ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS' SHOWCASE WRAP UP, JANUARY 28, 2014

“The event last night was replenishing, especially because of AWoW’s spirit and the vibe among the people. They were all so happy to be there.” Justine Blau, author of Scattered: A Mostly True Memoir. 

Jhair Sala and Yuri Juarez
Jhair Sala and Yuri Juarez

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Afro Peruvian guitarist Yuri Juarez and percussionist Jhair Sala got the evening off to a great start with a song called “Idolatría.” The song is a traditional Peruvian waltz with a free and open interpretation for guitar and cajon.  Yuri and Jhair followed with “Arroz Con Concolón,” a Festejo or in English a celebration. “Arroz con concolón is rice with the toasted rice in the botton of the bowl. You can see that in the Spanish paella. It’s delicious,” Yuri explained through his infectious laughter.   Great music, a great beginning. 

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Nick Garr followed with an outstanding performance from his solo theatre piece, Paper Tigers. Written by Nick, the work is a stunning combination of comedy and drama. Nick meshed his great physicality with piped in sounds as diverse as spraying mouthwash, bullets flying through the air and screams to create an intense piece of theater. 
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Photographer Vera Hoar and Noel Lawlor
Photographer Vera Hoar and Noel Lawlor

Actors DJ Sharp and Mary Tierney were splendid in a scene from Joe Davidson’s Looking for Cans. DJ, as the butler Philip, perfectly captured the lubricious behavior of Philip, as he attempts to extort money from his boss, the wealthy socialite Mary Wellsworth. Mary T, as she always does, slipped into her role of “wealthy socialite,” well, as if she were one. Is she?  A stirring scene brought alive by two great actors. 

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Jim Hawkins, making his first appearance with AWoW, began his presentation by giving the audience a brief background on the life of Eamon Kelly, the great Irish storyteller or seanchai.  Jim followed with a wonderful rendition of Eamon’s story, “The White Cat,” and concluded with a spirited version of Tommy Makem’s humorous song, “The Liar. Of Jim’s performance, actor Jack O’Connell said, “I love watching a great pro who’s come prepared.”  Well said and right on the mark. 
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Michael Brunnock and John Duddy
Michael Brunnock and John Duddy

Actor John Duddy and singer/songwriter Michael Brunnock opened the second half of the show bringing to life the extraordinary character that was Irish Nationalist, Roger Casement. Their passion for telling Roger’s story was palpable and truly compelling in its intensity. If this is a taste of what’s to come , then I believe the audience is hooked.  John and Michael aroused the listener’s curiosity through haunting melody and Casement’s own words, telling the story of one of the great humanitarians of this century . “I believe Roger Casement and what he represents is as important today as when he died, one-hundred years ago. I am privileged to tell how I see his story and working with John Duddy on this has been such an inspiration to me ” said Michael. “We are so excited to work together and looking forward to producing the full show in the late spring.”  And we’re looking forward to having this dynamic duo return. 

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Emcee Caroline Winterson and AWoW Cofounder Charles R. Hale
Emcee Caroline Winterson and AWoW Cofounder Charles R. Hale

Aedin Moloney, one of NYC’s finest actresses, performed a scene from her award winning performance in A Most Dangerous Woman, a play about writer George Eliot. During this bravura performance, Aedin held the audience captive as she brought to life the disappointments and frustrations of being a great woman writer in a man’s world. 

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Mary Lannon charmed the crowd reading from her completed novel An Explanation of the Fundamentals of the Derivation of Dilapidated Brown Station Wagon Theory aka How I Became A Scientist and Discovered the Truth About Getting Stuck in the Wrong Universe by Miranda J. McCleod.  (Yes, that’s the title.) She also encouraged everyone to “Facebook Friend” her main character Miranda J. McCleod as she seeks out an agentpublishing opportunities for this terrific young adult novel.

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Intermission
Intermission

Actor Andy Baldeschwiler closed the evening by sharing the Tom Robbins’ travel story “Two in the Bush”, depicting a couple’s romantic mis-adventures in the African wild. His animated and hilarious performance elicited many appreciative guffaws from the crowd and was the perfect send off into a chilly New York night. 

