The theme song alone (Roger Kelloway's Come to the Meadow) is enough to trigger endorphins, even before anyone has uttered a word. Then comes the voice of host Isaiah Sheffer announcing another NPR broadcast of PRI's Selected Shorts, and instantly, fans of the show (and they are legion) sweep everything off their mental desks and prepare to be spellbound for the duration. When one considers the lengths some will go to in the name of providing entertainment, the cause of all this rapt attention seems almost too simple: usually it's just three very good actors reading three very good short stories that all have a similar theme. Occasionally, the format will stray a little to the favorite works of a guest author, or a special collaboration with a museum or publication, but, in all cases, Selected Shorts offers a unique opportunity to experience literature in performance at its simplest. This Saturday afternoon, the show, which is normally broadcast from Symphany Space, on Manhattan's upper west side, will be performed live at the Mahaiwe, the second time it has done so in a year (let's hope this is the beginning of a trend). This week's theme: "Starting Over: Stories for a New Year." The actors this week are David Strathairn (narrator of President Obama's campaign video, 2006 Best Actor Nominee for his portrayal of Edward R. Morrow in Good Night and Good Luck; currently in post-production on Julie Taymor's The Tempest), Isaiah Sheffer (librettist, playwright, director, Yiddish-ist, impresario, and host of Selected Shorts), and two-time Tony nominee Jayne Atkinson (24, Recount, and now in rehearsal in a Broadway revival of Noel Coward's Blythe Spirit) will read funny and moving stories by Susan Sontag, Laurie Colwin, and Percival Everett, all about making a new start. Selected Shorts at Mahaiwe Theater14 Castle Street, Great Barrington Saturday January 31st; 3 p.m. Admission: $45/Golden Circle; $30; $25/Members
