In celebration of the 5th anniversary of Reasons to be Cheerful (RTBC), David Byrne’s solutions-based nonprofit magazine, the multi-disciplinary artist will host “ Amazing Humans Doing Amazing Things, a one-night-only raucous and inspiring variety show at Town Hall on October 8th at 8 pm! The night promises to be celebratory, zany, and propelled by the amazingness of humans and the beautiful ways we connect with each other. Proceeds support Reasons to be Cheerful, a project of Byrne’s nonprofit, Arbutus. Tickets are on sale now HERE.
“Amazing Humans Doing Amazing Things” will be emceed by David Byrne and feature an eclectic lineup with performances from singer-songwriter Thao (Nguyen), multi-hyphenate comedian Fred Armisen, NYC’s non-male Brazilian-American style drumline Fogo Azul, comedian and ventriloquist Nina Conti, the spicy puppet cabaret of Epidermis Circus, Belgian-Egyptian musician Tamino, performance artist Ellie Steingraeber, and female-led band Brass Queens. Additional spectacular acts will be announced in the coming weeks. Jenny Koons (Oedipus Deaf West, Blue Man Group National Tour) is directing, Stephanie Johnson is producing and Emily Simoness (Founding Executive Director SPACE on Ryder Farm) is executive producing. Artist assets available HERE.
Byrne says, “Variety shows were a big deal when I was young. It’s a format you don’t see as much of these days. So we thought, why not bring it back? We looked for acts that could capture that sense of zany, anything-could-happen artistry. Reasons to be Cheerful inspires people by unearthing unexpected gems, and this show will embody that same spirit of gleeful surprise.”
Tickets will go live on Friday August 2nd at 12PM ET. Ticket prices range from $65 to $85 and can be purchased HERE. All guests will receive a magazine commemorating 5 years of RTBC. $750 VIP-level ticket holders and sponsors are invited to a private reception. Current event sponsors are Angela Vassallo, Inc, Carafem, UPIC Health, Wonderstruck.
About Reasons to Be Cheerful
Launched in 2019, Reasons to Be Cheerful is an online magazine that inspires curiosity about how the world can be better and asks how we can be part of that change. RTBC is the flagship project of Byrne’s nonprofit Arbutus, and publishes award-winning journalism about solutions and progress for an annual audience of over one million readers. Its weekly newsletter has 130,000 subscribers, and it has hosted sold-out live events from Portland, Oregon to Waterville, Maine.
Reasons to be Cheerful is a reader-supported publication. Memberships are pay-what-you-wish, and come with perks like special newsletters, giveaways and event invitations. Become a RTBC member today.
About Arbutus:
Founded in 2018 by David Byrne, Arbutus’ mission is to celebrate, re-present and amplify ideas found in surprising places, ensuring that our picture of the world contains the joy that it should, and is accessible to everyone. The organization provides a sustainable way to gestate, incubate, and present joyous and imaginative projects from a range of artists and thinkers. A common thread among Arbutus’ current projects – Theater of the Mind and Reasons to be Cheerful – and those Arbutus has in development is that they have been dreamt up and are being created without adherence to a defined path or genre. Much like David Byrne’s past projects Contemporary Color, Playing the Building, and a series of bike racks created throughout NYC, Arbutus’ projects are unusual and expansive regarding how they come to be, the community of people involved in making them, and for whom they aim to serve.
Photo Credit: Rod Snyder
TheWaster.com | NYC
8.2.2024
