Looking ahead to the 2025 portion of the 2024-2025 Bankhead Presents season, there is a special matinee performance for which Livermore Valley Arts is thrilled to be able to finally announce casting. Satisfying the theatergoers of the Tri-Valley, after last season’s presentation with celebrities Tony Hale, Jane Kaczmarek, and Mara Wilson, Selected Shorts will be returning on Sunday, February 2 to The Bankhead, where several Hollywood will be reading stories tailored for Livermore in this back-by-popular-demand live theatrical experience. Featuring some absolute stars and stories that will entertain and transport audiences, this exciting performance will be at the beautiful Bankhead Theater in Downtown Livermore.

Original. Fresh. Storytelling. Back by popular demand! Selected Shorts returns, a live theatrical
experience where three to four stories, mostly fiction, sometimes classic, sometimes new,
sometimes funny, always moving, are read by great actors from stage, screen, and television,
who bring these short stories to life. Selected Shorts began in 1985 and has enjoyed sold-out
performances to this day, conceived with a simple premise: take great stories by well-known and
emerging writers and have them performed by terrific actors of stage and screen. Each Selected
Shorts is a unique night of literature in performance. Produced by Symphony Space in New
York City and broadcast on more than 150 stations around the country, the stories presented live
at Selected Shorts are often featured on the hit public radio show and podcast, which reaches
hundreds of thousands of listeners each week.

UPDATED ACTOR LINE-UP: The cast for Selected Shorts at The Bankhead will be Justin Kirk (Succession, Weeds), Richa Moorjani (Fargo, Never Have I Ever), and Kirsten Vangsness (Criminal Minds), who will all be reading stories tailored for Livermore in this back-by-popular-demand live theatrical experience, sharing stories around the theme of The Power of Togetherness emphasizing what happens in moments of great cooperation, competing desires, and unexpected encounters in works by Roxanne Gay, Ann Beattie, Rachel Kushner and Lily King.

The theme selected for Livermore and our community will be “Better Together,” providing a truly memorable afternoon performance with stories connected through the theme of
belonging, celebrating the power of togetherness with classic and contemporary short fiction
featuring characters that push one another to unexpected conclusions, stories that emphasize
what happens in moments of great cooperation, competing desires, and unexpected encounters.
Transporting us through the magic of fiction, one short story at a time, this ‘story time for adults’
presents spellbinding narratives by both established and emerging writers that take on new life
when they are performed by the stars of stage and screen. Experience live an unforgettable and
original matinee of funny and moving performances brought to life by some of Hollywood’s
best. Join in the magic of storytelling come alive with these starry celebrities performing
Selected Shorts live at The Bankhead—grab your partner, best friend, or your arch-nemesis on
February 2 and find out why two heads are better than one in Downtown Livermore! (Note: The
show may contain adult language and content.)

Tickets for shows in the 2024-2025 Bankhead Presents season are available online, by calling
925-373-6800, or at the box office windows. For a complete list of events, visit: https://livermorearts.org/ (Actors subject to change.)

All photos are courtesy of the Bankhead Theater

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Livermore Valley Arts is an independent 501(c)3 non-profit offering wide-ranging programs that
provide access to the arts for the Tri-Valley community and beyond. The Bankhead Theater and
Bothwell Arts Center are home to eight resident performing arts companies and over 40 studio
artists and cultural arts instructors. LivermoreArts.org
Show: Selected Shorts: Let Us Tell You A Story
Date/Time: Sunday, February 2, 2025 at 3:00 pm
Tickets: $25—$70 ($25 student/military personnel) / Groups of 10 or more save 20%
Dates, times, and ticket prices for other events available at www.LivermoreArts.org