The popular Symphony series "Selected Shorts:  A Celebration of the Short Story" employs many stage stars (as well as screen stars) reading classic and bold new stories, which are recorded live at Symphony Space for later broadcast. The program is now in its 20th radio season. "Selected Shorts: Timeless Classics," to be released Oct. 19, will feature Marian Seldes (Dedication, Dinner at Eight) providing her voice to Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery," Maria Tucci (The Rose Tattoo, The Stendhal Syndrome) reading Edith Wharton's "Roman Fever," James Naughton voices Raymond Carver "Cathedral," John Shea (Down the Garden Paths, The Director) does D.H. Lawrence's "The Rocking Horse Winner," Charles Keating (A Man of No Importance, Loot) on Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game," Steven Gilborn (Principia Scriptoriae) reading Jack London's "Make Westing" and librettist-lyricist Isaiah Sheffer (Yiddle with a Fiddle) — who is also Symphony Space's artistic director — performing James Thurber's "The Night the Ghost Got In."

The first live "Selected Shorts" event of this fall season occurs on the album's release date, Oct. 19 at 6:30 PM at Symphony Space. Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Michael Chabon will introduce stories from "The Best American Short Stories 2005." Future hosts and performers are to include Jane Fonda, Hope Davis, Andy Borowitz and Jonathan Safran Foer.

Three earlier album releases of Selected Shorts (on CD or 15 cassette volumes) on themes ranging from baseball to love are currently available. For information on "Selected Shorts" at Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway (at 95th Street), call (212) 864 5400 or visit www.symphonyspace.org.