Nancy Manocherian’s play “Hey Jude,” directed by Kira Simring at Urban Stages. Tickets are $45, but AWoW members can get them for $20 by emailing info@artistswithoutwalls.com Performances at Urban Stages, 259 West 30th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues. Fri -Wed @ 7:30pm, Sun @ 2pm Performances: June 4 – June 21 Tues. & Wed. at 7:30, Thurs.-Sat. at 8pm and Sun. at 2pm.
Annette Homann
Today, Sunday, June 7th, 2 pm, Annette Homann is performing with the Distinguished Concerts Orchestra and Distinguished Concerts Singers International at Carnegie Hall, W57th, St., NYC. The orchestra will be performing works of FAURÉ, DURUFLÉ, DINOS CONSTANTINIDES
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Sasha Papernik
On Thursday, June 11th, 6pm at Cornelia Street Cafe in New York City, Sasha Papernik and Alexander Wu will be officially launching their album, “Four Hand Band.” You can celebrate with them and hear them perform the new album live in its entirety. Poulenc, Gershwin, Bernstein, Berlin, Mozart, Bizet, Chopin…it’s going to be a wonderful night.
Richard Stillman and Flip Peters’ “Spirit of Vaudeville” at The Concert Space at Beethoven Piano – NYC – June 11 @ 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm | 211 West 58th St. (Between Broadway & 7th Ave.) – 10019. Richard’s Show the “Spirit Of Vaudeville” won the Best Concert award at the United Solo Theatre Festival in NYC. This Show takes place in the waning days of vaudeville when the jazz age was in full swing & the Charleston was all the rage. The tale is told through banjo strumming, eccentric tap dancing, vaudeville stories, ukulele & mandolin solos & the Charleston Dance! Concert Charge – $10.00 at the door
Noah Hoffeld
Cellist/pianist Noah Hoffeld will be performing at Bowery Electric, 327 Bowery at Joey Ramone, Place, Wednesday, June 17th, 7:45.
Written by Nancy Manocherian; directed by Kira Simring
Review by Erin Layton
Adam Weppler, Deborah Offner and Larry Cahn
As soon as you walk through the doors of Urban Stages Theatre where Nancy Manocherian’s family drama, HEY JUDE is currently playing through June 21st, you are immediately embraced by another dimension. If you grew up in the suburbs, it’s a familiar place filled with the sort of nostalgia that might remind you of your childhood home. There is a Christmas tree, a large, soft, comfortable sofa, the quiet mumblings of a television, even dad is there, fast asleep and snoring in his plush pajama pants. This stage picture is a sweet memory until the play begins. Dad doesn’t wake up and mom rushes into the picture, nervously tackling a large cardboard box and channeling her alter-personality.
Catherine Dupont and Deborah Offner
HEY JUDE is rife with tension. Anna’s troubled. Henry, Anna’s husband is despondent and passive. Jude, Anna and Henry’s son is on the edge of adulthood, questioning his identity and seeking to draw closer to the truth – his truth. Jude is adopted. He’s a young man, eager to discover himself and understand more about his roots but it’s bad timing. Anna has slipped into some sort of delusional reality colored by Beatles songs and disturbing machinations which was possibly prompted by a religious conversion, which may have been prompted by regrets about her past. Henry doesn’t care and his health and mind are slipping as well. Jude is left to his own devices, trapped in a world that should be safe but is instead completely unhinged. Christmas cheer cannot bring joy to their story. The only way out is to acknowledge the truth but no one in this play is able to.
Kira Simring and Nancy Manocherian
Director, Kira Simring and her production team – set designer, Peiyi Wong, lighting designer, Gertjan Houben and M. Florian Staab on sound, have crafted an environment that match Anna’s state of mind – a place as surreal as it is hyper-realistic. This clash is both disturbing and oddly comforting. Both the production design and performances (particularly Adam Weppler in his tragic portrayal as Jude and Larry Cahn as Henry) come together to expertly portray the reality of family dysfunction. Behind the walls of a broken home, you have two choices. You either fight the pain or you disengage from it altogether. While HEY JUDE is difficult to witness, it’s only because of its stunning accuracy. I applaud playwright, Nancy Manocherian’s bravery for transporting us there.
