Deni Bonet and Mundy performing at The Cell Theatre in Manhattan
Warren and Gibson Malone AWoW Showcase Manhattan
Warren Malone and Gibson Malone performing Whole Life Blues; AWoW Showcase, The Cell Theatre, Manhattan
Julie Kline to Direct Artists Without Walls’ "New York City: A Shining Mosaic"
Artists Without Walls is pleased to announce that Julie Kline will be directing our presentation, “New York City: A Shining, Mosaic,” as part of Origin Theatre’s 1stIrish Fest on September 27, 7:30pm at Pier A, Harbor House, NYC.
Julie is a Brooklyn-based actor, director, writer, and producer of new works for the theater. As a director, Julie developed and directed Erin Layton’s MAGDALEN (Lyth Arts Centre, Scotland; Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2015), Melissa Ritz’s BOMBSHELL OF RHYTHM (Soho Playhouse), Elizabeth Hess’ SPOILED (Stage Left), Kristen Palmer’s THE STRAY DOG (Rising Phoenix Rep) and Jamie Cowperthwait’s HUNTINGTON (Judson Memorial Church).
Julie also conceived and directed SENIORS AND THE CITY in collaboration with oral historian Liza Zapol – a series of original theater works performed by Manhattan seniors based on their life-stories, supported by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. She also devised the latest incarnation of this special brand of senior center – ACTING OUT! – in residency at Stanley Isaacs Senior Center with Roots&Branches Theater in association with the Department of Cultural Affairs, the Department of the Aging, and the Distracted Globe Foundation.
As an actor, Julie has appeared in new works with Rising Phoenix Rep, 3Legged Dog, Ensemble Studio Theater, the DC and NYC Fringe Festivals, Ensemble Studio Theater, HERE Arts Center, the Japan Society, and Steppenwolf Theater. Julie is a former literary manager at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, an Artistic Associate of Rising Phoenix Repertory, and an Artistic Associate for Roots&Branches Theater, where she leads inter-generational theater performances and workshops across New York City. Julie received a BFA in Acting from The Theater School, DePaul University in Chicago.
“New York City: The Shining Mosaic” will be presented at Pier A, Harbor House, 22 Battery Place, New York City, September 27, 7:30pm. For further information click here: For tickets, which are $15 with a small origination fee click here. If tickets are available the night of the show they will be $20 at the door.
"Soaring Spirit" at Artists Without Walls’ Showcase at The Cell Theatre
“Performing at Artists Without Walls is a deep privilege and a pleasure. To appear as part of a lineup of such talented artists is simultaneously thrilling and humbling. I always leave AWoW with a soaring spirit, full of gratitude for the gifts of my fellow artists, and newly energized and encouraged in my own work. Mille Grazie to Charles Hale and Niamh Hyland for creating this warm, welcoming community.” Angela Alaimo O’Donnell, poet/author
A witty and humorous beginning to the evening as Giovanni Villari, Janine Hegarty, and Paul Eisemann entered the stage to perform a scene from David Loughlin’s play, “Millennial Discourse.” Soon, ripples of laughter were coming from the audience as David’s comedic look at contemporary relationships began to unwind. Commitment-phobe Emma (Janine) feels as if she’s stuck between a rock and a hard place when her cat-loving work-partner, Anthony, (Giovanni) asks her to marry him. And when the grouchy, eaves-dropping Old Guy (Paul) tells her his tale of commitment-phobe woe, she’s left to contemplate the possibility of moving to Alaska and spending the rest of her life with Anthony. Is this what she wants? Whoever thought an afternoon ride on the New Jersey Transit could tell us so much about how we think and feel?
