The Adams Theater announces new cast members for their upcoming show “Selected Shorts” on May 23, 2026 at 7:30pm. Critically-acclaimed actors Tony Shaloub and Brooke Adams join David Strathairn and others for this presentation of Symphony Space’s legendary show at The Adams Theater, 27 Park Street, Adams, MA, 01220. For tickets, please visit here.
The popular radio show and podcast Selected Shorts presents an evening of funny, moving, and surprising stories about people on the margins. Join us for an unforgettable night as acclaimed actors perform short fiction about rebels, newcomers, and lone wolves—celebrating how life on the outside can spark fresh perspective and the unexpected moments that turn strangers into insiders.
Our greatest actors transport us through the magic of fiction, one short story at a time. Sometimes funny, always moving, Selected Shorts connects you to the world with a rich diversity of voices from literature, film, theater, and comedy.
(Actors subject to change.)
Tony Shalhoub is a Tony, Golden Globe, and four-time Emmy Award-winning actor. He recently returned to his iconic role as detective Adrian Monk in Peacock’s critically acclaimed Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie, earning ‘Best Actor’ nominations from the SAG and Critics’ Choice Awards. After graduating from the Yale School of Drama in 1980, he spent his early career with the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, MA, before moving to New York.
His Broadway credits include starring roles in The Band’s Visit, Arthur Miller’s The Price, Act One, Golden Boy, Lend Me a Tenor, Conversations With My Father, The Heidi Chronicles, and The Odd Couple (Female Version). Film credits include Play Dirty, Flamin’ Hot, Pain & Gain, Men In Black 1 & 2, Galaxy Quest, The Siege, The Man Who Wasn’t There, Linoleum, Big Night, A Civil Action, Spy Kids 1 & 2, Final Portrait, Barton Fink, and voicing ‘Luigi’ in the Cars franchise. Television credits include The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Monk, Braindead, Nurse Jackie, Wings, Too Big to Fail, Hemingway & Gellhorn, and MGM+’s American Classic.
Brooke Adams began acting at age six in her father’s summer theater and has built a celebrated career across stage and screen. Her extensive theater credits include Broadway’s The Heidi Chronicles, Key Exchange, The Old Neighborhood (A.R.T.), and recently Samuel Beckett’s Happy Days across the country. On film, she has starred in classics like Days of Heaven, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Dead Zone, and Gas Food Lodging. She also produced and starred in Made-Up and the web series All Downhill From Here, both created with her sister Lynne Adams. Her television work includes Thirtysomething, Monk, and BrainDead.
Also an accomplished watercolor painter, Adams took a hiatus from acting in 1993 to study art, successfully reawakening a lifelong passion. Recently, the re-release of her 1981 film Vengeance is Mine at the Film Forum prompted a glowing retrospective of her work at the Harvard Film Archive. In both her acting and her painting, Adams brings a signature liveliness, familiarity, and heart to all her work.
David Strathairn’s Oscar-nominated portrayal of Edward R. Murrow in Good Night, and Good Luck, directed by George Clooney, remains one of the standout performances of his prolific career. His film work includes the Oscar-winning Nomadland, the popular drama Where the Crawdads Sing, and major productions such as Nightmare Alley, Lincoln, and The River Wild, starring Meryl Streep. Other notable films include A League of Their Own, L.A. Confidential, and the Bourne film series. A frequent collaborator of independent filmmaker John Sayles, Strathairn has appeared in many of his films. His television credits span from early work on The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd to roles in The Sopranosand the sci-fi hit The Expanse. He received an Emmy nomination for Hemingway & Gellhorn and won the Emmy for Best Supporting Actor for his performance inTemple Grandin, starring Claire Danes. Strathairn is also a frequent and beloved guest at Symphony Space’s Selected Shorts, where his storytelling has captivated live audiences for years.
Selected Shorts is produced by Symphony Space in New York City and broadcast on more than 150 stations around the country. The Selected Shorts podcast consistently ranks as one of the most popular podcasts on iTunes, with over 100,000 downloads every week. The series began in 1985 and enjoys sold-out performances to this day. Selected Shorts was 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. Live events are often co-hosted by writers or involve a special collaboration with literary publications, podcasts, museums, and more. Each Selected Shorts is a unique reading of literature in performance.
The Adams Theater‘s mission is to create a long-lasting multimedia arts institution that fosters community engagement through a diverse range of programming. We create a cultural hub that bridges rural communities and world-class culture, strengthening access, inclusion, and downtown revitalization in Adams. Collaborating extensively with independent artists and other cultural organizations in the Berkshires, the Adams Theater celebrates creative partnerships and promotes cultural dialogues. Learn more at www.adamstheater.org.
