Symphony Space Makes 2021-22 Season Available for HD Livestreaming
The lineup features numerous events in the renowned literature-in-performance series Selected Shorts and much more.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Nov. 23, 2021
Symphony Space today made livestreaming tickets available for its robust, wide-ranging 2021-22 season, realizing its ambition to emerge from the COVID-19 shutdown as an institution committed to a hybrid model, with live events streamed in real time to audiences straight from Symphony Space's stages in Manhattan.
Symphony Space already stands out among New York City cultural institutions for the reach of its programming, as its signature series Selected Shorts is heard by public radio and podcast listeners around the world. From the spring of 2020 through the summer of 2021, in an effort to keep its community of artists and audiences connected throughout the pandemic, Symphony Space reimagined the full range of its activities as virtual events, reaching, in the process, audiences in all 50 states and 56 countries.
In anticipation of reopening its doors again this fall, the organization built upon its commitment to accessibility and made a significant investment in state-of-the-art, multi-camera video streaming systems for its Peter Jay Sharp and Leonard Nimoy Thalia theaters that allow for broadcast in 4K resolution, with a remarkably crisp audio mix.
"If there's one thing we want to preserve from the unimaginably challenging last year and a half, it's Symphony Space's community having become a truly global one," said Symphony Space Executive Director Kathy Landau. "What distinguishes Symphony Space is that we produce cultural events that are one-time-only and only at Symphony Space. We're thrilled that now audiences everywhere can be here, in the moment, with us."
The virtual accessibility of Symphony Space's in-person programming kicks off at the start of a banner season for the institution. The lineup features numerous events in the renowned literature-in-performance series Selected Shorts, which engages celebrated actors to read classic and new short fiction before a live audience, including nights hosted by Mike Birbiglia & J. Hope Stein (December 8) and Alison Stewart (February 16, 2022).
In Symphony Space's Thalia Book Club, readers and writers meet for intimate conversations about compelling new books and favorite classics in fiction, essays, memoirs, and more. Among the upcoming events in the series are Amor Towles in conversation with Meg Wolitzer about Towles' The Lincoln Highway (December 7); Colson Whitehead with ZZ Packer, about Whitehead's Harlem Shuffle, (December 14); and Gish Jen with Jennifer Egan, about Jen's Thank You, Mr. Nixon (February 23, 2022). Audiences, both live and livestreaming, are invited to participate in the Q&A via text.
Writer Wajahat Ali and friends including Preet Bharara and Min Jin Lee come together on January 25, 2022, for a program of comedy, storytelling, and music bringing to life his book Go Back to Where You Came From, And Other Helpful Recommendations on How to Become American. Friends of Symphony Space-and of each other-Roz Chast, Patricia Marx, Suzzy Roche, Lucy Wainwright Roche, and Meg Wolitzer join forces in Everything But Dancing!, an evening of storytelling, song, and art, on March 22, 2022.
On March 26, 2022, Symphony Space bridges two signature series with Wall to Wall Selected Shorts, the organization's first literary Wall to Wall. For this monumental free event, Symphony Space has commissioned 35 new short stories from authors including Michael Cunningham, Edwidge Danticat, Dave Eggers, and Carmen Maria Machado, all of which will be included in the forthcoming book Small Odysseys: Selected Shorts Presents 35 New Stories (Algonquin Books, March 15, 2022). Actors TBA alongside commissioned choreographers, musicians, performers, and filmmakers including Heidi Latsky, Leonardo Sandoval, Lakecia Benjamin, Laura Gibson, and Adam Douglas Thompson will bring the stories to life.
Symphony Space will host three award-winning music luminaries in 2022 as part of its annual Music Residencies program: Grammy nominated saxophonist, bandleader, and composer Ravi Coltrane (February 3-5, 2022); eleven-time Grammy nominee Meshell Ndegeocello (February 24-26, 2022);
and Grammy-winning and two-time-Emmy-nominated American songster Dom Flemons (April 28-30, 2022).
Music programming also includes Revelry concerts by Lollise (December 9), Cumbia River Band (January 21, 2022), and Alea (March 17, 2022).