“With the web and social media, imagery is more important than ever. When I was a Congressional press secretary, I probably shot 10,000 frames of just one person (itself a challenge). But imagery sticks in the minds of viewers – and my goal is always to accurately show people whom my subject truly is. Through imagery, I’ve tried hard to convey that. With artists – an accurate image showing their passion and talent is worth well more than a thousand words. “Mitch Traphagen
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We’ve had the great pleasure to get to know Mitch Traphagen through his photographs and films taken at Artists Without Walls’ Showcases and now with his photo work on the Artists Without Walls/Charles R. Hale production of a short film, “A Moment.”
Who is Mitch? Mitch is a photojournalist, a former Congressional press secretary, and a former systems developer and senior executive for a Fortune 30 corporation.
He’s based in both the NYC and the Tampa Bay area. He is available to performing artists and for editorial, feature and documentary services — both photography and the written word. For artists, he will work to not only document their unique talents but will also work within their budget.
Since 2011 he has primarily gone to Leica for documentary photography with both the Leica M240 and the Leica M Monochrom cameras. In addition, he has a full compliment of professional Canon gear for both still photography and videography. His equipment also includes full professional audio recording capability and a full video editing suite.
Over the years, Mitch has documented hundreds of lives, places and events. He works hard to ensure the images and words he uses accurately portray the subject. Borrowing from Gay Talese, he tells the truth in an interesting way.
Since 2002, he has won more than 70 awards for excellence for editorial writing and photography from the Community Papers of Florida, an organization of newspapers with a combined readership of nine million people. Mitch is a member of the National Press Photographers Association and the Society of Professional Journalists.
You can learn more about Mitch and see his work by clicking here.
Wow, no pressure! Ah…she’s almost 26 and trying to navigate her life as a bisexual, disabled woman poet, editor, and someday-novelist. She’s a constant teacher and student simultaneously. Her mind is hungry. Her current artistic medium is herself as she tries to learn how to love herself.
What honors have you received for your poetry?
My poetry has recently appeared in wordgathering, Wicked Banshee, The Medical Journal of Australia, and the anthology Grabbing the Apple. This time in my life has been about putting myself on the radar of authors I admire; of seeing myself as their peer. Their respect and knowledge is my greatest honor.
Niamh Hyland and Liv Mammone
Why have you chosen poetry over other forms of writing such as short stories, memoir or novels?
Well, my first love is the novel. But when I went to get my MFA and had to choose a genre, I chose poetry and it was full steam ahead. I felt that I had more to learn about poetry. Now, I think it’s more that I have a lot to learn and poetry is my best teacher. If I’m honest, I just started watching poetry videos on YouTube and decided those were the coolest people alive and I wanted to be one of them. The leaps of language one can make really mirrors the way my brain finds connections. I also really believe in poetry as a way to bring people together. I’m also really protective of it because there’s this constant discourse around it being “dead.”
What is/are your favorite poems or works of literature?
No matter how much I read I’ll never feel ready to answer this. I recently read Michel Faber’s novel The Crimson Petal and the White again and it holds up as the book I want to write. The Great Gatsby is a cliche but that was my first experience with heightened language and it changed everything. I’m obsessed with Jane Austen. In poetry there’s Tara Hardy’s collection Bring Down the Chandeliers, Jeanann Verlee’s Racing Hummingbirds, and Angel Nafis’s Blackgirl Mansion; but there are so many. Whatever I’m reading is what’s absorbing me but those are the books I go back to.
Liv Mammone and Connie Roberts. Photo by Cat Dwyer
Who are the poets/writers you admire?
Again, a tremendous number; Connie Roberts was my mentor at Hofstra and I wouldn’t be me without her. Before that, I got my training from the New York slam poetry scene–Jeanann Verlee, Marty McConnell, Rachel McKibbens, Taylor Mali, Megan Falley, and the like. As a child, my mother got me hooked on the 90’s singer songwriter movement–women like Paula Cole, Natalie Merchant, and Shawn Colvin. their lyrics taught me to listen to language and gave me a lot of the tools I use.
Who is your greatest inspiration and why?
