Simu Liu, Tramell Tillman and More to Perform in Symphony Space and Waterwell’s ‘Stories From the City of Immigrants’

Simu Liu, Sepideh Moafi and Tramell Tillman are among the actors set to perform in “Stories from the City of Immigrants,” an evening that will feature stories that illuminate the role immigrants play in New York City’s past, present and future.

Presented by the performing arts center Symphony Space and theater company Waterwell, the event is set for April 20 at Symphony Space’s Upper West Side location. 

Related Stories

‘The Testaments’ Surprise: Elisabeth Moss on Returning as June After ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ and What It Means for Agnes and Daisy

'Paradise' Season 2 Finale: Sterling K. Brown, Thomas Doherty and Executive Producer Talk Big Sci-Fi Twist, 'Multiverse' Plans for Third and Final Season

“Stories from the City of Immigrants” will be hosted by Arian Moayed (“Succession,” “A Doll’s House” on Broadway), and feature a selection of stories curated by director Lee Sunday Evans and theater-maker and oral historian Liza Zapol. 

“Hearing immigrants’ stories in their own words, performed by extraordinary actors, has a unique power to help us understand their experiences, and to remind us what makes New York City special,” said Liu in a statement. “I’m honored to be among the incredible lineup of artists bringing these stories to life on stage at Symphony Space and engaging audiences everywhere through the Selected Shorts radio show and podcast.” 

The stories, spanning 125 years and numerous countries of origin, were sources from books including Hamilton Holt’s 1906 novel, “The Life Stories of Undistinguished Americans as Told by Themselves,” and oral history collections including Baldwin-Emerson Elders Project and the Center for Brooklyn History’s Muslims in Brooklyn project. The event is in collaboration with the New York Immigration Coalition as part of their NY Proud campaign, and Documented, New York’s nonprofit, multilingual news site, is a media partner. 

The evening will also be recorded for broadcast on Symphony Space’s syndicated “Selected Shorts” radio show and podcast. Roberta Colindrez, Micaela Diamond, Jayne Houdyshell, Sunita Mani, Justin H. Min, Laith Nakli, Pej Vahdat and others will also perform.