Singer/songwriter Janet Burgan brought three of her newest songs to the Showcase. With her Guild guitar glinting in the lights, she sang about love…all aspects of love. In “Snow Moon,” she told the story of a love that “freezes my soul in endless gloom.” She followed that with a song only a few weeks old, “So Why Am I Crying?,” a funny, in your face song about the end of a relationship. She closed her performance with a screening of her music video, “Seize The Day,” the first single from her new album, Nothing But Love Songs, which you can view by clicking here. High energy, precise and talented, Burgan is the real deal. Go see her the first Tuesday of the month at Bar Chord, 1008 Cortelyou Street in Brooklyn at 9:30PM. Click here for Janet’s complete performance schedule. Don’t miss her!
Eliana Gonzalez captivated the audience with a touching rendition of the song “She Used to be Mine”, by Sara Bareilles. Her sensitivity and grace shone through her performance. The joy was palpable during “Andar Conmigo”, the song we all tried to sing along to in Spanish. Martin Fuks, acclaimed producer and composer, skillfully accompanied this singer and actress with a flawless domain of the acoustic guitar. These two Argentinian-born performers are, no doubt, a perfect blend.
The cast from Peter Welch’s Autumn Stage performed an excerpt from scene two of the first act, and was enthusiastically received by the audience. The playwright and actors Mary Tierney and Larry Fleischman received dozens of compliments about the work afterward. A number of Artists Without Walls’ folks immediately bought tickets to see the show, which will premiere in two weeks, running from September 4th to September 11th at Theater for the New City’s Dream Up Festival. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.
Anana Kaye and Irakli Gabriel were joined at the end of the evening by the world renowned violin virtuoso Deni Bonet and captivated the audience with passionate original compositions – a beautiful ballad “Broken”, funky rocker ” Ain’t Dead Yet” and a particularly poignant “American Smile”, the last two co-written with the acclaimed songwriter Freddie Stevenson. Anana and Irakli, who are originally from Republic of Georgia, are not only first rate songwriters and performers, they are also talented photographers and videographers. They recently released a beautifully crafted an EP “Sentient,” which contains five original songs and is accompanied by music videos which they directed, filmed and edited themselves. You can click here to see them.
Zhana Roiya,….is one of the newest additions to Artists Without Walls. When actor Sedly Bloomfield asked her to be part of an emotional excerpt from the the Play “Fences” by August Wilson, she jumped at the chance, an opportunity to home her skill in a more intimate setting. This exerpt of the play, takes us on a journey of betrayal, trust and lust, taking the audience on an emotional roller coaster of torment, pain agony defeat and surrender. The passion felt by these two dynamic actors was riveting, an electric clash of two titans….each expressing themselves in ways that left the audience wanting to see more.
Artists Without Walls next event will be a performance as part of Origin Theatre Company’s 1stIrish Fest, called “New York City: A Shining Mosaic.” The performance will take place at Pier A, Harbor House, Battery Place in Manhattan. For further info click here. For tickets, which are $15 in advance with a small convenience fee, click here.
Photos by Mitch Traphagen
Mitch Traphagen’s Photos from Artists Without Walls’ August Showcase at The Cell
Mitch Traphagen’s photos from Artists Without Walls’ August Showcase at The Cell Theatre, August 23, 2016.
Artists Without Walls in Origin Theatre’s 1st Irish Fest at Pier A in NYC
Artists Without Walls, as part of Origin Theatre’s 1stIrish Fest, is proud to present “New York City: A Shining Mosaic,” a show that will celebrate America’s immigrants at the point of their arrival…in full view of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Pier A Harbor House, which looks out on the New York Harbor, will be the site of an evening of music, theatre and dance, and the memory of our ancestors who built the bridges and tunnels, paved and swept the sidewalks and streets….and stayed. Tuesday, September 27, 7.30pm
Written by Charles R. Hale and directed by Julie Kline and musical director Niamh Hyland, the show’s performers include vocalist/Niamh, guitarist/vocalist Walter Parks, cellist/vocalist Eleanor Dubinsky, flutist Elsa Nilsson, pianist/vocalist Mala Waldron, dancer Laura Neese, guitarist Yuri Juarez and actors John Duddy and Jack O’Connell.
