Short Stories Anecdotes Musings On Selected Shorts

By Jose Baker


While there are a number of different formats when it comes to short stories, one of the most enjoyable can be listening to shorts on the radio. In fact, it was over 30 years ago, that the program Selected Shorts was created and quickly became one of the most popular radio shows of its kind. The show was conceived as a simple premise, to have actors of stage and screen perform radio scripts of stories by emerging and well known writers of short stories anecdotes musings and at times, comedic interruption.

The series is recorded live on Broadway at the Porter Square Theater at Symphony Space in New York City. Like the radio program, the live show is extremely popular with almost every show sold out well in advance of show date. While considered one of the premiere series in which reading plays a part, the associated podcasts also rates highly on iTunes and public radio.

The diverse and unique themes of each week's show on which a work is based is mostly likely the reason for the show's ongoing popularity. For, the show most often has themes which tie into some aspect of life, love, religion or politics. In one of the most recent episodes, the reader is reading a story called "There Was Once, " during the episode, Margaret Atwood interrupts anytime there is questionable material, none of which is that politically incorrect.

Some recent readers and past performers have included BD Wong, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Josh Radnor, Joan Allen, Holly Hunter, Sigourney Weaver, Blythe Danner, Anika Noni Rose, Zachary Quinto, Jane Curtain, Paul Giamatti, Michael C. Hall, Maulik Pancholy, Michael Shannon, Claire Danes, Edie Falco, Kathleen Turner, Ellen Burstyn and many others. With each show being different, even when actors or well known artists reappear on the program, it is always a new experience.

For individuals whom can travel to New York City and see a live show, it is well worth seeing. Still, just being able to listen to different episodes live and on demand can provide hours of entertainment and enjoyment whether day or night. As such, downloading the KERA or other public broadcasting app so that shows can be listened to on an On Demand basis is often a great way to get started on an interesting and unique listening journey.

While some shorts work well over the radio waves, others need a larger platform. For example, stories which take longer than thirty to sixty minutes though are still shorter than most first run films are often better on film. For, when a story is that long, it can often be difficult for audiences to stay connected on a listening only basis.

Whether looking to make or watch short films, it can often be a fun though involved process. In some cases, these films are produced as student films by college students as part of a theater arts program. Whereas, others are made by independent artists whom then submit films to various contests and festivals such as Sundance or South By Southwest.

Ultimately, whether listening to Selected Shorts, reading or writing Flash Fiction or entering a film into a local, regional or national contest, readers and writers can often gain a great deal of enjoyment. If interested in the radio program, most PBS stations in the United States have a local outlet which most likely has an App for Android and IPhone in which listeners can select a number of programs from the On Demand menu free of charge.




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