Honor Molloy – Page 2

ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS' MEMBERS "ON THE TOWN"

Martina Fiserova (guitar&voice) will perform her originals on Monday February 9th at 11pm at The Way Station, 683 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, no cover charge.

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Tara O'Grady and Pete Kennedy — **Tara O’Grady and Pete Kennedy**

Pete Kennedy of The Kennedy’s joins Tara O’Grady this week at Winnie’s in the Refinery Hotel on Tuesday, February 10 @ 7:30pm, and again at Desmond’s on Thursday, February 12 @ 7:00pm performing everything from Billie Holiday to Patsy Cline to Etta James.

For more info on Tara click here

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This coming Tuesday night, February 10 @ 7 PM, Deni Bonet will be a special guest of the wonderful singer/songwriter, Rachael Sage at Joe’s Pub. Click HERE for show details.

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Honor Molloy will be reading at the “Literary Salon” hosted by NYFA on Wednesday, February 11, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM at the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA), 20 Jay Street, Suite 740, 7th Fl., Brooklyn, NY 11201. Readings alo include Kaitlyn Greenridge, Catherine Lacey, Amy Lawless, Ricardo Alberto Maldonado and Carlos and Cesar Valle. This exciting new program was developed to serve the community of literary artists.

You can join them for an evening of readings exploring the broad theme of marginalized groups worldwide. The event will host six award winning and published poets and writers. The readings and discussions of the work will take place from 6 PM to 8 PM. After the readings there will be time to network and socialize. This event is free and open to the public. Click here to RSVP.

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**Jacqueline Kealy, John McConnell and Brona Crehan**

Any AWOW members who saw the wonderful Grainne Duddy perform Moonlight Sonata at the December showcase might be interested in seeing Pillow on the Stairs–where the story starts….

Ever wonder what your life would be like if you’d made one different choice? An unplanned pregnancy sets off a chain of events in the lives of three people in Pillow on the Stairs. What follows creates a web of secrets and denials that binds this trio of ordinary, flawed individuals together for a lifetime. Every decision has lasting consequences in this intimate story about love, loyalty, betrayal, and trust.

Pillow on the Stairs stars John McConnell (The Weir on Broadway), Jacqueline Kealy (Eclipsed at Irish Rep) and Brona Crehan. The production team includes: John Keating (Production Director), Gertjan Houben (lighting), Florian Staab (sound design) and Mackenzie Meeks (stage manager).

Pillow on the Stairs runs February 11 – 28 at The Cell – Wednesday – Friday at 7pm with an additional performance on Feb 28 at 7pm. Tickets are $30.00. For AWoW discounted tickets email info@artistswithoutwalls.com for the codes

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Annette Homann will be perfuming in “Soprano and Strings” on February 13th, 7 pm, at the Bloomingdale School of Music, 323 W 108th street, David Greer Recital Hall

Music from Respighi, Rota, Schubert, Previn and Villa-Lobos

Free admission

UPCOMING ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS MEMBERS' EVENTS

The Cell Theatre invites you to a developmental reading of “Crackskull Row” by Honor Molloy with some of the best Irish actors this side of the Atlantic. It’s Dublin, 1999 and the Celtic Tiger’s roaring, but no one hears it on Crackskull Row – where Dolly and her darkclan are caught in ould sins and ancient lusts. Where ghosts return, nothing is forgotten – to hell with forgiveness.

Directed by Joe Hendel, this AEA-Approved Staged Reading features: Terry Donnelly, Jo Kinsella, John Charles McLaughlin and Aidan Redmond. Thursday – feb 5th – 4pm at The Cell Theatre, 338 W23rd St. NYC RSVP – thecelltheatre@gmail.com

Melissa Ritz’s award-winning one-woman show, Journey of a Bombshell: The Ina Ray Hutton Story, will run for one night only at the Triad Theater/Stage 72, on Sunday, Feb. 15th at 9pm. Located at 72nd & Broadway.

Artists Without Walls’ Showcase at The Cell Theatre, 338 W23rd St. Monday, February 16th, 6:45pm.