Throughout its history, Symphony Space has produced all-day, free Wall to Wall marathons of music by composers including Leonard Bernstein, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Stephen Sondheim. On May 14, 2022, the institution celebrates the 50th music event in the series-and meets the occasion with a joyful tribute to multi-hyphenate Quincy Jones.
In the 2022 edition of its annual Bloomsday on Broadway (June 16, 2022), Symphony Space celebrates the centenary of James Joyce's Ulysses with a newly commissioned production from Elevator Repair Service (ERS), the company behind Gatz and other thrilling theatricalizations of literary classics.
Symphony Space 2021-22 PROGRAMMING
[Literature in Performance]
Selected Shorts: A Night at the Theater
Wednesday, October 6
7:30pm
Peter Jay Sharp Theater
$32, $29 for Members, $17 for Those 30 and Under
Selected Shorts returns to the Symphony Space stage with a joyful night of short fiction about the triumphs and heartbreaks of life in the theater with a cast of characters including married, sparring divas and a cuckolded drummer. Hosted by Tony Award-winning actor Santino Fontana (Tootsie), with performances by Krystina Alabado (Mean Girls), Kathleen Chalfant (The Affair), Hugh Dancy (Hannibal), Claire Danes (Homeland), and Peter Francis James (Godfather of Harlem).
[Literature in Performance]
Thalia Book Club: John Lithgow: A Confederacy of Dumptys
Friday, October 8
7pm
Peter Jay Sharp Theater
$41, $38 for Members, $35 for Those 30 and Under (Prices Include the Book)
With the third installment of his bestselling collection of smart, satirical, and hilarious poetry, John Lithgow takes on political scoundrels once again! The award-winning actor, author, and illustrator is joined by Matthew Rhys (Perry Mason) for a deep dive into American history with readings, art, and conversation.
[Literature in Performance]
Billy Porter: Unprotected
Tuesday, October 19
8pm
Peter Jay Sharp Theater
$41, $38 for Members, $35 for Those 30 and Under (Prices Include Book)
The incomparable Emmy-, Grammy-, and Tony award-winner from Pose and Kinky Boots sits down with writer and director Tina Landau to talk about his powerful and revealing autobiography about race, sexuality, and art.
[Literature in Performance]
Selected Shorts: The Best American Short Stories 2021 with Guest Editor Jesmyn Ward
Wednesday, October 20
7:30pm
Peter Jay Sharp Theater
$32, $29 for Members, $17 for Those 30 and Under
Entertainment Weekly has described two-time National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward (Sing, Unburied, Sing) as "one of the most searing and singularly gifted writers working today." She joins virtually to introduce an evening of diverse and poignant stories curated from her selections for the most anticipated short story collection of the year, The Best American Short Stories 2021, published by Mariner Books. Series editor Heidi Pitlor is the host.
[Literature in Performance]
Thalia Book Club: Kirstin Valdez Quade, The Five Wounds
Monday, October 25
7pm
Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater
$26, $22 for Members, $17 for Those 30 and Under
The Five Wounds illuminates a New Mexican family's extraordinary year of love and sacrifice, as five generations converge around the birth of an unexpected baby. In The New York Times Book Review, Alexandra Chang called it "masterly," writing, "Quade has created a world bristling with compassion and humanity." Brit Bennett (The Vanishing Half) moderates the conversation.
[Literature in Performance]
Thalia Book Club: Elizabeth Strout, Oh William!
Thursday, October 28
7pm
Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater
$42, $38 for Members, $35 for Those 30 and Under - all tickets include a copy of the book
The beloved author of Olive Kitteridge and My Name Is Lucy Barton presents her latest novel, Oh William!, a return to the world of Lucy Barton in which the Pulitzer Prize-winning author explores the mysteries of marriage, family secrets, and the quiet forces that hold us together-even after we've grown apart. Alexander Chee (How to Write an Autobiographical Novel) moderates.