Everyone in my family is going to be mad if I don’t say them! My father. It’s thanks to his hard work that I am able to do what I love. He taught me about ambition, the value of education, and pushes me to be better.
What are the top five things you’d like to accomplish in the next five years?
Competing in a slam, writing a song, starting a novel, compiling a poetry manuscript, moving out of my parents’ house.
Liv Mammone
If you could dream of trying something in the arts you haven’t tried, but would like to, what would that be?
I love to sing. I’d really want to incorporate that into my work. I am also obsessed with actors; I think they are the most talented people on earth. So I’d like to try that and join the elite.
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What was the best gift that someone gave you that inspired or facilitated an interest in your art?
I have gotten so much support from so many different people about what I do. I’m absolutely sure there are more talented people in this world, but they aren’t working because no one has given them that simple gift of saying, “What you have to say is important; I believe in you.” I’m incredibly lucky to have been told that my work matters and always try to pay that forward to artists who move me. It’s incredibly easy, but it means everything.
“In bringing together diverse performers…it makes for an event the likes of which you will rarely, if ever, experience. A melding of artists within the walls…it was a memorable night. Yes, it was that good.” Ron Vazzano
Ron Vazzano
Yes, as Ron says, an AWoW Showcase is always “that good.” May’s Showcase is shaping up as more of the same. And, Ron, a writer and poet, whose monthly on line “Muse-Letter,” a mix of essays, reviews, poems, quotes, wordplay, which has become quite popular among AWoW members and friends, will be one of the evening’s presenters. Ron’s essays have been posted on the Artists Without Walls’ website and he’s also read his poetry on a number of occasions at Showcases over the past year. In a former life, he spent some years as an actor appearing in theatrical productions in New York City as well as on the road. If past is prologue, Ron’s performance will be timely, witty and spot on.
Hammerstep
The dance group Hammerstep has had successful international performances, including at New York City’s Lincoln Center and The Palace Theatre on London’s West End, as well as an online viral video of their recent appearance on America’s Got Talent. We’re thrilled that Hammersmith’s founders, Garrett Coleman and Jason Oremus, will be performing for us on Tuesday. Traditionally trained in Irish Step dance as a child, Garrett has consistently found himself drawn to types of dance that are rhythmically innovative and that push the boundaries of athleticism through dance. Jason, originally from Sydney, Australia, Jason won 5 consecutive State and National Solo Irish dancing titles from 1999-2003. Both Garrett and Jason have toured with the world famous show, “Riverdance.”
Maritri Garrett
Maritri Garrett recently performed at Rockwood Music Hall as part of AWoW’s “The Musical History of the Lower East Side.” Maritri played piano and sang a couple tunes from the American Songbook and then switched gears completely and accompanied Niamh Hyland on Blondie’s “Call Me.” A very gifted and multi-talented performer, Maritri also plays the cello and guitar. You can hear Maritri performing one of her original songs, “Rain” at the bottom of the page.
Liv Mammone
Back for her second appearance at an AWoW Showcase will be poet Liv Mammone, a vivacious young voice that will be heard on the New York performance poetry circuit for years to come. Using her background as a novelist, she uses various characters, including Venus de Milo, a fictional gangster, and a certain part of her own anatomy, to provide insight into what she calls “all the million ways one must be moved; the changes we make on our migrations through the world.” Anyone who heard and saw Liv’s laugh out loud, brilliant reading of her poem “Vagina Resigning” won’t soon be forgetting that experience.
John Munnelly
John Munnelly, who is an award winning ASCAP singer-songwriter with a social conscience, will be making his first appearance at an AWoW Showcase. Born in Ireland now of Brooklyn, John is known for his witty & humorous nature, sometimes performing under the stage name ‘LaughJohnLaugh.’ John is a prolific writer in many music genres from Pop to the Prophetic releasing his ‘Hello World’ album in 2013 (available on iTunes) He toured Ireland to promote the album release in 2013. This will be John’s first appearance at an AWoW Showcase, which he says is, “Too good a show to miss – I’m playing three cracking songs. Hope to see you there.”
