Happy Endings

Happy Endings: Special Edition

Happy Endings is a four-year-old monthly reading series that takes place at the Make-Out Room every second Tuesday. Each show features five writers, poets, and comedians from the Bay Area who are asked to explore the outrageous and elusive notion of happiness, along with a dynamic monthly theme. Judges from the audience choose a favorite reader, who is invited to return and to help curate by recommending their favorite local writers. This helps the show make new friends and keep its stage open to the Bay's rich array of story-tellers.

For Beast Crawl 2023, hosts Danielle Truppi and Joe Wadlington are preparing a special edition of the show: no judges, no theme, but maybe some happy endings.

Wonder Dave is a comedian, writer and performer from Minneapolis, MN, living in California. He has toured the country performing at comedy clubs, colleges, cabarets, comic and science fiction conventions, burlesque shows, theaters, strip clubs, and bowling alleys. He is the host of Mental Health Comedy Hour, Safewords Queer Comedy Showcase, and Literary Pop, a show where writers take a deep dive into their pop culture obsessions. Find him online at teamwonderdave.com.

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photo credit: Sarah Deragon

Edward Gunawan (he/they) is an interdisciplinary storyteller whose work meditates upon themes of displacement and (be)longing within the intersectional contexts of post-colonial queer transnationality. The author of two chapbooks The Way Back (winner of Start a Riot! Prize, Foglifter Press) and Press Play (Sweet Lit), Edward has also completed over 25 feature films and shorts projects as producer, writer, actor, and/or director. Other publications include TriQuarterly, Aquifer, and Intimate Strangers anthology (Signal 8). A queer Indonesian-born Chinese immigrant, he now resides on Ohlone land in Oakland, CA where he facilitates workshops and curates creative community gatherings such as HOME MADE @ ARTogether, a literary reading series championing immigrant/refugee writers. Visit addword.com for more.

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Nelda Kerr is a teacher, painter, singer, writer, and photographer. She works in media design for Oakland Unified School District where she also teaches journalism. Nelda produces a TV show on Oakland's KDOL called "The Town Talks," where Oakland students get to interview local icons like Boots Riley and Rafael Casal. She holds a master's in philosophy of religion from Claremont. Her writing has appeared in SF Weekly, Broke Ass Stuart, and Eleven Magazine.

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Anand Vedawala is a queer South Asian immigrant who is also a kindergarten teacher for San Francisco Unified School District and the executive director of San Francisco Zine Fest, which will take place on Sunday, Sept 3 at City View at Metreon. His self-published book 100 Years from Now Our Bones will be Different with Lawrence McWilliams received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, and his zine Hair was declared Best Zine and Best Perzine by Broken Pencil Zine Awards. He foolishly decided to teach summer school this year, so at this moment he's stressed and just very tired.

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LEG 3: 7pm-8pm Night Heron

Night Heron, a colorful cocktail bar that pays homage to Oakland’s history and diversity through the works of talented local artists.

Night Heron is an art-studded destination for craft cocktails, bento boxes, and all the right vibes located across the street from The Fox Theater.

Food is available from neighboring restaurant Itani Ramen, whose chef/owner Kyle Itani curated two Bento Boxes exclusively for Night Heron. Patrons can order via QR code and food will be delivered directly to them.

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