SPOKEN WORD ARTIST LIV MAMMONE at AWoW'S ANNIVERSARY SHOWCASE at THE CELL in NYC

Come meet and listen to spoken word artist Liv Mammone at Artists Without Walls’ Anniversary Showcase at The Cell Theatre, 338 W23rd St., NYC, Tuesday, February 23rd.

 

Liv Mammone
Liv Mammone

Liv is an editor and poet from Long Island, New York, where she lives with her parents, brother, family of feral cats, and geriatric dachshund. She has previously taught creative writing at Hofstra University and Queens College. Liv’s poetry has appeared in wordgathering, Wicked Banshee, The Medical Journal of Australia, QDA: a Queer, Disabled Anthology and is forthcoming in the anthology, Grabbing the Apple. As a spoken word poet, she has featured at Sip This, Artists Without Walls, Tache Chocolates, and is the winner of Union Square Slam’s 2015 Nerd Slam. She is the third visibly disabled poet ever to place as a finalist for a national slam.

 

The Cell’s doors and bar open at 6:45. 

ANNETTE HOMANN: THOUGHTS ON ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS

As Artists Without Walls celebrates its fourth anniversary this month, we’ve asked members to share a few thoughts about their experience with the group. Here’s what violinist Annette Homann wrote:

 

“The Artists Without Walls’ community has been one of the most supportive communities I have ever had the pleasure to be part of.  AWoW has given me the inspiration and motivation to follow through with many creative endeavors that have now become a big part of my career. I have learned so much about other art forms from watching and collaborating with other artists. I can’t thank Charles and Niamh enough!”

 

German born Annette, a classically trained violinist, has been performing since the age of six.  She has toured throughout Europe, China, Central America, Canada and the U.S. and at various New York City venues, including Carnegie Hall, Avery Fischer Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Symphony Space and New World Stages. Her extended techniques combine elements of bluegrass, blues, pop and classical with a theatrical vibe—the violin used in non-traditional ways, often replacing the guitar and percussion. 

 

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TERRY McCARTHY COMMENTING on ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS

As Artists Without Walls celebrates its fourth anniversary this month, we’ve asked members to share a few thoughts about their experience with the group. Here’s what singer/songwriter Terry McCarthy wrote:

—–

A great mistake!

 

12004851_925585547501924_8908813288792632632_nVera Hoar contacted me and asked if I would like to attend a showcase and have dancers perform some of my work. I quickly realized that she had mistaken me for my old friend and renowned choreographer Tere O’Connor. I clarified that I was Terry McCarthy the singer/songwriter. We had all attended SUNY Purchase together so it was an honest mistake. Vera then asked me if I would like to come and sing some of my songs and I gladly accepted.

 

Coming to the first showcase was a remarkable event. The space, The Cell Theatre, was excellent. It’s open and clean and nestled in the neighborhood of my birthplace, Chelsea, NYC. The audience was excited and familial and best of all, quiet as the lights went down. I felt I had traveled back in time to a more sophisticated time, where I was taking part in an honest to goodness “arts salon.”

 

There were writers and actors and musicians performing their hearts out to an audience who delighted in what they brought forth. I couldn’t wait for my chance to play, which came the following month. Gratefully, the same audience embraced me as well. I have performed there a number of times since and I’ve loved every chance to play I was given.

 

Artists Without Walls saved it’s best gift for last as they helped me produce my show “Words in Music” at The Cell, which featured spoken word artists—all AWoW members—my band and videos I’ve produced. I can’t wait to do it again this coming spring. I can’t thank Charles and Niamh for their tireless work in creating the beautiful environment that is Artists without Walls   

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Here’s what Jack Silbert, DJWriter at satin wound.com said about singer/songwriter Terry McCarthy. “Terry really turns on the charm on his album, The Charm, with a warm strum and even warmer vocals throughout. With tremendous backing musicians, the record presents a wide variety of sounds, never falling into a folky funk….but the secret weapon is McCarthy’s sharp, melodic songwriting, on Beatlesque tracks such as “Loneliest Boy” and the should-be-a-hit “Just Today.”

