Brona Crehan

"AROUND THE TOWN" with ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS' MEMBERS

Annette Homann will be one of the violinists in Douglas Townsend’s triple violin concerto when the Washington Heights Musical Society Presents the Music of American Composer Douglas Townsend, today, Sunday, 19 Apr 2015 – 3:00 PM. Holyrood Episcopal Church, 715 W 179th street, NYC. Suggested donation: $10

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Brona Crehan’s Moonlight Sonata, starring Grainne Duddy, will be part of a three day short play festival, which also includes a work of Don Creedon’s at An Beal Bocht Cafe, 445, 238th St, Bronx, NY. Last show today, Sunday, April 19th 2pm.

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Musician, storyteller & actor Richard Stillman be playing Irish music at the Verona Inn with guitarist Paul Byrne, tomorrow, Sunday, 4-7pm, today, Sunday, April 19th. The music will include vocals, guitar, tenor banjo, mandolin, pennywhistle, concertina, bones, harmonica and bagpipes. The address is: 624 Bloomfield Ave. Verona, NJ. For info. call 973 239 0544.

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Cellist Noah Hoffeld will be “Live at The Bowery Electric,” 327 Bowery at Joey Ramone Place, NYC, on Wednesday, April 22, 10:30pm. No cover.

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Mary Tierney will be reading “Tell Tell Heart,” w/musical accompaniment by Jaster A Leon during Casting Light on Edgar Allan Poe, Friday, April 24, 2015 | 6:00 – 8:00 pm, NYU School of Law | 245 Sullivan Street | Furman Hall, Room 216 (Between West 3rd and Washington Square South)

Join local artists and members of the community for an evening of entertainment that will illuminate Poe’s work and legacy through a variety of creative works. A reception will follow in the Poe Room.

“Casting Light on Edgar Allan Poe” is free and open to the public and an RSVP is required. Register online, or contact us at community.affairs@nyu.edu or 212-998-2400.

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ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS’ SHOWCASE at THE CELL THEATRE in NYC April 28 @ 6:45 pm – 9:30 pm

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Out by Ten Mixes Music & Stories:Jilted Lovers, Bad Kids, Dreams, Drums & Desires

WHEN: April 30, 2015: Out by Ten at Spectrum NYC, 121 Ludlow Street, NYC. 7:30-9:30 PM

WHAT: Come hear what it’s really like to tour with a rock ‘n roll band, recover from jilted love and feel like the bad kid. BONUS: Open Mic for storytellers & musicians after the featured performers.

THE DEAL: Our $20 admission fee ($18 in advance) includes FREE wine and cheese and cookies. Click here for tickets at Brown Paper Tickets.

AWoW MEMBERS "ON THE TOWN" the WEEK of 3/12/15

Musician, storyteller and actor Richard Stillman be playing Irish music at the Verona Inn with guitarist Paul Byrne, today, Sunday, 4-7pm April 12 and again on Sunday, April 19th. The music will include vocals, guitar, tenor banjo, mandolin, pennywhistle, concertina, bones, harmonica and bagpipes. The address is: 624 Bloomfield Ave. Verona, NJ. For info. call 973 239 0544.

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Jack O'Connell in The Biscuit Club — Jack O’Connell in The Biscuit Club

Opening on April 4th and running through April 25th, Jack O’Connell, will be starring in the World Premiere of The BISCUIT CLUB, Marianne Driscoll’s canine comedy inspired by The Breakfast Club. Directed by Kira Simring. For ticket info click here Use the code awow for discounted tickets.
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Ever wonder what goes on in a kennel when people aren’t around? THE BISCUIT CLUB gives audiences a behind-the-bars peek into Bradley’s Bed & Biscuit, a boarding house for dogs. When an aging Bulldog, a jumpy Beagle, a glamorous Shih Tzu, a grumpy Pit Bull, a champion Airedale Terrier and a wide-eyed Labrador pup are locked together for the night, a doggone good time is in store for all.

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On Wednesday, April 15th, 7:30pm, at the Irish Arts Center, 553, W51st, St, NYC, Polly Lee will read selections from Norah Vincent’s Adeline and Honor Molloy will moderate a conversation with Norah about Virginia Woolf’s life and art, as well as the creation of Adeline.

“It’s an exquisite book with deep insights into the creative process, Woolf’s inner and outer worlds, and her untimely death.” Honor Molly

For $10 tickets: please call the box office at 866-811-4111 or purchase tickets online by clicking here.

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Violinist Annette Homann will be one of the violinists playing performing Townsend’s triple violin concerto in following concert:

Washington Heights Musical Society Presents the Music of American Composer Douglas Townsend
Sunday, 19 Apr 2015 – 3:00 PM
Holyrood Episcopal Church, 715 W 179th street, NYC
Suggested donation: $10
For more info click here.

ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS: MEMBERS ON THE TOWN the WEEK of 2/22/15

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.

Brona Crehan’s Pillow on the Stairs runs from February 25 – 28 at The Cell – Wednesday – Friday at 7pm with an additional performance on Feb 28 at 7pm. Tickets are $30.00. Click here for tickets.

Honor Finnegan with Aviv Roth on guitar – Sunday, February 22nd, 4:00 pm. Empty Nest House Concerts. Private residence, Maplewood, NJ. Price: $20 suggested donation. RSVP to: emptynestconcerts@hotmail.com

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.

Richard Stillman will be presenting his “Italian Carnevale Show ” on Sat. Feb. 28th at 1 pm at the Kip Center. The show combines Italian & Italian American songs sung and played on the mandolin, guitar, bagpipes & concertina with storytelling and tap dancing. The Kip Center is located at 55 Kip Ave. Rutherford, NJ. For information call 201 460 1600.

