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
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
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
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. 

GREAT LINEUP for ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS' SHOWCASE at THE CELL, JUNE 24, 7PM

Come be part of the Artists Without Walls’ Showcase, Tuesday, June 24, 7pm at The Cell Theatre, 338 W 23rd St. NYC. Here’s what’s planned:

 

Dan Yurkofsky
Dan Yurkofsky
The songs of singer, songwriter, and composer Dan Yurkofsky bring together elements from a number of musical genres including folk-rock, musical theater,  and classical minimalism.His new CD, Hoverhill is his first full-length collection of  songs.  Although originally from New York, many of the songs are inspired by life in Santa Fe, New Mexico  where he lived for several years.   Other inspirations for the songs include a cross-county road trip, and a residency at the Ucross Foundation, an artist’s retreat in eastern Wyoming. Dan will be joined by two of the musicians who play on Hoverhill: Matt Turk (guitar) and Noah Hoffeld (cello).

    

 

Ashley Bell
Ashley Bell

Ashley Bell has been performing from an early age, starting at age 9 as a member of the Metropolitan Opera Children’s Chorus and making her Off-Broadway debut at 16 in the world premiere of the musical The Golden Touch.  Ashley has since performed as a soloist in the United States, Italy, Spain, France and Russia.  Recent performances have included Beauty in Giannini’s Beauty and the Beast, Mimi in La Bohème and Katrina in Legend of Sleepy Hollow with Di Capo Opera and the soprano soloist in the Italian Cultural Institute and the Basilica of St. Patrick Old Cathedral’s. Next month she will sing Donna Anna in Don Giovanni in the Narni Festival in Italy with the Orchestra Filarmonica di Roma

 

Lyndon Achee
Lyndon Achee

Lyndon Achee is a percussionist, keyboardist and composer. Lyndon is an active performer in New York, he has recorded and performed with Nile Rodgers’ R.T. G. Productions, Anthony Braxton, Eric Leeds’ Paisely Park release, David Pleasant, Jay Hoggard, Arnie Lawrence, Winston Grennan, and at the Lincoln Center Summer Concert Series, with the Village Drums of Freedom. He recently composed and performed a score for Derek Walcott’s play “On the Blue Nile” at the Juilliard School. He is currently Musical Director of Village Drums of Freedom, Calendula, a New York-based World Music and Jazz Band. 

 

 

Allie Yurkofsky
Allison Fichtelberg

 

Allison Fichtelberg is a digital poet who has been performing her manifesto, THE GREAT OSCILLATION, in Washington Square Park since its conception in October. Allie will be reading from her epic poem Scroll, her coming of age as a digital artist.  “It will be free, multimedia smart phone literature” Allie, said, “because imagine what a world it’d be if everybody playing “Candy Crush” suddenly started reading poetry.”

 

 

 

Martina Fiserova
Martina Fiserova

 

Singer/songwriter Martina Fiserova, from Prague, Czech Republic, is in NYC to finish up a record of original songs. She released a jazz album Clearing Fields in 2012 and published a poetry book (in Czech) called Martezie in 2013.                

 

 

 

Honor Molloy
Honor Molloy

 

Author/actress Honor Molloy will be reading “What’s Taken” from her book Smarty Girl: Dublin Savage. “What’s Taken” is a brief section that was dropped from Smarty Girl – Dublin Savage. It’s an expressionistic piece about getting trapped in a family obsession for decades.  As Honor says, “I’m sure that people can relate to the family obsession part.” 

 

 

Jenai Huff
Jenai Huff

 

 

 

Singer/songwriter Jenai Huff with her soulful voice and beaming smile will be joined in performance by critically acclaimed singer/songwriter and native born New Yorker, Eugene Ruffolo.    

Eugene Ruffolo
Eugene Ruffolo

 

 

 

 

 

 

The
two sing together on Jenai’s recordings and now are performing together live.

 

 

 

 

Kathleen Bennett Bastis
Kathleen Bennett Bastis

 

Kathleen Bennett Bastis is a visual/mixed media artist who works with reclaimed materials. Of her writing she said,  “I write for myself without the intention of ever sharing what I write.  It’s just a way of expressing and exploring what is on my mind or what I have experienced.” This will be the first time Kathleen has read any of her writing before an audience – it was her “white card challenge” to herself – so she’s hoping the audience finds her piece amusing and worth the listen.

 


Yvonne Cassidy
Yvonne Cassidy

Yvonne Cassidy was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland and moved to New York in 2011. Yvonne is the author of three novels: The Other Boy, What Might Have Been Me and How Many Letters Are In Goodbye? which was released earlier this month. In addition to writing, Yvonne works at Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, the largest and longest running emergency food program in New York, where she teaches creative writing to homeless soup kitchen guests.