 

 

ERIN LAYTON COMMENTING on ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS

As Artists Without Walls celebrates its fourth anniversary this month, we’ve asked members to share a few thoughts about their experience with the group. Here’s what actor and playwright Erin Layton wrote:

 

—–

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Erin Layton
Erin Layton

“April 2015. New York City: I need to raise $15K to bring my one-woman play to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August. This feels insurmountable. I have a few ideas aside from crowd-funding in order to raise what I perceive as a struggling artist to be above and beyond any appropriate ask for a solo show. One of my ideas is to throw a benefit. I write an email to Charles Hale, co-founder of Artists Without Walls in a panic and suggest that maybe somehow could I possibly ask for Charles and Niamh to assist me with potentially putting on this benefit and kindly pool interest from the AWoW community… I’m sweating:

 

“Sure, Erin. What are you thinking?” Charles writes back.

 

Loyalty. This is word that most prominently comes to mind when I think of AWoW. No other community and its founders that I’ve ever encountered in my eleven year track as a struggling city theatre artist, have so championed, so supported, so stood behind and held up as a presence of strength, warmth, humility and perseverance as AWoW. I am honored to stand as one among a line of artists – musicians, poets, writers, singers, solo performers, dancers – who truly represent the cream of the crop. Bravo, Charles and Niamh. And thank you for making all of us feel like heroes.”

 

—-

 

Erin Layton, originally from St. Louis, MO,  is a writer and sole performer of a one woman play, MAGDALEN about the Magdalene Laundries in Ireland.  MAGDALEN premiered at the New York City International Fringe Festival (FringeNYC) in August 2012 and was listed as top FringeNYC reviewer pic in nytheatre.com’s Indie Theater Now.  MAGDALEN was also the recipient of the Best Documentary Script from The 2013 United Solo Festival. This past summer Erin’s performance of MAGDALEN received rave reviews at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe: “The highest level of performance” – The Public Reviews and “A well crafted, sympathetic piece of theatre” – The Scotsman. 

 

 

WHAT THE …"L" by RON VAZZANO

I was so looking forward to the “L” in the logo, and in every promotion and ad. But in announcing Super Bowl “50” this year, “they” have decided to deep six this whole Roman number thing from here on in, and go Arabic.

 

Though given the troubles in the Middle East, don’t be surprised to hear someone declare: “When I’m President we won’t be using Arabic numbers, I can tell ya’ that right now.”

 

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I was so ready to point out that this would be the last time that a single Roman numbered letter would be used to designate a Super Bowl, until “C”! In other words, until 2066. When those of us of a certain age, will certainly be dead. (Don’t you hate when that happens?). And that it has now been 40 years since the last single letter marked still another over-hyped and much anticipated Sunday—“X” (a game played in MCMLXXVI).

 

With “X” being an unknown factor, it is unsurprising that I have no recollection of that game. But really, by that point I had stopped caring, what with so many more important life events just up ahead. Like Divorce “I” and then just prior to Super Bowl XLV, Divorce “II”.

 

Of course I remember the first Super Bowl very well. It was trumpeted in all the on-air TV promos, as if the Second Coming. Though hype is not exactly something that hasn’t existed throughout the ages. (“Mary Stuart gets the ax tomorrow. News at XI!”).

 

Screen Shot 2016-02-02 at 7.41.41 AMI also remember Super Bowl II, and most especially “III”, when Joe Willie Namath guaranteed that his New York Jets from the upstart American Football League would—and did— defeat the powerhouse Baltimore Colts of the supposed superior National Football League. The Jets were 17 points underdogs that day. That’s a lot of points. Even in Latin. Though I had forgotten how dorky its logo.

 

The other single letter one, “V,” was the first following the AFL-NFL merger, and it would forever serve as the official league championship game. For the record and for those keeping score, those aforementioned Colts, on a field goal by Jim O’Brien, beat the Miami Dolphins in the final five seconds, 16-13.