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The next Artists Without Walls’ Showcase at The Cell will be on March 3, 7pm at The Cell Theater, 338 W23rd St., NYC. For more info on Artists Without Walls contact info@artistswithoutwalls.com
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 Photos by Cat Dwyer and Vera Hoar.

ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS’ SHOWCASE at THE CELL THEATRE: 10/22/13

Singer/songwriter Ed Romanoff said, “If you were to put Ed Sullivan, Oscar Wilde and TEDTalks into a blender you’d get Artist Without Walls. The Showcase is a friendly environment for artists to share their work and start unique collaborations in a remarkably intimate setting.  One of the most receptive and fun shows I’ve been a part of…”

 

Angela Alaimo O'Donnell
Angela Alaimo O’Donnell

Poet Angela Alaimo O’Donnell offered a powerful reading of selections from her books Moving House, Saint Sinatra, and Waking My Mother. Hers are fierce, finely-wrought poems that embrace unlovely realities–the hard life of “Coal Town,” the families that labor beneath its ashen skies, the death of a father, the loves of a mother, spiritual hope dogged by spiritual despair.  O’Donnell’s superb, inspired language and forgiving imagination have somehow survived the “slag heaps” of home.  Her passionate performance offered public witness to the power of poetry to speak the unspeakable, to articulate for us all what we cannot, and to redeem our lives and losses through beauty. 

 

 

Sana Musasama
Sana Musasama

Ceramic artist Sana Musasama began her compelling performance, which included a filmed photo-journey of her art and travels, stating that as a world traveler she seeks out the comfort and protection of women in traditional cultures She visits markets that are dominated by women who invite her into their lives, guide her and teach her; they feed her passion.   Sana’s work is about an experience that triggers an emotion , sometimes a place or a  time.  She then submerges herself with information that informs these ideas and concepts. As she said, “When I feel this overwhelming presence I poetically call my  extra heart beat.  I then pick up my clay and begin to build.”  

 

 

1385133_10201179193214780_1915011513_nVisiting Irish writer Alan McMonagle read from his newly published collection, Psychotic Episodes. In ten captive minutes he excerpted a story that manages to accommodate a six-hundred-year-old woman, a talking cat, a marijuana grower, a pair of deaf and blind philosophers, a notorious womanizer, and a Yoga Master become property developer.  We hope to see Alan back in the States soon. A most welcome addition to the AWoW lineup of talent. 

 

Diana Jones
Diana Jones

Singer/songwriter Diana Jones made a dazzling Showcase debut singing three songs. She opened with “Henry Russell’s Last Words,” a song she wrote, based on a letter a dying miner scratched on a piece of paper while trapped in a mine. Diana followed with “Pony” a song told from the viewpoint of a young Native American girl in the 1920s who is forced to assimilate to a life and culture that is not her own. She ended her set with a song from her brand new release Museum of Appalachia Recordings. Diana combines traditional mountain and old-time sounds with a literate, character-driven brand of storytelling. She will be appearing in NYC at Hill Country NY on Monday, November 4th. I highly recommend getting tickets to hear this great talent. Click here for ticket info

  

Deni Bonet, Ed Romanoff and Niamh Hyland
Deni Bonet, Ed Romanoff and Niamh Hyland

Fiddler Deni Bonet and singer and AWoW cofounder Niamh Hyland accompanied Ed Romanoff on four tunes.  Mixing humor and warmth with darker tones, aided by two very accomplished musicians, Ed’s songs,  stories of the human condition, captivated the audience. Niamh closed out the set with a touching, soulful tribute to her mother Margaret and grandmother Sarah by performing the old Irish ballad: “The Parish of Knockmore.” She followed it with a haunting and powerful version of Alanis Morissette’s tune “Uninvited”.  Beautiful singing and a voice that can go from zero-to-sixty in a heartbeat. 

 

 

Ron Vazzano
Ron Vazzano

Ron Vazzano read from his books of poems Shots from a Passing Car, in a an exuberant and energetic manner, in the best tradition of spoken word performance. His satiric and cutting edge style was most evident in “Blue Sky Session At Morning,” which recounts moments in time from his previous life as an advertising executive. This piece especially elicited an hilarious response from an audience, obviously attuned to the “Mad Man” culture.