Tickets are $20 at the door but they are $15, plus a convenience fee, if you buy them in advance. Click here for more info and tickets or here to go directly to ticket purchases.
RESERVATIONS:
866 811 4111
Pier A, Harbor House
22 Battery Place,
New York, NY, 10004
All trains to Bowling Green
ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS PRESENTS: A NIGHT of SUPERIOR TALENTS, JULY 26th at THE CELL THEATRE
Great line up on tap for Tuesday’s Artists Without Walls’ Showcase at The Cell Theatre.
Over the past three decades, Walter Parks has forged a distinctive international career as the lead guitarist for Woodstock legend Richie Havens, half of the folk-duo The Nudes, and guitarist and leader of the swamp/blues-outfit Swamp Cabbage. His original music is inspired by the swampy gospel blues that wails from storefront churches and roadhouses in and around the southeast Georgia low country. We’re looking forward to Walter’s return to an Artists Without Walls’ Showcase.
Playwright Derek Murphy and actors Karin de la Penha and Kimberly Kelly Adams will be making their Artists Without Walls’ debut when they present a scene from a new play Derek is currently writing, a dark comedy set in NY and Dublin, titled “Dyin’ For It.”
Would you like to hear a great singer who has performed all over the world and has toured and performed with artists such as Oscar winner Glen Hansard, Amanda Palmer, Angela McClusky (Telepop), Rob Moose, Thomas Bartlett (BonIver /Doveman), Nouvelle Vague and many others? Then you’ll want to come and hear Jenna Nicholls on Tuesday evening. Jenna’s music has been featured in film and television. She’s toured and released two full albums: “Curled Up Toes in Red Mary Janes” and “The Blooming Hour” Her third release is scheduled for 2016.
Richard Deane’s last appearance on an Artists Without Walls’ stage featured an emotionally provocative reading of the opening scene from his novel in progress, “When Yesterday Comes.” His use of poignant atmospherics and straight to the heart exposition pulled the audience into the midst of the dramatic conflict between his vividly constructed characters. Richard’s unabashed exploration into an uncomfortable subject was both captivating and moving.
Pianist and arranger Alexander A. Wu and violinist and composer Annette Homann recently presented “Strings n Keys – Three Centuries of Global Music,” celebrating the popular collaborative tradition of piano and violin. Alexander and Annette will be performing a variety of musical styles from their show including works of Ástor Piazzolla, Leonard Bernstein and more.
Kathleen Bennett Bastis has written prose and poetry all her life and, as a former producer for talk radio, she wrote hundreds of short descriptive “rip and read” segments about neighborhoods, restaurants, product alerts or shopping experiences in the New York tri-state area. She’s had two observations published in The New York Times Metropolitan Diary, and last year she performed her piece on Cyber Dating at an Artists Without Walls’ Showcase. Kathleen is also an accomplished artist whose work is inspired by the hue, shape and texture of salvaged materials she finds on the river, street and scrap yards. She reinterprets the history of these “found objects” by constructing them into a contemporary visual narrative.
The Cell Theatre is located at 338 W23rd St in Manhattan. The show will be hosted by Artists Without Walls’ artistic directors Niamh J. Hyland and Charles R. Hale. The doors and the bar open at 6:45. Presentations begin at 7:30.
"THE LEVEL of PROFESSIONALISM was CAPTIVATING and INSPIRATIONAL" at AWoW'S SHOWCASE at THE CELL THEATRE
“I totally enjoyed the Showcase. The level of professionalism was captivating, and inspirational…the The Cell is an exceptional venue. Thank you for an enjoyable evening….I plan to be there again soon.” Maia Nero
Sam Adelman opened the evening, reading a humorous piece from his upcoming book “Getting Out of Show Business,” offering an anecdotal account of getting stiffed for cash on an editing job, only to receive a world-famous photograph and a hand shake from Muhammed Ali. This picture was certainly worth a thousand words. A perfect opening to what became a grand evening.