 

While I often lean towards nostalgia and love traditions and rites of passage—I even look forward to my annual flu shot—the loss of those Super Bowl designations, are really no skin off my un-Roman nose. (All my Italian roots aside). The use of Roman numbers in titles, events, sequels, dates and the like, has always struck me as a bit pompous. As if to announce that, “This is really important.” Whereas, in its rather convoluted alternative to Arabic numbers, it suggests just the opposite to me.

 

MCMLXXXVIII as a date for example— which is about the length of a freight train and looks like something foreboding out of ancient history—is simply 1988; the year that Who Framed Roger Rabbit? was released. That’s why I wryly suggested once, that given the humility of Pope Francis I, he might consider referring to himself as Francis1. Or even better, using lower case…francis1.

 

You don’t even want to know about a Roman calendar and how it is organized, and its days counted. But if you do, you can reference it in a short piece I once offered on the subject called, Kalends and Nones and Ides Oh My! (March, 2013, Muse-Letter)   

 

To cut to the tackle, the monthly date for this year’s Super Bowl would be expressed via a Roman calendar as “VII Ides.” In English and Arabic…February 7. And as I’ve also said before, (with a license I got down at the DRM; the Department of Repeating Myself), this method of date keeping also suggests still one more reason for the fall of the Roman Empire. (Though not of the Roman Polanski).

 

As for the game itself? Like so many who will watch—and are not in any betting pool— I’ll have no rooting interest in the participants or the score. Or even the ads really (“been there; done that”). Just pass the chicken wings and let’s raise a Bud (remember the “Bud Bowl?”), to the days of Roman numbers past. Who the “L” needs ‘em!

* * *

Ron Vazzano, a writer, poet and actor, has been a frequent contributor to this website as well as performer at Artist Without Walls monthly showcases.

 

MITCH TRAPHAGEN'S PHOTO from ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS' SHOWCASE at THE CELL THEATRE, 01/26/16

Mitch Traphagen’s photos from Artists Without Walls’ Showcase at The Cell, 1/26/16.

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Allison Sylvia and Craig MacArthur
Allison Sylvia and Craig MacArthur

 

"Mountain Maidens" Lorraine Berger, Candice Maranello, and Marie Mularczyk O'Connell
“Mountain Maidens” Lorraine Berger, Candice Baranello, and Marie Mularczyk O’Connell

 

Mary Tierney and David Loughlin
Mary Tierney and David Loughlin

 

Niamh Hyland
Niamh Hyland

 

Richard Stillman and Flip Peters
Richard Stillman and Flip Peters

 

Charles R. Hale
Charles R. Hale

 

Izzy Levine and Ella McDonald
Izzy Levine and Ella McDonald

 

Ron Mazzano
Ron Vazzano

 

Artists Without Walls January 2016 Showcase held at the Cell Theatre in Manhattan, New York City on January 26, 2016. Featuring artists Ron Vazzano, Richard Stillman and Flip Peters, Craig MacArthur, Izzy Levine and Ella McDonald, The Mountain Maidens (Marie Mularczyk O'Connel, Candice Baranello and Lorraine Berger), Mary Tierney and David Loughlin. Presented by Charles Hale and Niamh Hyland
Craig MacArthur

ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS, TONIGHT, at THE CELL THEATRE in NYC

Artists Without Walls December Showcase at the cell theater in New York City, NY. December 23, 2014. Charles Hale, Niamh Hyland, Joseph Goodrich, Ron Vazzano, Ed Romanoff, Michael Sheahan, Nicholas Garr, Honor Molloy, Marion Stein, Grainne Duddy.
Ron Vazzano

It made for an event the likes of which you will rarely, if ever, experience. A melding of artists within the walls… it was a memorable night. Yes, it was that good,” said writer Ron Vazzano about a recent  Artists Without Walls’ Showcase in Kathleen Bennet Bastis’s art gallery. Ron will be opening tonight’s (Tuesday, January 26) Showcase at The Cell Theatre with a new multimedia creation. 