Dennis Demakos far right
In the true spirit of multiculturalism, Dennis Demakos, who has been playing traditional Greek music and singing the tradtional folk music of dozens of countries from Europe, Asia, and the Middle and Near East for many years, Dennis will be making his first appearance at an AWoW Showcase. Dennis can be heard with two Bay Area California bands, The Disciples of Markos- disciplesofmarkos.com, and Balkalicious Fire Drive- bfdmusic.com. with whom he is pictured on the far right.
It promises to be a great night. Join us at The Cell Theatre, Tuesday, May 26. The bar opens at 6:45pm. See you there.
When what’s above the ground is as dark as what’s below, you know you’re getting close to “The Last Day.”
Artist Without Walls’ member John Moran is producing a reading of Pulitzer nominated playwright, Richard Vetere’s play, “The Last Day” at The Cell Theater at 338 W 23rd St. NYC.
The reading will take place Friday May 15th at 7:30 PM. Seats are limited so get there early..
John Moran
Cast will include Broadway / Off-Broadway actors Tom Bozell and Michelle.Mazza, Lifetime Network Actress Sarah Cote doing stage directions and our own John Moran.
Directing the reading is Brian Patrick Reager, graciously on loan to us by Kira Simring, Artistic director of The Cell.
Richard Vetere has already had a successful run of this play at the Gloucester Stage in Gloucester Massachusetts and is working to bring the play to New York.
Among Richard’s other credits are the screenplay for “The Third Miricle” directed by Agnieszka Holland and starring Ed Harris and Anne Heche and the Pulitzer nominated play “One Shot One Kill.
Sasha Papernik and her band on Roosevelt Island in NYC
Two Artists Without Walls’ members, Sasha Papernik and Amanda Thorpe, will be be performing free shows at Rockwood Music Hall this week. Sasha will be performing at Rockwood tomorrow, Sunday, May 3rd, at 6pm with two original bandmates: Kyle Saulnier on bass and Justin Poindexter on guitar. You can join Sasha for an evening of Russian dances and original songs.
In other news, Sasha is very excited to share that her arrangement of the Russian Folk Song “Vo Pole Bereza Stoyala” (In the Field Stood a Birch Tree) has been licensed to Carnegie Hall’s Link Up program and will be orchestrated and played by orchestras across the country! She will be performing the song live at Rockwood.
On Thursday night, May 7th, 7pm, Amanda Thorpe, AWOW’s member abroad, will be back in NYC and performing Bewitching Me: The Lyrics of Yip Harburg. Harburg, born and raised on the Lower East Side, is the oft unknown wordsmith of some of the most popular songs in America. Two of Harburg’s most famous lyrics form brackets around the 1930s: “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” written for the musical Americana, told from the point of view of a WWI vet who’s standing in a breadline, wondering where his slice of the American dream is, and “Over The Rainbow,” sung by a girl clutching her dog, gazing into the heavens, wishing she could get the hell out of Kansas.
Amanda’s CD, Bewitching Me: The Lyrics of Yip Harburg has received wonderful reviews. Here’s what Tom Semioli,writing for the Huffington Post, said of Amanda’s singing. “Amanda’s organic rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” turns subtly anthemic upon the arrival of the chorus…and (guitarist) Scherr’s exquisite solo on “Adrift on a Star” deeply echoes Thorpe’s seductive pathos.”
Amanda is looking forward to returning to New York City from Paris to perform these and other Harburg tunes at Rockwood.
Rockwood Music Hall is located in Manhattan at 196 Allen Street.
“This is a note of thanks to Artists Without Walls for supporting my efforts through pictures and words these past months. 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
Here’s the lineup for AWoW’s April Showcase:
Vincent Cross, who first performed with AWoW in its show “Rise Up Singing: Women in the Labor Movment,” will be performing at his first Showcase. Vincent will be drawing from the purist of mountains springs to present original urban Americana stories. Said, Vincent, “These will be performed in the high lonesome sound on guitar/banjo.”
Connie Roberts
Connie Roberts, a County Offaly native, emigrated from Ireland to the U.S. in 1983. She has won many awards for her poetry including the Patrick Kavanagh and the Listowel Writers’ Week awards. She will be reading from her just released debut volume, Little Witness, a collection of poetry inspired by her experiences growing up in an industrial school (orphanage) in Ireland.