Charles R. Hale, one of Artists Without Walls’ cofounders and a Resident Artist at The Cell Theatre, premiered his short film “Jazz and the City: The New York Connection.” The film is a companion piece to his show of the same name, which debuted at The Cell in April. From the best of times to the worst of times, songwriters have captured every corner of New York City through music. Weaving story, sidebars, images and the music of the Gershwins, Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer, Billy Strayhorn and others, Charles’s film connects New York City through the songs of the composers and performers who lived in the city, through the venues in which the songs were popularized and through his own recollection of New York and song. “Sharp film…and that voice…as usual, great tone and presence.” David Goldman
Actor/singer Almeria Campbell followed with a stirring performance combining her acting and singing skills. “Performing at AWoW was my first time singing (outside of voice lessons ) for an audience in quite some time. It was amazing. The audience, or I should say community, is so supportive.” Despite her concerns, Almeria’s voice was in very fine form, seamlessly incorporating two songs, “His Eye is on the Sparrow” and “Maybe This Time” into her presentation.
Joel Cruz, the story teller, will make you cry…and then smile. He’s not just toying with emotions; His songs are borne from his personal story. They pull your heart in all directions the way life does. He takes his time, as if he really wants you to listen and hear. Joel demonstrated his vulnerable side, sharing his most inner thoughts, but the audience loved and appreciated his work. Additionally, it was a joy to see singer/songwriter Martina Fiserova and Joel perform together. They were clearly having a good time! The music was complex– lots of lyrics, yet catchy enough for listeners to sing along. We look forward to more unexpected surprises from Joel Cruz.
Mark Donnelly channeled his inner child with a funny monologue based on his boyhood desire to be a cowboy and ride the range with Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. But it seems the audience was most impressed with Mark’s father, who stepped up, defended his son, and won the day…and the audience.
David Raleigh was joined by Annette Homann for a moving and evocative “Stormy Weather,” a pop standard built around a classic weather metaphor. From the moment Annette’s bow struck her instrument, through the moment David sang, “Don’t know why, there’s no sun up in the sky…stormy weather…” through their last playful notes, the audience was held rapt. A beautiful duet. David closed out the show with a brilliant medley, incorporating tunes by Al Green, Stevie Wonder, George Gershwin and one of David’s tunes, “One Together.” The perfect finishing touch to another sensational evening of diverse talents.
The next Artists Without Walls’s Showcase at The Cell, 338 West 23rd St, NY, is scheduled for Tuesday, July 26. The doors and the bar open at 6:45. The performances begin at 7:30. For more information: info@artistswithoutwalls.com
FREE EVENT: ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS' JUNE SHOWCASE at THE CELL THEATRE
Join Artists Without Walls’ artistic directors and cohosts, Niamh Hyland and Charles R. Hale for its June Showcase at The Cell Theatre, Tuesday, June 28th. The doors and the bar open at 6:45 and presentations begin at 7:30. The Cell Theatre is located at 338 W23rd St. NYC.
Pianist/vocalist David J Raleigh was last scene at The Cell in April when he and his quartet performed in Charles R. Hale’s “Jazz and the City: The New York Connection.” David, whose heartfelt music crosses musical boundaries and transport listeners to a timeless era of music and passion, will be returning to The Cell Tuesday night, 6/28 to perform a few songs from the show. Lauded by Time Out Magazine as the ‘Nat King Cole’ for a new generation, David has the ‘old soul’ songwriting sensibilities of some of the greatest performers of our time.
Film editor Sam Adelman has worked on over 70 feature films and documentaries including “Easy Money,” “Desperately Seeking Susan,” “Donnie Branco ” “Pollock,” “Sweet Lorraine,” “Changing Lanes,” “Screen Door Jesus,” and the soon to be released “Hometown Hero” with Eric Roberts. Partially inspired by the recent passing of Muhammad Ali, Sam will be reading a piece from his coming-up-on-retirement project “Getting Out of Show Business.”