Erin Layton’s one-woman show “MAGDALEN will be presented by the Irish Studies Dept. of Hofstra University on Wednesday, February 25 at 7:30PM at The Spiegel Theatre on campus. Free Admission! Click here for directions to the Spiegel Theatre at Hofstra.

Amanda Thorpe will be back in New York with a rare performance of songs from her latest album, Bewitching Me: The Lyrics of Yip Harburg at Rockwood Music Hall Stage 3. March 2, 7:00pm Advanced tickets $8. Door $10.

“Leave it to a British artist to once again to remind us Yanks of a neglected American musical treasure through an album before and after its time: Amanda Thorpe’s Bewitching Me. … Ms. Thorpe’s artistry traverses folk, rock, jazz, cabaret, and every conceivable variation thereof.” — Huffington Post

Serena Jost returns to Rockwood Music Hall Stage 3, her favorite downtown venue, on March 12, 8:30pm. Come hear new songs, some favorites and hang out with Serena after the show. Special Guests.

Here’s what New York Music Daily said about Serena’s 2014 Rockwood Concert: “…a lush, sweeping, richly enveloping, tuneful show by the art-rock cellist/multi-instrumentalist singer (Serena) and her band.” Click here for tickets, which are $10.

Nancy Redman won Best Comedian Award United Solo 2014 for her one woman play “THE DOCTOR IS NOT IN” directed by Austin Pendleton. She will be performing “THE DOCTOR IS NOT IN” Sunday, March 15, 2015 at 7pm at Abingdon Theatre Company
Dorothy Strelsin Theatre, 312 W36th St. 6th Fl., NYC

Nancy recently performed “The Doctor Is Not In” at the United Solo Theatre Festival 2014 and received the award for “Best Comedian.”

Click here for tickets, which are $20.

Tara O’Grady is releasing her 4th album Irish Bayou, a tribute to New Orleans with original songs in a gumbo of genres, from zydeco and rockabilly, to folk, funk, swing, jazz and blues. Special guests joining her on stage will be AWOW member Sasha Papernik on piano and vocals, as well as Pete Kennedy of The Kennedy’s on guitar and ukulele, Justin Poindexter of The Amigos on lap steel and vocals, and Tara’s full swing band – bass, drums, trumpet, sax, clarinet, washboard and all!

Irish Bayou CD Launch Party
Thursday, March 26 @ 7pm, doors 6:15pm
Metropolitan Room
34 West 22nd
Click here for reservations

WALL-TO-WALL TALENT at AWoW's HOLIDAY SHOWCASE at THE CELL

“What a great night of talent…and Niamh Hyland’s voice is stunning. I literally get goosebumps. Amazing. ” Mitch Traphagen

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Joseph Goodrich started things off with “The New Boy”—a poignant and humorous look at Christmas in a small Minnesota town. Goodrich’s story skillfully conveyed the turbulent emotions of its main character, a seven-year-old boy whose life has been touched with loss. Sensitive writing and a bravura performance by Goodrich made “The New Boy” a welcome guest.

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Ron Vazzano’s poem “Trains: A Christmas Story,” suggested paradoxically, the joy and peril of getting what you wish for, in that it can come at a cost of a loss of innocence and humiliation in the process. Beautifully done.

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Award winning singer/songwriter/author Michael Sheahan opened his performance with “Jingle Jangle Jingle All Night Long” from his award winning Christmas Book, CD and Dance DVD, Mr. Holidays Presents The Roof Top Hop. This up-beat, joyful Christmas song had the audience smiling, laughing, and tapping their feet to it’s wonderful Christmas spirit. His second song “Some

Things Never Change,” the title track from Michaels Christmas CD, touched the audience’s heart with it’s loving sentiment for Mom and Dad as they physically change over the years. Michael finished his set, appropriately ringing in the New Year, with “Year Out…Year In.” You can hear all the above mentioned songs on Michael’s latest Christmas CD Some Things Never Change.

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Here’s what the audience had to say about playwright Brona Crehan and actress Grainne Duddy:

“Moonlight Sonata – a roller coaster of a ride. “

“Beautifully written and wonderfully told.”

“We felt like we were eavesdropping on something deeply personal and could have listened all night.”