Terry McCarthy
Here’s what Jack Silbert, DJWriter at satin wound.com said about singer/songwriter Terry McCarthy. “Terry really turns on the charm on his album, The Charm, with a warm strum and even warmer vocals throughout. With tremendous backing musicians, the record presents a wide variety of sounds, never falling into a folky funk….but the secret weapon is McCarthy’s sharp, melodic songwriting, on Beatlesque tracks such as “Loneliest Boy” and the should-be-a-hit “Just Today.” Terry will be joined by Andy Sandel , Gerry Griffen and Tom Monaghan.
Paul Byrne and Richard Stillman
Richard Stillman and guitarist Flip Peters will be performing numbers from Richard’s show,”The Spirit of Vaudeville,” including a tap dancing Charleston played on tenor banjo, a short story that finishes with Richard tap dancing while playing the harmonica & bones while juggling and a novelty ukulele routine. “The Spirit of Vaudeville” won a Best Concert Award at the 2014 United Solo Theater Festival.
Toby Tobias
Toby Tobias was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa. Toby has immersed himself in all genres of American Music of the last fifty years. His interest in African Rhythms & World Music, coupled with his keen ear for highly intuitive arrangements, has been the hallmark of his writing and performance styles, and he has garnered a strong following of listeners on Long Island and beyond. He will be performing a song called ‘Madiba’, dedicated to the life of Nelson Mandela.
Shu Nakamura
Shu Nakamura, a Japan born – Brooklyn based musician, guitar player, multi-instrument player, composer, singer-song-writer, music producer. Shu moved to NY in 1999, has been a NY music scene layer. He just returned from his 2015 Japan tour with his rock band called “the Ninja Orchestra”. Shu will be performing his original material, as well as teaming up with Niamh Hyland for a tune or two.
The bar opens at 6:45, the show begins around 7:15. Hope to see you at The Cell Theatre, located at 338 W23rd St.
Artists Without Walls’ Showcase at The Cell Theatre, 338 W23rd St. NY, Tuesday, April 28th, 6:45pm.
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Martina Fiserova
Martina Fiserova (singer, guitarist, songwriter) will perform at the Way Station, Brooklyn, on Tuesday April 28th at 10pm, featuring Yuka Kameda (tap dance).
. Great bar, no cover. The address is: 683 Washington Avenue, Prospect Heights.
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Kevin Holohan
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On Wednesday, April 29th at 6:30pm. Kevin Holohan will join Mayra Santos Febres, Kevin, Salar Abdoh with fellow author David Unger to celebrate his winning of Guatemala’s “Miguel Ángel Asturias” National Prize for Literature They will reading a little and chatting about the craft of writing at CUNY’s Center for worker Education (CWE) 25 Broadway, 7th Floor, New York, New York 10004. Admission is Free
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Out by Ten
Susan Seliger’s “Out by Ten: Jilted Lovers, Bad Kids, Dreams, Drums & Desires.” Thursday, April 30, 2015, Spectrum NYC, 121 Ludlow Street, NYC. 7:30-9:30 PM. Open Mic for storytellers & musicians after the featured performers.
$20 admission fee ($18 in advance) includes FREE wine and cheese and cookies. Click here for tickets at Brown Paper Tickets.
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Writers Read
Ed McCann’s “Writers Read” a celebration of the spoken word presents “What We Ate,” at The Cell Theatre in New York City at 2:00PM, Sunday, May 3rd. This live staged reading will feature twelve writers presenting short, original pieces on the theme, and writers and guests will mingle and share light refreshments during intermission.
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Their last three events sold out, and seats are going fast; if you’d like to join them, click here for tickets.
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Stella Pulo
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Stella Pulo’s “Shrimp Shells in My Cleavage” will be performed on May 3rd, 5pm at the School of Visual Arts, 133 West 21st Street, Room 101C, NY and on May 16th, 7pm at 111 Bowery, 4th floor, NY.
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Sasha Papernik
Sasha Papernik will be performing at Rockwood Music Hall, 196 Allen St, NYC, on Sunday, May 3rd, at 6pm with two original bandmates: Kyle Saulnier on bass and Justin Poindexter on guitar. Come join her for an evening of Russian dances and original songs and hear where this whole thing all began….