Making her debut appearance at an Artists Without Walls’ Showcase will be actor/singer Yvonne Almeria Campbell. Almeria, from Tyler, TX is a Resident Artist at The Cell Theatre. She attended Texas Christian University ( receiving her B.F.A.) and then Rutgers University, Mason Gross school of the arts (receiving her M.F.A.). Her TV acting credits include “Law and Order,” “Person of Interest” and “Guiding Light.” Her theatre credits include the lead role of Nelly in “Hard Times” at The Cell, as well as Yolanda in “10 Minutes Deep,” also at The Cell. Almeria will be performing a scene about love, loss and winning. You can check out her upcoming webisodes at almeriacampbell.com.
Come meet and hear Artists Without Wall’s charter member Mark Donnelly, who will be performing “Cowboy Time,” a short, humorous monologue based on his boyhood dream of becoming a cowboy. Mark is a playwright, poet and short story writer, who teaches English at St. Francis College and Borough of Manhattan Community College.
Joel Cruz, a regular AWoW attendee, will be making his initial performance appearance at Tuesday’s Showcase. Joel is a saxophonist, artist instructor, and writer, who music incorporates all genres. His team is most important to him and each show features a different instrumentation and the use of different styles according to the team on-hand. Every event in his life goes into his writing. Every emotion in the stories goes into his performance. Every moment on stage goes his teaching.
Charles R. Hale, one of Artists Without Walls’ cofounders and a Resident Artist at The Cell Theatre, will be premiering his short film “Jazz and the City: The New York Connection,” at this Tuesday’s Showcase. The film is a companion piece to his show of the same name, which debuted at The Cell in April.
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From the best of times to the worst of times, songwriters have captured every corner of New York City through music. Weaving story, sidebars, images and the music of the Gershwins, Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer, Billy Strayhorn and others, Charles connects New York City through the songs of the composers and performers who lived in the city, through the venues in which the songs were popularized and through his own recollection of New York and song.
ALLISON SYLIVA, JOHN MORAN, REBECCA LOWRY and COURTNEY TORRES at ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS' SHOWCASE at THE CELL THEATRE
You can watch the artists perform, and meet them as well, at Artists Without Walls’ May Showcase at The Cell Theatre, this Tuesday, 5/24. The doors and bar open at 6:45. Presentations begin at 7:30.
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Here are a few of the artists who will be performing:
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Allison Sylvia is a poet/artist/dancer who has performed at a number of Artists Without Walls’ Showcases. Here’s what was said about Allison after her performance at “Permutations,” an AWoW/ Kathleen Bennett Bastis collaboration at Chelsea’s First Street Gallery last Spring: “Attention grabbing, fast paced, stay focused so you don’t miss a thought….Allison is not a rapper, but if Socrates were a rap artist you might think of Allison. Brilliant.”
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AWoW charter member Brendan Connellan, who has written and produced a number of shows that were premiered on 42nd Street, NYC in the past few years, will be presenting a scene from his play, “Savage.” Appearing in the scene will be:
Courtney Torres, who frequently works with independent theater companies such as Locked in the Attic Productions and Fengari Ensemble. She has participated in various showcases and festivals in the New York City and currently trains at Playhouse West Brooklyn Lab.
Rebecca Lowry, who last appeared on the New York stage in the mid-1990s, when she spent a decade traveling the country as a professional actress performing in everything from Shakespeare to Burlesque. She is currently an attorney and legal writing Professor at Saint John’s University as well as an economic analyst.
And..John Moran, long time fan and charter member of Artists Without Walls, fresh from filming Danni for “Take it to the Stage Productions” and “Age of Consent” in association with Rusty Ferris Wheel Productions and Artists Without Walls.