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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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

ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS' MEMBERS: THIS WEEK in NYC

Martina Fiserova, a singer songwriter originally from Prague, will perform her original songs on Monday January 26th at 10pm at The Way Station, 683 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, no cover charge.

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CANCELED DUE TO THE BLIZZARD

Artists Without Walls’ Showcase at The Cell Theatre, 338 W23rd St., Tuesday, January 27th, 6:45pm. NEXT SHOWCASE ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16TH.

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Moonlight Sonata, written by Brona Crehan and starring Grainne Duddy, made it to the finals at Manhattan Rep’s winter one act competition. Thirty plays participated and six move on to the finals on January 29 and 30 at 6.30pm and 9.00pm each night.

RESERVATIONS for THE FINAL SHOWDOWN performances will open up on MONDAY MORNING January 26 at 9 am. Any reservation received before January 26 at 9 am will not be honored. Manhattan Rep will only accept 4 ticket reservations per email address per show for THE FINAL SHOWDOWN performances to prevent one play from reserving the entire show. (6:30 pm and 9 pm.) Tickets for the performance are $20

The Manhattan Repertory Theatre is located at 303 W42nd St, NYC. Reservations can be made at: mrtreserve@gmail.com

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Deborah Monlux producer of: Bayou ‘n Brooklyn Music Festival, (next years fest is May 8, 9, 10, 2015) invites you to a free event at Jalopy Theatre 315 Columbia Street Brooklyn NY 11231; Saturday, January 31st, 2015, from 2-5PM.

Join them for the next session of their traditional Brooklyn Cajun Jam Session at the fabulous Jalopy Theatre in Brooklyn. This jam will be led by Jesse Lége.

The Brooklyn Cajun Jam focuses on the traditional Cajun & Creole music of southwest Louisiana. Vocals are sung in Cajun French and are backed up by button accordion, fiddle, guitar, and occasionally, ‘tit fer (triangle) bass and mandolin. Since most tunes are played in the keys of C and G, fiddles are usually tuned down a whole step to FCGD. Bring your instruments, join the music session, dance, or just come by and listen to some great traditional Cajun music.

AWoW MEMBERS in the "NEWS"

Nice article about upcoming AWoW events in today’s Irish Echo. Come on out and see some great performers including Brona Crehan, Grainne Duddy, Annette Homann, Jim Hawkins and Terry McCarthy.

ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS' MEMBERS "AROUND TOWN"

If you missed Grainne Duddy at Artists Without Walls’ Holiday Showcase on December 23rd, here is your chance to see her perform again. An extract from Moonlight Sonata, written and directed by Brona Crehan, will be part of Manhattan Repertory Theater’s Winter One Act Competition.

Show dates are, Tuesday January 13 at 6:30 pm, Wednesday January 14 at 6:30 pm, Thursday January 15 at 6:30 pm and Friday January 16 at 6:30 pm.

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Manhattan Repertory Theater is located at: 303 W. 42nd St. Suite 614, right past Duane Reade on 42nd St. Enter Right Door to Elevator – go to 6th floor – Suite 614 – You will see signs. Tickets are $20 and reservations are made by email at: mrtreserve@gmail.com

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Join Annette Homann for her CD release at the Duplex Cabaret Theatre, 61 Christopher St, January 15th, 9:30pm. Tickets are officially on sale now. “I Would love to share my excitement with all of you!” says Annette. For tickets click here

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Jim Hawkins will be telling Frank O’Connor Stories on Friday, January 16 at 7pm, at the Inquiring Mind Book Store and Gallery, 200 Main Street, Saugerties, New York. Storyteller Janet Carter who runs this monthly event will also tell Irish stories. Admission is free. Donations are gratefully accepted.

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Terry McCarthy premieres his new five piece electric band on Friday, January 16th, at Tierney’s, 136-138 Valley Road, Montclair, NJ. Terry will be joined by the fantastic Bern and the Brights. $10 cover.

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**Noah Hoffeld, Dan Yurkofsky and Melissa Sytlianou**

Singer, composer, and songwriter Dan Yurkofsky will perform songs from Hoverhill, his recent album on Sunday, January 18th, 4pm, at The Cell Theatre, 338 West 23rd St., NYC. This will be a full group show and the first ever performance of all the songs from the record.

With Anna Dagmar – piano and keyboard, Thad Debrock – guitar, Noah Hoffeld – cello, and Melissa Stylianou – voice. Click here for tickets, which are $10

Artists Without Walls Showcase at The Cell Theatre, 338 W23rd St. Tuesday, January 27th, 6:45 pm.

GRAINNE DUDDY PERFORMING in BRONA CREHAN'S "MOONLIGHT SONATA"

If you missed the lovely Grainne Duddy at Artists Without Walls’ Holiday Showcase on December 23rd, here is your chance to see her perform. An extract from Moonlight Sonata, written and directed by Brona Crehan, will be part of Manhattan Repertory Theater’s Winter One Act Competition.

Moonlight Sonata is a young woman’s story of finding out and coming to terms with who she is. It received a very warm reception on December 23rd at The Cell and Brona is delighted to have it be part of Manhattan Rep’s competition. The audience members will be the judges so come on out and let us know what you think!

Show dates are:

Tuesday January 13 at 6:30 pm
Wednesday January 14 at 6:30 pm
Thursday January 15 at 6:30 pm
Friday January 16 at 6:30 pm

Manhattan Repertory Theater is located at: 303 W. 42nd St. Suite 614, right past Duane Reade on 42nd St. Enter Right Door to Elevator – go to 6th floor – Suite 614 – You will see signs.

TICKET RESERVATIONS
Tickets are $20 and reservations are made by email at: mrtreserve@gmail.com

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.