 

Richard Stillman and Flip Peters
Richard Stillman and Flip Peters

Richard Stillman,  accompanied by Flip Peters, perform a few numbers from, “The Spirit of Vaudeville,” a show that won the Best Concert Award at the 2014 United Solo Theater Festival in New York City. Richard writes and performs shows that combine music, storytelling, singing and percussive dance, and plays a wide variety of folk instruments from around the world. As an actor, Richard has performed on Broadway, the Kennedy Center, National tours, PBS Television and in regional theaters from New Jersey to Alaska. He was in “Hamlet” with Rip Torn and Geraldine Page and he performed with Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee in “Take it From the Top.”

 

Craig MacArthur
Craig MacArthur

Craig MacArthur, actor and Fitzmaurice voice work instructor, will be making his AWoW debut on Tuesday.  Craig received his MFA in Acting from Rutgers University and he will be sharing a monologue from “Misterman” by Enda Walsh. The full show, which runs 85 minutes, had its Western Regional premiere in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, last year. Upcoming roles include Kaffee in A “Few Good Men” by Aaron Sorkin.

 

Izzy Levine and Ella McDonald
Izzy Levine and Ella McDonald

 

 

Not only does Artists Without Walls strive to bring diverse cultures together in artistic achievement, but we aim to give young performers an opportunity to step onto a New York stage as well. Performing at tonight’s Showcase at The Cell will be Izzy Levine, daughter of AWoW member Phoebe Farber, and Ella McDonald. Izzy and Ella are juniors at Montclair High School in Montclair, New Jersey and have been performing together for the past two years. We are thrilled to be presenting them to our AWoW audience.

 

Mountain Maidens
Mountain Maidens

First time presenters, “Mountain Maidens,” including Marie Mularczyk O’Connell , Candice Baranello and Lorraine Berger, are three voices blended in splendid harmonies that will lift your spirits and warm your heart. They sing ballads, folk songs, love songs, country and gospel songs, including themes of social justice, to the accompaniment of guitars, banjo, dulcimer, mandolin, spoons and castanets. Marie, Candice and Lorraine are greatly inspired by Appalachian mountain music and have brought the deep modal harmonies of this tradition to their repertoire.

 

Mary Tierney
Mary Tierney

AWoW regulars, actress Mary Tierney and playwright David Loughlin will be performing a scene from David’s “The Senior Case Manager, a comedy about civil service, devil’s food, red-headed rivals,space aliens, intense loneliness, and unrequited love… and all in less than twelve minutes.

David Laughlin
David Loughlin

 

Niamh Hyland and Charles R. Hale, Artists Without Walls’ Artistic Directors, will be emceeing the event. The doors and the bar at The Cell Theatre, which is located at 338 W23rd St., open at 6;45. Hope to see you there. 

POWERFUL, TALENTED and FESTIVE: ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS' HOLIDAY SHOWCASE at THE CELL THEATRE, 12/22/15

“Oh, my gosh, what a night. The rafters rang.” Cara De Silva

 

James Phelan
James Phelan

The buzz was palpable as the audience filed into The Cell Theatre last Tuesday for Artists Without Walls’ Holiday Showcase at The Cell Theatre.  First time presenter Jim Phelan opened the night’s proceedings and was met with, silence…a high compliment, at least for writers reading their own work. And silence, lots of it, is what Jim Phelan received while reading his story, “Sketches of China.” Jim’s story was a tale well written and well told of a man dying of cancer, wafting in and out of a morphine fog, remembering a love affair when he lived in China half a century earlier. We hope the character, “Mr. J” lives and Mr. Phelan continues to tell his story. Well done, Jim. 

