Casey co-hosts the cult-favorite podcast Bitch Sesh, which was nominated for a Critic’s Choice Award in 2019. Her directorial debut, Daddio, which she also co-wrote and starred in, premiered at TIFF and South by Southwest in 2019. Alongside her longtime collaborator, June Diane Raphael, she co-wrote and co-starred in the film Bridewars as well as Ass Backwards, which premiered at Sundance.
Casey Wilson is an actress, writer, author, director, and podcaster. Her first book, The Wreckage of My Presence, was a New York Times bestseller and is currently being adapted for TV. Some of her more recent television credits include The Shrink Next Door alongside Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd, and The Righteous Gemstones. Additionally, she starred in Showtime’s Black Monday and co-starred in HBO’s Mrs. Fletcher, opposite Kathryn Hahn. She was a featured player on Saturday Night Live for two seasons and a series regular on the sitcoms Marry Me and the critically acclaimed Happy Endings. Film credits include Gone Girl, The Disaster Artist, Always Be My Maybe, and Julie and Julia. Together with Danielle Schneider, Casey co-hosts the cult-favorite podcast Bitch Sesh, which was nominated for a Critic’s Choice Award in 2019. Her directorial debut, Daddio, which she also co-wrote and starred in, premiered at TIFF and South by Southwest in 2019. Alongside her longtime collaborator, June Diane Raphael, she co-wrote and co-starred in the film Bridewars as well as Ass Backwards, which premiered at Sundance.
Jake Cornell is a Brooklyn-based comedian, actor, and writer. He gained notoriety through his hilarious portrayals of characters such as a gay Brooklyn dad, a TikTok astrologer, and Kyrsten Sinema’s stylist. His ability to blend absurdity with sharp social observations landed him on Vogue’s list of the 8 Funniest Accounts on TikTok. He has also been featured in The Cut, Broadway World, and Logo TV. His show Man & Woman, co-created with Marcia Belsky, ran at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival summer 2022 to critical acclaim. Jake’s new solo show, Hey Big Guy, recently debuted in New York to sold-out crowds and is going on tour this summer.
Jake Cornell is a Brooklyn-based comedian, actor, and writer. He gained notoriety through his hilarious portrayals of characters such as a gay Brooklyn dad, a TikTok astrologer, and Kyrsten Sinema’s stylist. His ability to blend absurdity with sharp social observations landed him on Vogue’s list of the 8 Funniest Accounts on TikTok. He has also been featured in The Cut, Broadway World, and Logo TV. His show Man & Woman, co-created with Marcia Belsky, ran at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival summer 2022 to critical acclaim. Jake’s new solo show, Hey Big Guy, recently debuted in New York to sold-out crowds and is going on tour this summer.
Phoebe Robinson is a standup comedian, bestselling author, producer, actress, and publisher. She is the author of the essay collections You Can’t Touch My Hair; Everything’s Trash, But It’s Okay; and Please Don't Sit on My Bed in Your Outside Clothes. In 2020, she launched her own imprint, Tiny Reparations Books. Robinson is also the co-creator and co-star of the podcast 2 Dope Queens and HBO series of the same name. Additional onscreen work includes the TV adaptation of Everything’s Trash and the standup special Sorry, Harriet Tubman, both of which are produced by her company, Tiny Reparations. She most recently received the Variety’s Comedy Innovator Award for her work and continued contribution in comedy.
Phoebe Robinson is a standup comedian, bestselling author, producer, actress, and publisher. She is the author of the essay collections You Can’t Touch My Hair; Everything’s Trash, But It’s Okay; and Please Don't Sit on My Bed in Your Outside Clothes. In 2020, she launched her own imprint, Tiny Reparations Books. Robinson is also the co-creator and co-star of the podcast 2 Dope Queens and HBO series of the same name. Additional onscreen work includes the TV adaptation of Everything’s Trash and the standup special Sorry, Harriet Tubman, both of which are produced by her company, Tiny Reparations. She most recently received the Variety’s Comedy Innovator Award for her work and continued contribution in comedy.
This program is made possible thanks to 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, The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, PECO Foundation, Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina, Mustang Foundation, Michael Tuch Foundation, Jody and John Arnhold and the Arnhold Foundation, The Grodzins Fund, and The Isambard Kingdom Brunel Society of North America.
This program 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.
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
Matthew Love Consultant for Literary Programs
Magdalene Wrobleski Literary Assistant
Sophia Raimondi Literary Intern
Lulu Chatterjee Literary Intern
*in memoriam