"UNBRIDLED SPIRIT and JOY" at AWOW's LATEST SHOWCASE

Gregory Harrington and Leon Boykins
Gregory Harrington and Leon Boykins

“I am always so impressed by the level of talent I witness at any Artist Without Walls’ event. It is rare to witness a room filled with that kind of unbridled spirit, charisma and joy even in NYC. An incredible ensemble of artists are represented at an AWoW showcase!” Erin Layton, actress/playwright

 

Gregory Harrington began the evening with a stirring performance of the Prelude from the Cello Suite by J.S. Bach, which he arranged for violin and is on his upcoming CD – Bach: Transcriptions and Variations on CDBaby. Greg was then joined by Leon Boykins on double bass and for a virtuosic performance of U2’s “With or Without You. “Had a great time and really loved the space,” Greg added.

 

DJ Sharp
DJ Sharp

DJ Sharp took us back to Tennessee Williams’ days at New York City’s historic Elysee Hotel with a scene from his one man show, “Tennessee Williams.” Here’s what an audience member said, “Tonight I saw D J Sharp knock it out of the park–no, much farther than that. He knocked it out beyond the parking lot, past the interstate and well into the corn fields of Nebraska. A performance to be seen.” I’m flattered,” DJ said.  “Thanks again to Artists Without Walls for creating a evening with great performers and a wonderful audience!” 

 

Devon McCarthy, Terry McCarthy and Andy Sandel
Devon McCarthy, Terry McCarthy and Andy Sandel

Terry  McCarthy  tore into the room with four of his brashly melodic original songs. In honor of his wife’s first attendance at an AWoW Showcase, he opened with “Queen of the World” a tune recounting the second time they met and marking the thirty years they’ve been together. He then performed “And a Little Girl Closes Her Eyes” an anti-war song in the Celtic folk tradition. Next was a rocking version of “Down For The Day” a tribute to the people of the Rockaways who are rebuilding their lives after the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. He closed with a fan favorite “Sorrow Salsa,” a Tejano flavored tune of triumph over depression. Terry was joined by the brilliant guitarisist, his nephew Devon McCarthy who wowed the audience  with his talent and a special guest, Andy Sandel, who proved why he is known as the “Master of the Squeezebox.” All of these songs and many more are available @ TerryMcCarthymusic.com as well as ITunes and Cdbaby.com 

 

Maeve Price and Don Creedon
Maeve Price and Don Creedon

Irish playwright, director and actor, Don Creedon, presented his very funny short play “Divine Intervention.”  In this charming, revelatory, two-hander, we meet Grainne, a woman with an extremely colorful past, who goes to Confession for the first time in thirty-one years.  Maeve Price was both hilarious and touching as Grainne, a woman with a delightfully anarchic sense of what’s right.  Don did a wonderful job as Father Divine, a priest caught between following his true heart’s desire and the dictates of the Catholic Church.

 

Robin Pahlman
Robin Pahlman

Singer/songwriter Robin Pahlman played three original songs “Miss Lonelyhearts,” which is the first single off his debut solo EP, out on Monkey Records click for video, “Man Overboard,” also on the EP  and a previously unreleased song called “Rain Clouds”. Robin’s been moving around a great deal in the past few years–he’s lived in Seattle, WA; Helsinki, Finland; Vienna, Austria; and now New York City), and he tends to write songs about how places and memory define us, and what “home” really means. Musically, Robin owes a lot to the American folk/country/roots tradition, even though as he says, “A certain element of melancholy probably comes from my Finnish heritage, as Finnish music traditionally is very sad and minor-key.  Click here for Robin’s Facebook band page. 

 

Jim Hawkins
Jim Hawkins

Jim Hawkins has spent decades telling stories. On this night, Jim combined story and song–both American and Irish–to tell a folksy and witty tale of two young men–Jim and his friend Billy–coming of age in the early 1970s. Just like the seanchaís of old, Jim told the story, “Driving Across America with Billy Zuckerman” with a gentle, easy-going manner and warmth, which he says is his contribution to keeping this wonderful art-form alive and well. 