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Singer/songwriter Ed Romanoff began his performance sharing the ironic discovery of his own Irish heritage and being welcomed to Ireland by Phillip King on the RTE program, “Where The South Wind Blows.” Ed then continued his engaging rootsy storytelling with an Irish twist by becoming the voice of Willie Sutton in a ballad about the famed Irish bank robber, paroled on Christmas Eve by Governor Rockefeller. Ed also played a crowd pleasing new song, “A Golden Crown,” about a boxer and a claddagh ring.

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Admiring Vera's 2014 AWoW Poster — **Admiring Vera’s 2014 AWoW Poster**

Nicholas Garr gave a wonderfully moving, and hysterically funny performance, from his solo theatre piece Paper Tigers, which explores our shared issues of love, sex, ambition, and self image, in a world where things are often not as they appear. In the scene Nick performed, Father Rodney, a teacher at an all boys Catholic school, gives his final religion class, to a group of graduating seniors. In Nicholas’ Paper Tigers, a Mafia psychic, channels a variety of characters from the underbelly of the familar, in order to help his audience find “spiritual understanding and their true inner selves.”

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What if 19th century Paris’ most infamous party-girl were undead and on the loose in the Big Apple? Marion Stein read from her new novel Blood Diva (published under the pen name VM Gautier) which reimagines the heroine of Camille and La Traviata as a vampire-about-town enjoying the human smorgasbord that is New York. Blood Diva is available in paper book and as an ebook at Amazon and other fine booksellers. Click here for a link to the Blood Diva blog.

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Honor Molloy and Niamh Hyland brought the evening to a close with “Christmas on an Island.” Adapted from a Radio Eireann script written by Honor’s mother Yvonne Voight, this selection from Smarty Girl – Dublin Savage is set in the wilds of Inish Maan during the last days of 1954. Honor played the mother and the mischievous Noleen O’Feeney. Niamh played a handful of Island Women, including the Mighty Spirit, Bridgie Flaherty. There was a song—miracle a song–as Niamh sang the first verse of “Silent Night” in Irish. Then the whole crowd joined in to celebrate the season and send each other home (with a quick stop at the Westside Tavern first.)

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The next Artists Without Walls’ Showcase is on January 27th, 7pm at The Cell Theatre, 338 W23rd St., NYC

All photos by Vera Hoar and Mitch Traphagen.

ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS' HOLIDAY SHOWCASE at THE CELL THEATRE, TUESDAY, 12/23, 6:45PM

“This is a note of thanks for supporting my efforts through pictures and words these past two years. 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, New York

Ron Vazzano is a writer/poet who has read his work at The Cell on a number of occasions since becoming a member of AWoW. As an actor, at a recent Showcase, Ron performed at a monologue he’d written called, “Ten Totems of Obsolescence in Passing.” Tuesday night he will be reading one, as he says, “Seasonally appropriate, poem.” No doubt, humor will abound.

Ed Romanoff’s debut album was a Roots Radio Top 100, number 12 in Europe, and its opening song was voted Song of the Year by the Nashville Songwriters Association. Recently, at fifty years of age, Ed discovered that he’s not Russian as he’d always believed, but Irish. Ed is writing a book about uncovering his true identity as well as recording a followup CD. He will be performing a few of his tunes with, we’re sure, a story or two thrown in.

Singer/songwriter/producer Michael Sheahan will be performing Christmas songs from his three-time award winning Christmas Book, CD and Dance DVD “Mr. Holidays Presents The Roof Top Hop,” as well as songs from his latest Christmas CD, “Some Things Never Change.” Looking for some additional holiday music? Look no further.

“Paper Tigers” is a solo theatrical piece, which is currently being developed by Nick Garr. In “Paper Tigers”, Nick creates, or rather, “recreates,” a variety of characters from the underbelly of the familiar. With them, he explores our shared issues of love, sex, ambition, and self-image, in a world where things are often not as they appear. Nick will be performing a segment that shows Father Rodney, a teacher at an all boys Catholic high school, presenting his final religion class to a group of graduating seniors.