[Music]
Revelry: Cillian Vallely and Kevin Crawford
Friday, October 29
7:30pm
Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater
$30, $26 for Members, $20 for Those 30 and Under
Flute player Cillian Vallely and uilleann piper Kevin Crawford, both members of Lúnasa, one of the most acclaimed and influential bands in the recent history of Irish music, are joined by guitarist Alan Murray for an evening of incredible music.
[Literature in Performance]
Thalia Book Club: Kal Penn, You Can't Be Serious
Tuesday, November 2
7pm
Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater
$41, $38 for Members, $35 for Those 30 and Under - all tickets include a copy of the book
Produced in Collaboration with Strand Book Store
The multi-talented actor, writer, producer, and former Obama staffer shares his first book, You Can't Be Serious. This refreshingly candid memoir follows Penn's surprising journey from smoking fake weed with a fake President in Harold & Kumar to serving the country and advising a real one.
[Literature in Performance]
Selected Shorts: Ploughshares at 50 with Claire Messud and James Wood
Tuesday, November 9
7:30pm
Peter Jay Sharp Theater
$29 for Members, $32 for Non-Members, $17 for Those 30 and Under
Ploughshares has discovered and cultivated the freshest voices in contemporary American literature since 1971, and continues to provide readers with thoughtful and entertaining writing curated by guest editors such as Elizabeth Strout, Celeste Ng, and Tracy K. Smith. Find out why The New York Times named Ploughshares "the Triton among minnows" when Symphony Space teams up to present a night of engaging and surprising stories from the beloved literary journal. Hosted by husband-and-wife literary couple Claire Messud (The Woman Upstairs) and James Wood (How Fiction Works), the event features virtual appearances by Aimee Bender and Jamel Brinkley.
[Literature in Performance]
Thalia Book Club: Sarah Ruhl: Smile: The Story of a Face
Wednesday, November 10
7pm
Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater
$26, $22 for Members, $17 for Those 30 and Under
The author and MacArthur Award-winning playwright behind the Pulitzer Prize finalist In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play) sits down with Cynthia Nixon (Sex and the City) to discuss her extraordinary memoir. In a series of piercing, witty, and lucid meditations, Ruhl chronicles her 10-year journey starting with her Bell's palsy diagnosis and the transformation that followed. Gloria Steinem has written, "With poignancy and power, Smile helps us all to find ways of expressing our internal truth. It helped me to both learn and grow."
[Music]
Revelry: Mile Twelve
Thursday, November 11
7:30pm
Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater
$30, $26 for Members, $20 for Those 30 and Under
Rooted in traditional bluegrass music, Mile Twelve deliver grit, groove, and genre-bending virtuosity.
[Comedy]
Uptown Showdown: Style Vs. Sweats
Tuesday, November 30
7:30pm
Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater
$16
The year was 2020, and pantslessness was the norm. Buttons were verboten. Casual wear became formalwear, and formalwear became laughable. If the pandemic redefined fashion forever, what does it mean to have style? These comedic debaters are brave enough to put on pants and find out.
[Literature in Performance]
Thalia Book Club: Amor Towles: The Lincoln Highway
Tuesday, December 7
7pm
Peter Jay Sharp Theater
$26, $22 for Members, $17 for Those 30 and Under
The bestselling author of A Gentleman in Moscow and Rules of Civility comes to the Thalia Book Club with his latest novel about a young man escaping his past and discovering a surprising future in New York City. Set in 1950s America and told from multiple points of view, The Lincoln Highway is an absorbing, sophisticated novel filled with richly imagined settings and characters.
[Literature in Performance]
Selected Shorts: Jokes and Poems with Mike Birbiglia and J. Hope Stein
Wednesday, December 8
7:30pm
Peter Jay Sharp Theater
$32, $29 for Members, $17 for Those 30 and Under
Comedian Mike Birbiglia and poet J. Hope Stein have collaborated on a number of projects, including marriage and parenthood. They bring their dynamic partnership and unique observations on life to Selected Shorts for an evening of hilarious, big-hearted, poignant short stories, poetry, and, of course, a joke or two.
