A lot of people listen to SELECTED SHORTS in their cars.  In this program, the characters are in their cars—running from a bad love affair in the first piece, and toward a natural disaster in the second.

Our first story, “Fruit and Words,” is a typically fantastical account by Aimee Bender of a woman who finds an unusual fruit stand. The story is read by read by film (“My Beautiful Laundrette”) and theater actor Rita Wolf. 

Next, SHORTS host Isaiah Sheffer reads a T.C. Boyle’s powerful “La Conchita,” in which a man gunning his car up the Pacific Coast Highway on an emergency medical mission encounters an even greater emergency, and makes important discoveries about himself.  “La Conchita,” was chosen by SELECTED SHORTS listeners as the story they most wished to hear performed for the series.

The musical interlude is “Breathe  Something/Stellar Star,” by Flying Lotus and the SELECTED SHORTS theme is Roger Kellaway’s “Come to the Meadow.”

For additional works featured on SELECTED SHORTS, please visit http://www.symphonyspace.org/genres/seriesPage.php?seriesId=71&genreId=4

We’re interested in your response to these programs.  Please comment on this site or visit www.selectedshorts.org

And for more thoughts on the stories in SHORTS, check out literary commentator Hannah Tinti’s site at http://hannahtinti.com

“Fruit and Words” by Aimee Bender, performed by Rita Wolf  “La Conchita” by T.C. Boyle, performed by Isaiah Sheffer.