House of SpeakEasy NYC
We bring writers & audiences together in innovative & sustaining ways.
On stage. In schools. On the road.
Our Mission
House of SpeakEasy is grounded in the belief that the ability to read and write enables a person to know their rights, be confident in their identity, and engage boldly and empathetically with the world around them. All of our programs support reading, writing, and public participation in literary culture.
On Stage
Seriously Entertaining
“Working with [House of SpeakEasy] was an absolute highlight of my year.”
November 17 | Joe's Pub at The Public Theater | 7 PM
Truth of the Matter
What are the truths in fiction, and where is the factual accountability in nonfiction? This November, House of SpeakEasy's literary cabaret, Seriously Entertaining, turns its spotlight on the slippery line between story and fact. Join hosts Lucas Wittmann and Peter Godwin for an evening of riffing and ruminating with four extraordinary authors: biologist Stuart Firestein, biographer and historian Amanda Foreman, scholar and lecturer Emily Hauser, and journalist Mikhail Zygar. From the lab to the archive to the front lines of reporting, each writer brings a different discipline's answer to the show's central question.
January 26 | Joe's Pub at The Public Theater | 7 PM
New Year, Same Me
Resolutions are made to be broken. Tonight’s writers riff on fresh starts, false starts, and starting over (again). Featuring award-winning writer Gina Apostol, journalist and author A.J. Jacobs, and Pulitzer Prize finalist and playwright Christopher Shinn.
In Schools
SpeakTogether
“Our students were guided to produce their most thoughtful and reflective creative work to date. The program provided a vital outlet for self-expression, culminating in a powerful showcase where students performed their original pieces for an audience of classmates and parents.”
On the Road
Bookmobiles
“That beautiful truck contributed to a very special experience for young people who came through to select their books. I’ve never seen so much diversity in books.”
Writer Spotlight
André Aciman
Novelist, Essayist, Proust Scholar
"I came because there’s nothing more exciting than writers talking about what makes them write."
André Aciman’s body of work spans memoir, essay, and fiction: from Out of Egypt, his Whiting Award-winning account of his family’s expulsion from Alexandria to his essay…
Read Full Profile