[Music]
Revelry: Lollise
Thursday, December 9
7:30pm
Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater
$30, $26 for Members, $20 for Those 30 and Under
Through vibrant sounds, colors, and movement, Lollise sings lush songs of real and imagined worlds, blending Afrobeat, soul, and electronic music.
[Literature in Performance]
Thalia Book Club: Colson Whitehead: Harlem Shuffle
Tuesday, December 14
7pm
Peter Jay Sharp Theater
$26, $22 for Members, $17 for Those 30 and Under
Produced in Collaboration with Greenlight Bookstore
Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Colson Whitehead (The Underground Railroad, The Nickel Boys) returns to Symphony Space with his latest novel, the highly anticipated Harlem Shuffle. A brilliant love letter to 1960s Harlem, Harlem Shuffle is a multigenerational family saga in the guise of a crime thriller, intricately plotted and richly detailed. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly has called the book "a sizzling heist novel set in civil rights-era Harlem" and "a superlative story," adding that "the most impressive achievement is Whitehead's loving depiction of a Harlem 60 years gone-'that rustling, keening thing of people and concrete'-which lands as detailed and vivid as Joyce's Dublin. Don't be surprised if this one wins Whitehead another major award." ZZ Packer (Drinking Coffee Elsewhere) moderates.
[Literature in Performance]
Selected Shorts: A Centennial Celebration of Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Wednesday, January 19, 2022
7:30pm
Peter Jay Sharp Theater
$32, $29 for Members, $17 for Those 30 and Under
Produced in Cooperation with Library of America
In 1922, one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century was born, and through his darkly comic works he spoke out about the ravages of war, political corruption, social injustice, and human foibles. We honor this prolific, complex, and remarkable author with an evening of humorous and poignant short fiction curated from the posthumously published collection, Complete Works.
[Music]
Revelry: Cumbia River Band
Friday, January 21, 2022
7:30pm
Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater
$30, $26 for Members, $20 for Those 30 and Under
Cumbia River Band's sound draws from a festive repertoire of Colombian cumbia music. Its joyous energy will have the audience on its feet.
[Literature in Performance]
Go Back to Where You Came From!
With Wajahat Ali and Friends
Tuesday, January 25, 2022
7pm
Peter Jay Sharp Theater
$42, $38 for Members, $35 for Those 30 and Under - all tickets include a copy of the book
Symphony Space and the Asian American Writers' Workshop present a celebration of journalist, playwright, and political activist Wajahat Ali's funny, wise, and necessary memoir Go Back to Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations on How to Become American. Emceed by Ali, this evening of storytelling, comedy, and music will probe the highs and lows of the American immigrant experience, featuring acclaimed writer Min Jin Lee (Pachinko) and more.
[Music]
Ravi Coltrane in Residence
February 3-5, 2022
Grammy nominated saxophonist, bandleader, and composer Ravi Coltrane explores the world of jazz in this three-night musical celebration. Coltrane will join handpicked musicians for two nights of performances in the Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater, and will close things out with a spectacular evening of jazz, featuring the groundbreaking music of his parents, John and Alice Coltrane, in a world premiere event in the Peter Jay Sharp Theater.
Ravi Coltrane & Special Guests
Thursday, February 3, 2022
7:30pm
Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater
$30, $26 for Members, $20 for Those 30 and Under
Ravi Coltrane & Special Guests
Friday, February 4, 2022
7:30pm
Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater
$30, $26 for Members, $20 for Those 30 and Under
Cosmic Music: A Contemporary Exploration into the Music of John and Alice Coltrane (World Premiere)
Saturday, February 5, 2022
8pm
Peter Jay Sharp Theater
$35-$45, $30-$38 for Members, $25 for Those 30 and Under
[Literature in Performance]
Selected Shorts: All of It with Alison Stewart
Wednesday, February 16, 2022
7:30pm
Peter Jay Sharp Theater
$32, $29 for Members, $17 for Those 30 and Under
Award-winning journalist, anchor, author, and host of the hit WNYC radio show All of It, Alison Stewart has been telling stories her entire career, so she's a perfect host for a night of Selected Shorts. In keeping with her show's vision that All of It is for all of us, the evening will feature stories that showcase varied perspectives and diverse experiences. Stewart will rally fans of her popular Get Lit on-air book club to recommend favorite short fiction.
