STAFF REPORT
NEW YORK CITY – Celebrating the fifth anniversary of Reasons to be Cheerful, the nonprofit magazine he founded, David Byrne hosted “Amazing Humans Doing Amazing Things,” an inspiring variety show at Town Hall.
The night was driven by the talents of Byrne and his guests and a feeling of togetherness. Proceeds supported Reasons to be Cheerful, which is a project of Byrne’s nonprofit, Arbutus (https://arbutus.world).
“Amazing Humans Doing Amazing Things” was emceed by Byrne who debuted a new song and featured an eclectic lineup. Those performing included 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.
DJenny Koons (Oedipus Deaf West, Blue Man Group National Tour) directed, Stephanie Johnson produced and Emily Simoness (Founding Executive Director SPACE on Ryder Farm) executive produced.
“Variety shows were a big deal when I was young,” Byrne said. “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.”
Launched in 2019, “Reasons to Be Cheerful” is an online magazine that says it “inspires curiosity about how the world can be better and asks how we can be part of that change.” It is the flagship project of Byrne’s nonprofit Arbutus, and publishes award-winning journalism about solutions and progress for an annual audience of more than 1 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.