Playwright and writer Joseph Goodrich will present “The New Boy”—-a holiday reminiscence set in Minnesota, where Goodrich grew up. In “The New Boy,” Christmas 1970 is fraught with loss, anxiety, and an unexpected guest. We heard Joe present this piece at Ed McCann’s “Writers Read” recently. Brilliant.

Honor Molloy and Niamh Hyland will present “Christmas on an Island”–adapted from a Radio Eireann script written by Honor’s mother Yvonne Voight. This selection from “Smarty Girl – Dublin Savage” is set in the last days of 1954 when Noleen’s mother heads out to the wilds of Inish Maan for Christmas. Might this include a tune from Ms. Hyland as well?

Marion Stein is a graduate of the Sarah Lawrence MFA program. Her work appeared in Gordon Lish’s legendery Quarterly Magazine. You can catch her snarky television recaps at Happy Nice Time People. Marion’s available fiction includes “Loisaida” – a novel of gentrification and its discontents – as well as the new work she will be reading from at the Showcase.

And rounding out the evening’s performances will be a scene from Brona Crehan’s “Moonlight Sonata,” which will be performed by Grainne Duddy.

A number of artists will have CD’s and books for sale, so if you’re looking for last minute stocking stuffers you’ll find them at The Cell Theatre, 338 W23rd St, tomorrow night,Tuesday, December 23rd, 6:45pm

We hope to see you then.

ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS' MEMBERS "ON THE TOWN" WEEK OF 8/24

Artists Without Walls Showcase at The Cell Theatre, 338 W23rd St. Tuesday, August 26, 7-9:30pm. A great lineup of artists including, Honor Finnegan, Warren Malone, Renata Hinrichs, Niamh Hyland, Mark Donnelly, Nick Garr, Martin Kleinman and Steve Simring

Samuel Barclay Beckett meets Honor Molloy, Kevin Holohan and Maeve Price. Four Dubliners in one hypnotic, obsessive swoon of lingo . . . BECKETT IN THE BINGO LOUNGE Friday, August, 29th, 7:30-10:00pm, 161 Chrystie Street

Honor Finnegan will be performing at the Uke New Jersey Too! Ukulele Festival. August 30th, 7:30pm show. Morristown Unitarian Fellowship, 21 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown, NJ.

Honor will also be teaching a songwriting class during the day. Saturday all day and night $65, Saturday night concert only $20, Full Event $75

Jim Hawkins will be telling at the “Hooley on the Hudson” Irish festival in Kingston, New York on Sunday, August 31 at 2 P. M. The Ancient Order of Hibernians, Fr. Con Colbert Woulfe Division 1, Ulster County, and the City of Kingston invite all to the annual “Hooley on the Hudson XIII™” from 11:30 AM until 9:00 PM at the beautiful waterfront at the T.R. Gallo Memorial Park on the Rondout Creek in historic Kingston, New York.

ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS HONORS HANORA O'DEA KILKENNY

The members of Artists Without Walls honored Hanora O’Dea Kilkenny last week for her commitment to the arts, multiculturalism and Artists Without Walls. She and her husband, Noel Kilkenny, Consul General of Ireland, will be greatly missed. Our loss is Athens, Greece’s gain. We wish them all the best.

The following article appeared in this week’s Irish Echo. To read, click on the article below.

STELLAR EVENING: AWoW'S SHOWCASE at THE CELL THEATRE, JULY 22, 2014

“Artists Without Walls allows the various artists to bring things they “make” to The Cell, to share with others. Sharing my neon animations, MANAHATTA and THE ATOMIC ADVENTURES OF JACK KEROUAC last night was a real honor. To have been able to offer the crowd a touch of fun and joy is the icing on the cake for an artist.” Jack Feldstein, animator and scriptwriter.

Jack Feldstein’s words echo the sentiment of Tuesday night’s performers who clearly were feeding off the energy of the audience as well as their fellow artists. Lorin Partalis and Larry Fleischman moved the jam-packed Cell Theatre with a poignant performance of a scene from A Cancelled Note, a new play by John Moran. John’s play, directed by Tess Howsam, transported the audience into the bittersweet world of a father and his grown daughter who find themselves at odds to the breaking point. Will they part forever? John is currently shopping the full play with a production goal of March 2015. We’ll keep you posted on all future developments.