 

For more information about Artists Without Walls contact info@artistswithoutwalls.com. AWoW’s next Showcase will be at The Cell Theatre, 338 W23rd St., December 23rd, 7pm.

 

All photos by Vera Hoar. 

 

 

 

TOP NOTCH TALENT LINED UP for AWOW'S SHOWCASE at THE CELL, TUESDAY, 11/25/14

Gregory Harrington
Gregory Harrington

We’ve been fortunate to have a number of great violinists and fiddlers at Artists Without Walls’ Showcases, including Deni Bonet, Annette Homann and Bernadette Fee. On Tuesday we will feature another great violinist, Gregory Harrington. Gregory, who has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and Boston’s Symphony Hall and venues around the world, will be performing a few pieces, including Bach and Nirvana. You won’t want to miss this brilliant performer. 

 

Jim Hawkins
Jim Hawkins

Jim Hawkins has spent decades telling stories, with a sly, folksy understated humor, just like the seanchaís of old, whom Hawkins emulates. With a gentle, easy-going manner and warmth, Jim tells the stories of nearly vanished Irish folkways to audiences far and wide, in public libraries, pubs, churches, universities, in Ireland and here in the United States. “I wish to be a vehicle that carries the history, culture and traditions of the Irish people, and to share the stories, songs and poetry of this great culture with the world. It will be my contribution to keeping this wonderful art-form alive and well.” Come hear him perform an excerpt from his story, “Driving Across America with Billy Zuckerman.”

  

Robin Pahlman
Robin Pahlman

Finland native and guitarist Robin Pahlman, who has been performing around town with Deni Bonet and who’s wonderful performance at AWoW’s recent Showcase at Rockwood recently, was a big hit with the audience,  will be making debut appearance at an AWoW Showcase at The Cell.  

 

David Sharp
David Sharp

We’ve had some incredible performances at AWoW’s Showcases during the past year and right up there with the best was David Sharp’s performance from his one-man show Tennesse Williams. His tour-de-force performance was spellbinding and brought down the house. David will be performing another scene from his work at Tuesday’s Showcase. 

 

 

Terry McCarthy
Terry McCarthy

Terry McCarthy was born in New York City and grew up in Breezy Point, writing songs as he wandered the winter beach. After surviving both a Catholic and public school education, Terry attended SUNY, College at Purchase where he received a BFA in Theater Arts, all the while knowing his first love and passion was music. Terry who ended a recent Showcase with three terrific tunes from his most recent album, The Charm, will once again be joined by the great guitarist Devon McCarthy.

 

 

Mickey Coleman
Mickey Coleman

Joining AWoW for his first appearance is folk singer/songwriter Mickey Coleman. Mickey’s  talent for penning songs has been well documented in songs such as Culdaff, Duffy’s Cut, Undocumented Man, The Brantry Boy, My Coalisland Girl, The Holylands Belfast and Kilkeel Fishermen. Mickey has released three albums Carefully Crafted, A Mother’s Lullaby and the critically acclaimed Last Glance and he’s shared the stage with some of the world and Ireland’s top folk artists such as The Chieftains, Cara Dillon, Francis Black, Liam Reilly and Bagatelle, Steve Cooney and many more.

 

 

Don Creedon
Don Creedon

Don Creedon is an award-winning playwright, director, and actor originally from Dublin, Ireland. In October 2010, Don received the 1st Irish 2010 Theatre Festival Audience Award for Best Play for Guy Walks into a Bar. Also in 2010, Don was nominated for Best Director 1st Irish 2010 Theatre Festival for the US premier of Dermot Bolger’s one-woman drama The Holy Ground, featuring Katherine O’Sullivan. Don will present a scene from his one act comedy Divine The Cast with Maeve Price and himself in the role of Father Divine. 

Maeve Price
Maeve Price

 

 

 

Get there early to get a good seat. The Cell Theatre, 338 W23rd St., NYC.  The show begins at 7pm.