[Literature in Performance]
Thalia Book Club: Gish Jen: Thank You, Mr. Nixon
Wednesday, February 23, 2022
7pm
Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater
$26, $22 for Members, $17 for Those 30 and Under
The master storyteller behind The Resisters discusses her first short story collection since the award-winning Who's Irish? With compassion and humor, the eleven stories in this linked collection embark on a journey through U.S.-Chinese relations, capturing not only the excitement of a world on the brink of tectonic change, but the all-too-human encounters that ensue as East meets West.
[Music]
Meshell Ndegeocello in Residence
February 24-26, 2022
Meshell Ndegeocello's music touches upon a dizzying array of genres, drawing on everything from soul to funk; jazz to hip hop; folk to rock, and more. In this Symphony Space Residency, Ndegeocello highlights the broad range of her talents with a special Ndegeocello concert of her own music, and two nights in which she introduces audiences to new and exciting artists she finds inspiring.
Meshell Ndegeocello Presents...
February 24, 2022
7:30pm
Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater
$30, $26 for Members, $20 for Those 30 and Under
Meshell Ndegeocello introduces audiences to a handpicked musical artist, who will perform a set of music. Ndegeocello will sit in on a few songs along the way.
Meshell Ndegeocello Presents...
February 25, 2022
7:30pm
Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater
$30, $26 for Members, $20 for Those 30 and Under
Meshell Ndegeocello introduces audiences to a handpicked musical artist, who will perform a set of music. Ndegeocello will sit in on a few songs along the way.
February 26, 2022
Peter Jay Sharp Theater
$35-55, $30-47 for Members, $30 for Those 30 and Under
Meshell Ndegeocello's music touches upon a dizzying array of genres, touching on everything from soul to funk; from jazz to hip hop; from folk to rock, and just about everything in between. In this special evening of music, Ndegeocello highlights the broad range of her talents.
[Music]
Revelry: Alea
Thursday, March 17, 2022
7:30pm
Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater
$30, $26 for Members, $20 for Those 30 and Under
With an electrifying blend of cumbia, porro, huapango, pop, Flamenco, and more, Alea makes her Symphony Space debut in what promises to be an invigorating night of music and inspiring messages about being unapologetically true to self.
[Literature in Performance/Music]
Everything But Dancing!
An Evening of Stories, Songs, and Drawings
With Roz Chast, Patricia Marx, Suzzy Roche, Lucy Wainwright Roche, and Meg Wolitzer
Tuesday, March 22, 2022
7pm
Peter Jay Sharp Theater
Starting at $22 for Members, $26 for Non-Members, $17 for Those 30 and Under
Cartoonist Roz Chast, humorist Patricia Marx (with their ukulele duo, Ukelear Meltdown), mother-daughter singer-songwriters Suzzy Roche and Lucy Wainwright Roche, and best-selling author Meg Wolitzer collaborate on an evening of music, literature, art, and laughter.
[Literature in Performance]
Wall to Wall Selected Shorts
Saturday, March 26, 2022
Time TBA
Peter Jay Sharp Theater
Free
Symphony Space presents a free all-day marathon celebrating its pioneering literature-in-performance series. For this event, and for the collection Small Odysseys: Selected Shorts Presents 35 New Stories (Algonquin Books, March 15, 2022), the institution has commissioned 35 new stories by some of today's most highly regarded writers: Rabih Alameddine, Jenny Allen, Aimee Bender, Marie-Helene Bertino, Jai Chakrabarti, Patrick Cottrell, Elizabeth Crane, Michael Cunningham, Patrick Dacey, Edwidge Danticat, Dave Eggers, Omar El Akkad, Lauren Groff, Jacob Guajardo, A.M. Homes, Mira Jacob, Jac Jemc, Etgar Keret, Lisa Ko, Victor LaValle, J. Robert Lennon, Ben Loory, Carmen Maria Machado, Juan Martinez, Maile Meloy, Joe Meno, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Susan Perabo, Helen Phillips, Namwali Serpell, Rivers Solomon, Elizabeth Strout, Luis Alberto Urrea, Jess Walter, and Weike Wang. Wall to Wall Selected Shorts will feature actors TBA reading these works, as well as world-premiere commissions from saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin, choreographer-dancers Heidi Latsky and Leonardo Sandoval, choreographer Larry Keigwin, singer Laura Gibson, illustrator/filmmaker Adam Douglas Thompson, and more.