Desdemona’s death scene in Othello always comes with a high degree of difficulty and expectation. In the hands of Alessia Sushko and Sedly Bloomfield the audience was witness to a beautiful, passionate and moving scene. Love and fear was on display. Ms. Sushko’s beauty and Mr. Bloomfields’s presence left us wondering, “What would have happened if Desdemona had lived…?”

Singer Serena Jost captivated the AWoW audience with two of her new songs, “Silver Star” and “Bloom.” Accompanying herself on cello and guitar, the subtle poetry of her lyrics was highlighted by her beautiful, haunting voice. A transportive experience by a unique and delightful artist.

Vinnie Nauheimer held the audience rapt as he read two poems about current events. The first, “Nigerian Girls Up in Smoke,” addresses the kidnapped and still missing girls from Nigeria, an event the world has chosen to ignore. The second, “Invisible Victims of Tuam,” deals with the missing remains of eight hundred children in the little town of Tuam, Ireland and the horrors of the Catholic run Mother-Baby homes. Vinnie’s poem suggest the notion that apathy can be the progenitor of evil. Vinnie hopes to include both of these poems in a book of poetry called Remembering the Children.

Jack O'Connell, Maura Knowles and Luis Villabon — **Jack O’Connell, Maura Knowles and Luis Villabon**

Maura Knowles’ new play Insult to Injury, which examines why we should never give up on angels or anyone with broken wings, was given a wonderful reading by Maura, actor Jack O’Connell and composer Nathania Wibowo. Maura, accompanied by Sean Chandra Irawan on piano, also provided the vocals to which one of the audience later said, “Such beautiful work, her singing soars through such glorious tones….She made the room sing! And such wonderful collaborators.”

Pat Schneider and Joe Goodrich joined Honor Molloy for a reading from Prisoner’s Cinema, the book to an opera about three long-term inpatients and their psychiatrist. The scene is a darkly layered view into the backstories for the doctor and Natalia, who is actively suicidal. Joe’s portrayal of a psychiatrist was spot on and Honor, well anything Honor puts her voice to is spellbinding.

Steve Silver's "The Watchtower with D.J. Sharp — **Steve Silver’s “The Watchtower with D.J. Sharp**

Steve Silver showed a clip from his feature film The Watchtower, a story of love and survival in notorious Hell’s kitchen, one man’s plight to get out of the gangster life and return to his birth land of Ireland. The audience was captivated by Silver’s sharp humorous dialogue which soon changed to a shocking execution scene of Harvey Steinberg (played by D.J. Sharp), a big time mob tied loan shark. Great ending, which left the audience in breathless silence.

Jack Feldstein closed out the evening with two fascinating neon animations, MANAHATTA, from the poem of the same name by Walt Whitman, and THE ATOMIC ADVENTURES OF JACK KEROUAC. If you’d like to contact Jack for collaborations or simply to keep in touch, Jack asks that you feel free to find him through his website www.jackfeldstein.com .

And we would be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge the contributions that Noel Kilkenny, Consul General of Ireland and Hanora O’Dea Kilkenny made to New York’s Irish American community. They will now move on to their next assignment in Athens, Greece. Athens’ gain is our great loss.

Connie Roberts, Hanora O'Dea Kilkenny — **Connie Roberts, Hanora O’Dea Kilkenny**

Noel and Hanora’s efforts on behalf of business, tourism and promotion of the arts were tireless and they were gracious hosts to countless events during their four years in New York City. Additionally, Hanora was an enormous supporter of Artists Without Walls, referring many artists and constantly singing the group’s praises. During the evening Hanora was presented an award for her generous commitment of time and support of Artists Without Walls and the New York City multi-cultural arts community. She and Noel will be greatly missed.