 

 

 

Jenai Huff
Jenai Huff

We were pleased to have Jenai Huff join us again last night.  Jenai played three songs from her new EP Grace and Elbow Grease.  The first song was the title track, followed by “Make This Be” and closing with with “Come Home.”  Jenai’s songs are about life, love and loss and she clearly has a reverence for them.  Her pure and soulful voice and big smile coax the listener to relax.

 

 

DJ Sharp
DJ Sharp

 

 

The evening concluded with a tour-de-force performance from a work written by the very talented actor D.J. Sharp. His portrayal of Tennessee Williams in his final three days of his life at New York’s Hotel Elysee was spellbinding and brought down the house. A brilliant end to a night filled with one great performance after another.  

 

At the end of the evening AWoW member Ray Lindie said, “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.” 

 

The next Artists Without Walls Showcase will be on November 26th at The Cell Theater, 338 W. 23rd St., NYC. For more information on Artists Without Walls contact info@artistswithoutwalls.com

 

Photos by Cat Dwyer and Vera Hoar

 

 

 

COMING UP ON TUESDAY, 10/22: ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS’ SHOWCASE at THE CELL THEATER

Deni Bonet
Deni Bonet

“The atmosphere is electric; it encourages creativity, imagination, and very importantly, friendship and discussion between like minds amongst the audience and the performers. Everybody is welcome at Artists Without Walls.” Eimear O’Connor, Ireland, author, Sean Keating: Art, Politics and Building the Irish Nation.

 

Ed Romanoff
Ed Romanoff

And this promises to be another great evening, which will include a number of first time presenters. 

 

 

A number of months ago singer/songwriter Ed Romanoff attended a Showcase at which fiddler Deni Bonet wowed the audience. They struck up a conversation and within a short period of time Deni was signed onto Ed’s tour of Ireland. On Tuesday they will be joined by singer and Artists Without Walls’ co-founder, Niamh Hyland. This promises to be a killer session.

 

Sana Musasama
Sana Musasama

Ceramic artist Sana Musasama will speak about her world travels, what she has seen, experienced and learned and how that translates into her work. “I really see no separation between my life, my travels, my objects, and my interaction with my community,” Musasama said. “The artwork that I make is full of cries, it’s full of tears, it’s full of stories. But when I’m making it and putting it in this object and handing it to you, you are sharing my burden when you take it away and share that story with someone else.”

 

 

Diana Jones
Diana Jones

Singer/songwriter Diana Jones will be making her debut at an Artists Without Walls’ Showcase. Diana has won a number of songwriting competitions including the venerable “New Folk” competition at the 2006 Kerrville Folk Festival. Her song “Pony” was nominated as “Song of the Year” by the North American Folk Alliance, and Jones herself was nominated as “Emerging Artist of the Year” for 2006.  Joan Baez released a recording of Diana’s “Henry Russell’s Last Words” on her album Day After Tomorrow, which was nominated for a Grammy.

 

Angela Alaimo O'Donnell
Angela Alaimo O’Donnell

Angela Alaimo O’Donnell will be reading selections from her books Moving House, Saint Sinatra and Waking My Mother.  These are poems that engage in myth-making, explore the darkness & complexities of family life, and honor the power of art to redeem our fraught and fractured histories. A species of sacrament, poetry celebrates mystery.

 

And there’ll be plenty more:  Back for her second Showcase appearance will be Jenai Huff.  Jenai, with her clear and soulful voice, will be singing songs from her new CD Grace and Elbow Grease.  Visiting Irish writer Alan McMonagle will be reading from his newly published short story collection Psychotic Episodes, described by novelist Patrick McCabe as being precise, tender and glitteringly compelling. Ron Vazzano, a poet whose work has appeared in a number of literary journals, will be reading a few poems 

Jenai Huff
Jenai Huff

from his book Shots from a Passing Car.  And rounding out the evening will be playwright and actor DJ Sharp performing a scene from his play “Return to Tennessee.” The play takes place during the last three days of Tennessee Williams” life in his suite at the Hotel Elysee in NYC. 

 

Join the members and friends of Artists Without Walls, Tuesday, October 22, 7pm, at The Cell Theater, 338 W. 23rd Street, NYC. There is no charge.