[Music]
Dom Flemons, The American Songster, in Residence
April 28-30, 2022
GRAMMY Award-winner, two-time Emmy Nominee, and 2020 United States Artists Fellow Dom Flemons is known as "The American Songster" because his repertoire of music covers over 100 years of early American popular music. Flemons is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, actor, music scholar, historian, and record collector, and one of the founding members of The Carolina Chocolate Drops-and an expert player on the banjo, guitar, harmonica, jug, percussion, quills, fife and rhythm bones. Each of his Residency shows will highlight a distinct style of early American music and instruments.
African-American Songster Night
Thursday, April 28, 2022
7:30pm
Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater
$30, $26 for Members, $20 for Those 30 and Under
Flemons performs an evening of music by African-American songwriters and performers, accompanied by historic images, selected by Flemons, to add depth and meaning to the evening's works.
Cowboy Night with Special Guest Andy Hedges
Friday, April 29, 2022
7:30pm
Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater
$30, $26 for Members, $20 for Those 30 and Under
Flemons and special guest Andy Hedges pay tribute to the music, culture, and history of the Old West with music from Flemons' seminal Smithsonian Folkways release Black Cowboys, which follows the footsteps of the thousands of African American pioneers who helped build the United States of America. Flemons and Hedges will each play a set, followed by an illuminating conversation and a short collaborative performance.
Bluegrass Night with Special Guest Tony Trischka
Saturday, April 30, 2022
7:30pm
Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater
$30, $26 for Members, $20 for Those 30 and Under
Dom Flemons, and special guest Tony Trischka celebrate the banjo and its revelatory place in American bluegrass music. Flemons and Trischka will each play a set, and will close this festive evening with a discussion and performance together.
[Music]
Wall to Wall Quincy Jones
Saturday, May 14, 2022
3pm-11pm
Peter Jay Sharp Theater
FREE
Over the course of a seven-decade career as a composer, musician, arranger, and producer, Quincy Jones has won scores of honors, including 28 GRAMMY Awards (and garnered a staggering 80 nominations), tying him with Alison Krauss as the most awarded living person, and making him the second-highest GRAMMY winner of all time. The New York Times has described Jones as "the connecting tissue among all significant modes of popular music in the 20th century and beyond." Through music, dance, and conversation, Symphony Space takes a deep dive into the extraordinary career of Quincy Jones, celebrating his creative legacy. From his roots as a jazz musician, to his work as a producer with musical luminaries including Aretha Franklin, Frank Sinatra, and Lena Horne, inspiration abounds in what promises to be an unforgettable event.
[Theater/Literature in Performance]
Bloomsday on Broadway xxX: Ulysses Turns 100
June 16, 2022
Peter Jay Sharp Theater
Time and Ticket Prices TBA
Symphony Space's annual Bloomsday on Broadway offers artists the chance to apply their own vision to the James Joyce masterpiece Ulysses, displaying across the decades the vast inspiration a brilliant work can have, the prismatic interpretations it can provoke, and the many forms in which it can live on. In 2022, Ulysses turns 100, and Symphony Space celebrates the novel's 100th birthday with the premiere of a commissioned work by the acclaimed experimental theater company Elevator Repair Service. The New York Times dubbed ERS's 2010 hit Gatz "the most remarkable achievement in theater not only of this year but also of this decade" and praised it for "captur[ing]-in inventively theatrical terms-the unmatchable, heady rush of falling in love with a book." ERS now brings Ulysses to life with a fully staged, original production. Additional programming Bloomsday on Broadway xxX programming will be announced closer to the event.
For more information visit: https://www.symphonyspace.org/
Comments
Videos