The next Artists Without Walls’ Showcase is on August 26th, at the Cell Theatre. For more information about AWoW write to: info@artistswithoutwalls.com

All photos by Vera Hoar

STELLAR LINEUP for AWoW'S SHOWCASE at THE CELL THEATRE, Tuesday 7/22 7pm

Why attend Tuesday’s Artists Without Walls’ Showcase at the Cell Theatre? Here’s what singer/songwriter Jenai Huff said about a recent Showcase: “What an extraordinary night. I feel blessed to have been a witness and a participant to the magic.” Jenai Huff

Here’s the cast of performers:

Russian born actress and model Alessia Sushko and screen and TV actor Sedly Bloomfeld will be performing the death scene from Othello. “I am thrilled to be performing at AWoW again,” Alessia said. “Being able to expand my craft and exercise my performance muscles with the beauty and the complexity of Shakespeare’s language is a gift.”

Jack Feldstein will be presenting his neon animation films, Manhatta (by Walt Whitman and The Atomic Adventures of Jack Kerouac. Originally from Sydney, Australia and now based in NYC, Jack Feldstein is an award-winning scriptwriter and neon animation filmmaker. His scripts “A House Like Any Other” and “Three Months with Pook” have won prizes in Australia and Britain. His neon animations have been screened and won awards worldwide from Lincoln Center in NYC to Rotterdam, The Netherlands. His philosophy is “search for an interesting life.”

Actress/playwright Maura Knowles will be presenting a scene from her new play Insult to Injury, which examines why we should never give up on angels or anyone with broken wings. The piece is inspired by actual events drawn from Maura’s life. Nathania Wibowo is her composer.

Vinnie Nauheimer, a long time advocate for children and a voice against abuse, will be reading two poems that deal with current events related to the abuse of children. The first poem concerns the three hundred abducted Nigerian girls and the second deals with the events recently disclosed about an unwed mother home in Tuam, Ireland. Though thousands of miles and years apart, the stories are very much connected through the apathy shown to the plight of these children.

Serena Jost is a Swiss-American singer/songwriter/cellist whose music invokes vivid emotional landscapes. Serena’s new album, A Bird Will Sing, was exquisitely produced by the legendary Anton Fier (Golden Palominos) and was named one of the Top 50 Albums of 2013 by New York Music Daily. Serena can be seen at some of NYC’s top venues including Brooklyn’s Barbès and Joe’s Pub, and tonight performs both songs from the album and new material.

Rounding out the lineup will be long time AWoW fav Honor Molloy, who will present a segment from Prisoner’s Cinema–the book for a new music-theatre work about three patients held in a long-term psychiatric facility who believe they are Christ and their psychiatrist; John Moran, whose scene from his play “A Cancelled Note,” a story of mystery and forgiving will be directed by Tess Howsam and stars Lorin Partalis and Larry Fleishman, and Steven Silver’s film “The Watchtower” a film about the Westies of Hell’s Kitchen. which stars Steve and AWoW member David Sharp.

Tuesday’s Showcase at The Cell Theatre, 338 W23rd St, NYC begins at 7pm. We hope to see you there. This is a free event.

AWoW'S SHOWCASE at THE CELL THEATRE, TUESDAY, JULY 22, 7PM.

Why are the Artists Without Walls’ Showcases so popular? Take a look at what members and performers have to say:

“It was a thrilling, life affirming night—life-affirming in the sense that an Artist Without Walls’ showcase highlights beautifully, often spectacularly, our shared humanity.” Connie Roberts, poet.

“If you were to put Ed Sullivan, Oscar Wilde and TEDTalks into a blender you’d get Artist Without Walls.” Ed Romanoff, singer/songwriter.

“What was needed so desperately is what AWOW has given us, a loving ear to witness….That room, that audience of art friends, people that really understand and want to see you express it. Wonderful!” Mary Tierney, actress

“Brilliant! Somehow egos are left at the door and you sit there absorbing these wonderful performances. And by the end of the evening you find yourself connected to your soul.” Ray Lindie, playwright.

We have a great night lined up on Tuesday, July 22nd, 7pm at The Cell Theatre. Performers include: Top Row: Maura Knowles, Alessia Sushko, Charles R. Hale. Bottom row: Vinnie Nauheimer, Jack Feldstein, Sedly Bloomsfeld, Steve Silver and John Moran.

Photo montage by Vera Hoar.