 

Too Many Lauras
Too Many Lauras

The Artists Without Walls’ Holiday Showcase was also the debut performance of the band Too Many Lauras featuring Peter Chance, guitar, vocals, Cecil Hooker, violin, Susan Hwang, accordion, vocals, Mike Muller, bass and Jagoda on percussion.  The first tune was the premier of “Living in Sin,” which Peter originally wrote as a woman’s response to a bad breakup. Susan’s backing vocals were psycho-samba! Second was “Rita,” the story of a woman who blames all of her life’s struggles on an ice skating accident she experienced as a child.  The band closed with “Burn Me Like a Cross,” the struggles of a young couple in love, against their town that disapproves. The addition of the newest members Susan and Pagoda, who was on an acoustic guitar body, tricked with percussion pieces, rounded out the original trio which appeared at Artists Without Walls’ June Showcase. Of course, Cecil’s beautiful violin and Michael’s bass were evident throughout.  The band will be recording an EP over the next few weeks.

Honor Molloy
Honor Molloy

 

Honor Molloy read from Betty Smith’s classic novel “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.”  Honor carried the audience back to Christmas Eve, 1912 when Francie and Neeley Nolan brought home the biggest tree in Williamsburg.  Honor, one of the finest readers on the New York literary scene, was brilliant. She perfectly captured the spirit of Smith’s scene, casting her voice in pitch-perfect Brooklynese, tossing our imaginations from one vivid scene to the next.

 

Mary Susan Sinclair-Kenning
Mary Susan Sinclair-Kenning

Diversity is a strength and Mary Susan Sinclair-Kuenning has an uncommon diversity of talents including dance, voice and athleticism, which is rarely seen. Additionally,  Mary Susan executes her art forms with a passion that was immediately evident to AWoW’s audience.  Her Oriental dance, accompanied by Mid-Eastern classical music  performed by the Cairo Symphony Orchestra, was both vibrant and artistic.  Her sensual performance, the pulsating music and shimmering costume made her dance a joy to watch. Mary Susan followed her dance with a short film of her work on the Cyr wheel, which  demonstrates her incredible strength and precision.  A wonderful, show-stopping performance. 

 

Allison Sylvia
Allison Sylvia


Allison Sylvia read poems from two chapbooks, “Marginalia” and “Scattered Ethos,” which she had been making and leaving in subway cars, parks, on benches, statues over the past two years. She sang a small poem from a journal she has been keeping lately and–collaborating with the talented Cecil Hooker (violin), Peter Chance (guitar) and Amy Yamashiro (cajon)–she danced the first dance of her one woman show, “Girl Rising” to the sounds of “Amazing Grace.” “As always, I’m grateful to have such a supportive as receptive audience as Artists Without Walls to workshop my work in progress,” Allison said.   As always, Allison performed with open hearted eloquence.

 

Cast of Thousands
Cast of Thousands

A number of great performers including Artists Without Walls’ Artistic Director Niamh Hyland, saxophonist Erik Lawrence, singer/songwriter Ed Romanoff, fiddlers Annette Homann and Deni Bonet with assisting vocals from Nicholas Garr, Mary Susan Sinclair-Kenning, Charles R. Hale and the entire audience, rounded out one of the most festive holiday endings in memory. Niamh Hyland closed out the evening with a beautiful and stirring rendition of “Have Yourself a Merry Christmas.” 

 

It was a grand night!  The next AWoW Showcase at The Cell Theatre will be on January 25, 2016.

 

All photos by Vera Hoar. 

 

 

VERA HOAR'S PHOTOS from AWoW's HOLIDAY SHOWCASE at THE CELL THEATRE, 12/22/15

Vera Hoar’s wonderful photographs from Artists Without Walls’ Holiday Showcase at The Cell Theatre. 

Peter Stoopak and Cara DaSilva
Peter Stoopack and Cara De Silva
Rafiq Kathwari and Allison Sylvia
Rafiq Kathwari and Allison Sylvia
Sofia Stefanowicz and Sedly  Bloomfeld
Zofia Stefanowicz and Sedly Bloomfield
James Phelan
James Phelan
Erik Lawrence, Deni Bonet, Niamh Hyland and Ed Romanoff
Erik Lawrence, Deni Bonet, Niamh Hyland and Ed Romanoff
Charles R. Hale
Charles R. Hale
Honor Molloy
Honor Molloy
Cecil Hooker and Annette Homann
Cecil Hooker and Annette Homann
Mary Susan Sinclair-Kenning
Mary Susan Sinclair-Kuenning
Front Row Seats
Front Row Seats
Peter Nolan, Susan Hwang, Pagoda Will, Michael Muller
Peter Nolan, Susan Hwang, Pagoda Will, Michael Muller

