The Happy Ending Music and Reading Series
Encyclopedia
The Happy Ending Music and Reading Series is a semimonthly performing arts
series founded and hosted by Amanda Stern
at the Happy Ending Bar in Chinatown
, NYC on September 3, 2003. Since its inception, the Happy Ending Music and Reading Series has occurred every other Wednesday, bringing together literary and musical talents to share the stage. On January 7, 2009, the series permanently moves from the Happy Ending Bar to Joe's Pub
, where it takes place the first Wednesday of every month.
The Happy Ending Music and Reading Series has been chosen by New York Magazine, The Village Voice
, and NY Press as the best reading series in NYC, and has been singled out by the New York Times Magazine for helping to "Keep downtown, NY alive." The success of the series is based largely on Amanda Stern's no-nonsense and oftentimes awkward sense of humor. Of the musicians appearing in the series, Stern requires at least one cover song with which the musician must attempt to get the audience to sing along. Of the readers, Stern requires one public risk. Past risks have included karate-chopping wooden boards, freak-dancing with a random member of the audience, spinning a basketball, etc...
Performing arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
series founded and hosted by Amanda Stern
Amanda Stern
Amanda Stern is the author of the critically acclaimed novel The Long Haul and founder, curator and host of the well-respected and popular The Happy Ending Music and Reading Series, for which she is best known...
at the Happy Ending Bar in Chinatown
Chinatown
A Chinatown is an ethnic enclave of overseas Chinese people, although it is often generalized to include various Southeast Asian people. Chinatowns exist throughout the world, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Americas, Australasia, and Europe. Binondo's Chinatown located in Manila,...
, NYC on September 3, 2003. Since its inception, the Happy Ending Music and Reading Series has occurred every other Wednesday, bringing together literary and musical talents to share the stage. On January 7, 2009, the series permanently moves from the Happy Ending Bar to Joe's Pub
Joe's Pub
Joe's Pub at Public Theater is a nightclub that hosts live performances regularly. The venue, which is a non-profit operation, is located at 425 Lafayette Street near Astor Place in Manhattan, New York City...
, where it takes place the first Wednesday of every month.
The Happy Ending Music and Reading Series has been chosen by New York Magazine, The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
, and NY Press as the best reading series in NYC, and has been singled out by the New York Times Magazine for helping to "Keep downtown, NY alive." The success of the series is based largely on Amanda Stern's no-nonsense and oftentimes awkward sense of humor. Of the musicians appearing in the series, Stern requires at least one cover song with which the musician must attempt to get the audience to sing along. Of the readers, Stern requires one public risk. Past risks have included karate-chopping wooden boards, freak-dancing with a random member of the audience, spinning a basketball, etc...