BRILLIANT EVENING OF PERFORMANCES at AWoW's SHOWCASE at THE CELL 6/24/14

“How many more amazing things can I say about Artists Without Walls? It’s an amazing community and an incredible lineup of diverse artists. Thank you for the plug on my show and for the major hugs of support. I love these people.” Erin Layton

“Yes! Last night’s Artists Without Walls Showcase was exhilarating as was evidenced by the energy and smiles at The Cell . Thanks for putting together another evening of performances for the memory book.” Marty Plevel

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Honor Molloy began the evening by reading “What’s Taken,” an expressionistic segment that was dropped from her novel Smarty Girl – Dublin Savage. This piece features Noleen O’Feeney and her father trapped in the ruins of her childhood home. Afterwards, someone asked Honor why it was taken out of the book. “Because it was far too abstract for the audience I wanted…but not too abstract for the gang at AWoW.”

: Honor Molloy

The silvery voice of Jenai Huff combined with the critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Eugene Ruffolo in a performance of two original tunes written by Jenai and one by Eugene. Eugene followed with a song written in Italian, which will be part of his next CD scheduled to be released in the fall. His beautiful timbre and romantic language delighted the audience.

From the moment Yvonne Cassidy began to read from her latest novel How Many Letters Are in Goodbye? she held the audience spellbound. Cassidy read the first letter from the novel title, a letter from seventeen-year old Rhea Farrell to her mother, Allison who died when Rhea was only three. Writing from Penn Station, Rhea begins to share with her mother her homeless experience but quickly lapses into questions she has always had, questions she wants her mother to answer. Judging by the book sales at the intermission, the audience members too, were keen to find out the answers to these questions! For anyone who didn’t get their hands on a copy, click here.

A delightful new presence on the music scene in New York has arrived from the heart of Europe, the city of Prague. Martina Fiserova’s humor and energy shone through her music and lit up the room. Her soulful authentic approach delivered an emotional urgency; even a melancholic story felt uplifting. The exciting chord work she does sets her apart from being “just another girl with a guitar.” We need more of these European invasions.

: Martina Fiserova

Dan Yurkofsky premiered two song compositions from his new CD, Hoverhill. The songs, titled “The Time Zone” and “Walking” featured Mr. Yurkofsky’s melodic singing voice and contemplative lyrics. He was deftly accompanied by two fine musicians, Matt Turk on acoustic guitar and Noah Hoffeld on cello . To learn more about Hoverhill, and to hear listening examples from the CD you can click here.

First time performer, Kathleen Bennett Bastis’, opened the second half of the show with an hilarious and “spot on” perspective of internet dating. Kathleen claimed that this was the first time she had been on stage since she performed in Scheherazade in fifth grade; hard to believe given her poise, charm and insouciance. “As always, a terrific evening of great entertainment and talent,” Kathleen said after the show.

Ashley Bell was next and she dazzled all with a stirring rendition of the opera staple, “O Mio Babbino Caro.” She followed up the showstopper with an original composition, which showcased her lower register and displayed another level of her vocal instrument.

: Ashley Bell

Digital poet and recent NYU grad, Allison Fichtelberg dazzled the audience with a spellbinding performance of her epic poem “Scroll.” I am honored to have performed for such a receptive audience and to share the space with such talented artists. That was the first performance I’ve done where I summoned the appropriate chutzpah to make the concluding sword trick work.” (You’ll have to see her perform live to understand that comment.) An absolutely mesmerizing performance.

But Allison wasn’t done for the night. Lyndon Achee, steel drummer and percussionist began with a piece dedicated to his sister Beatrice who died of breast cancer. Lyndon than circulated a bag of instruments—tambourines, maracas, drumsticks and bells–through the audience who accompanied Lyndon in an upbeat tune, which ended with Allison coming back on stage and dancing to the sweet sounds of a steel drum. A wonderful, highly spirited, ending to a great night.

The next Artists Without Walls’ Showcase at The Cell will be on July 22nd at The Cell Theatre, 338 W 23rd St., NYC. For more info on Artists Without Walls write to info@artistswithoutwalls.com

Photos by Mitch Traphagen.