STELLAR PERFORMANCES at ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS' SHOWCASE at THE CELL THEATRE, 10/27/2015

“I’ve been working as an actor for at least twenty five years now and I’ve never before been involved in anything quite like this. AWoW is a unique blessing. So happy to be a member.” Jack O’Connell, actor

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Tess Druckenmiller
       Tess Druckenmiller

Young and extremely talented singer/Songwriter Tess Druckenmiller opened the night with three of her compositions. Exhibiting her musical versatility Tess played solo, accompanying her voice with acoustic guitar and piano. She sang three songs – “Break My Heart,” “Please Say Yes,” and “Red Wine.” Red Wine is included in Tess’s recently released EP, “Carousel.” Wonderful performance.

 

Rafiq Kathwa
     Rafiq Kathwari

Thanks to Connie Roberts, who has introduced AWoW to a number of excellent poets, we were able to experience the poetry of  Rafiq Kathwari, the first non-Irish recipient of the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award, in the 44-year history of the award. When asked to say a few words about his first Artists Without Walls’ experience, Rafiq Kathwari responded with a poem:

 

Geography

for Artists Without Walls

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“Where are you from?” I’m often asked.
“From Kashmir,” I answer.
“Is that where wool comes from?”

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Sometimes, I play it straight: I95
Exit 16, hang a left. In the Himalayas
my road diverged.

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Not, “Where are you from?”
But where are we going
together?

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Screen Shot 2015-11-01 at 9.15.29 AMCharles R. Hale’s film, “The Musical History of the Lower East,” which was recently performed as a full-length musical production at Rockwood Music Hall, followed. The short film is a musical journey through the diverse cultures that have inhabited the Lower East City, New York City’s melting pot, from the mid-nineteenth century to the present.  “This could be a PBS or HBO special! A treasure.” Joanna Migdal.  

 

Meredith Szalay
       Meredith Szalay

Meridith Szalay followed with a dance piece entitled “Alan.” According to Meridith, “The dance allowed me to be emotionally vulnerable and send out my cries of pain.”  The dance was a heart wrenching display of passion, heartache, and anger with Meridith  lost in a swirl of intense feelings. “I felt as free as a bird. I flew directly into the heart of my storm of pain. I laid my broken heart on the dance floor” she said.  Breathtakingly vulnerable, beautiful, and tender.

 

Erik Lawrence and Dina Regine
     Erik Lawrence and Dina Regine

Multi-media artist, photographer and musician Dina Regine performed a few songs off her latest album, “Right On, Alright.” Dina, who sings with a gentle unease, varied her delivery from one track to another, from sweet to defiant to undeterred.  “I had such a great time playing this evening! Thank you Artists Without Walls for inviting me to be a part of this wonderful event, and thanks to saxophonist Erik Lawrence for sitting in and dressing up my songs so cool.”    

 

Connie Roberts, Rafiq Kathwari, Shu Nakamura and Charles R. Hale
Connie Roberts, Rafiq Kathwari, Shu Nakamura and Charles R. Hale

Erik Lawrence, a longtime Levon Helm sideman, has built his career as a saxophonist, flutists, composer and educator.  Erik spoke of the power of music in the healing process and then proceeded to join the entire audience in a breathtaking chorus of healing and meditation. A few moments that won’t soon be forgotten by those in attendance.

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“Thank you for the incredible opportunity and incredible reception to my work,” Erik said. Well deserved. For information about Erik’s work, sound healing/guided musical meditation concerts or private sound therapy sessions you can contact him at Erik Lawrence Music on Facebook

 

The next Artists Without Walls’ Showcase will be at The Cell Theatre, 338 W23rd St., on Friday, November 20th. 

 

Photos by Vera Hoar