Join Artists Without Walls for its January Showcase at The Cell, 338 West 23rd Street, Manhattan, Tuesday, January 24th. Presenters include jazz fiddler Michi Fuji, author and lecturer Suzanne Bernier, singer/songwriter Martina Fiserova, artist and singer Maia Nero, writers Billy Barrett and Mike DeLucia, playwright Brendan Connellan and actor Faye Franzini. Charles R. Hale and Niamh J. Hyland are the evenings hosts and emcees.
The doors and the bar open at 6:45. Performances begin at 7:30. This is a free event.
Artists Without Walls’ January Showcase at The Cell Theatre, 338 West 23rd Street, Manhattan, will take place on January 24th. The doors and the bar open at 6:45pm. The presentations begin at 7:30pm. The evenings presenters included playwright Brendan Connellan, actor Faye Franzini, writers Billy Barrett and Suzanne Bernier and musicians Martina Fiserova, Michi Fuji and Maia Nero.
From Sam Edelman’s story “Getting Out of Show Business”
“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’s “Jazz and the City”
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
Almeria Campbell
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
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
Mark Donnelly channeled his inner child with a funny monologue based on his boyhood desire tobe 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 and Annette Homann
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
“AWoW dips into the magic of New York City each month and unfurls it on the stage for the lucky audience. Huge gratitude to Charles R. Hale and Niamh Hyland who come up with one compelling Showcase after another.” Brendan Connellan
“The artistic directors of Artists Without Walls have helped so many incredibly talented people do remarkable things — they give them a stage in the center of the universe, something only a select few would otherwise see.” Mitch Traphagen
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Justin Colon-Rabinowitz
The evening was off to a great start when native New York poet Justin Colón-Rabinowitz recited his poetry with grace and authority. Justin shared a number of powerful and intimate poems in front of the standing room only audience, many of which spoke about his family members’ emigration from Puerto Rico to New York City, their ephemeral joys and pains, and the resiliency they showed while adapting to life in the borough of the Bronx. Justin will be graduating from Hofstra University’s MFA program in December, 2015, and he will be reading his poetry at the KGB club in Manhattan on Friday night, December 11th.
Justin Poindexter and Tara O’Grady
The very popular–with good reason–Celtic-jazz songstress Tara O’Grady jammed with the extraordinary guitarist Justin Poindexter from the band Silver City Bound (formerly The Amigos) who accompanied Tara on her original blues and folk songs. The pair have collaborated on three of Tara’s cds including “Good Things Come to Those Who Wait” (2011), “A Celt in the Cotton Club” (2013), and most recently, “Irish Bayou” (2015).
Stella Pulo
When Stella Pulo started, the audience started laughing. And they didn’t stop! Stella is quirky, hilarious, entertaining and, at times, poignant. With “Shrimp Shells in Her Cleavage,” she transported the audience to a place where she once was, vacuuming cockroaches and rabbit pellets from the bed of a “Dolly Parton” knock-off. Stella is an wonderful writer and performer, Sophie Kinsella and Tracey Ullman rolled into one.
Faye Franzini and Tue Hoe
When the silence gets thick enough to eat with a spoon, you know something good is happening on stage. Faye Franzini and Tue Hoe bared their own hearts and ripped each other’s in a scene from Brendan Connellan’s “Kill the Bid.” Two people can love each other very much but, sadly, it doesn’t mean they always agree. Wonderful courage from both actors to risk putting it all out there.
Richard Deane
Richard Deane returned to the Artists Without Walls’ stage with 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.
Martina Fiserova
How does someone who has spoken a different language all their life, write such evocative tunes in their second language? Martina Fiserova, Prague born singer songwriter does just that, delivering heart felt songs in spell binding performances as she did on Friday night. Martina performed a number of songs from her new CD “Shift”, which she is currently promoting. With the support of highly experienced soundman Paul Bevan, Martina captivated the audience; Her music was the evening’s icing on the cake. “Thank you for having the angelic Martina Fišerová on the bill last night – as always, her performance brought me to tears,” said Suzanne Bernier.
The next Artists Without Walls’ Showcase at The Cell Theatre will be on December 22. Hope to see you there for AWoW’s “Holiday Showcase.”
Mitch Traphagen’s photos from Artists Without Walls’ November 2015 Showcase at The Cell Theater in Manhattan. Performers and presenters included Tara OGrady, Stella Pulo, Tue Hoe, Faye Franzini, Richard Deane, Martina Fiserova and Alejandro Colon-Rabinowitz. Produced by AWOW’s artistic directors Charles Hale and Niamh Hyland. www.artistwithoutwalls.com.
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Tue Ho and Faye Fazini
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Justin Colon-Rabinowitz and Connie Roberts
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Justin Poindexter and Tara O’Grady
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Martina Fiserova
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Justin Colon-Rabinowitz
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Tue Ho and Faye Franzini
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Richard Deane
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Stella Pulo and Alison Armstrong
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Tara O’Grady
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Charles R. Hale
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Gary Ryan, Sam Adelman, Pandora Maclean-Hoover, John Moran, Lynnell Herzer, Eric Hoover, Charles R. Hale and Annette Homann
Tara O’Grady is the band leader of a dynamic group of elite NYC jazz musicians who have performed with everyone from Dizzy Gillespie to Debbie Harry. Her voice is usually compared to Billie Holiday, but she has a distinct sound all her own. The New York born singer-songwriter with Irish roots has four cd releases, and she has appeared in the BBC film Danny Boy – The Ballad That Bewitched the World which was nominated for Best Documentary at the Irish Film & Television Awards in 2014. Her recording of the famous song, Danny Boy, was recently ranked the #6 best selling jazz/blues mp3 in the UK.
Stella Pulo
Stella Pulo is a writer and performer. In 1992 she became the first Australian to be made lifetime member of The Actors Studio. Shrimp Shells in My Cleavage is a collection of stories, each set in a different country where Stella has lived and worked.
Brendan Connellan
A longtime AWOW member, Brendan Connellan has written and staged multiple productions in New York City. Among them, Kill the Bid, Pompa Pompa, Death, Please and Python. He is currently completing two new ones called Gash and Savage and working on his novel.
Tue Hoe
Tue Hoé, who will be performing a scene from Connellan’s play, is originally from Denmark. He has lived and has worked in New York for the past five years since graduating from The William Esper Studio. He has worked both with theater and film in New York as well as Denmark.
Faye Fanzini
Faye Franzini is a New York based Brazilian actress and singer. She studied acting with Bill Esper, at the William Esper Studio and improvisation at the PIT. Faye has been part of various theater, music and improv productions as well as written, directed and acted in some of her own projects.
Justin Colon-Rabinowitz
Poet and novelist Justin Colón-Rabinowitz graduated from Dartmouth College in 2005. He has traveled extensively throughout Spain, the Dominican Republic, and lived in Puerto Rico. Justin will also be reading at the well-known literary space, the KGB, Bar next month as part of Hofstra University’s MFA fall program.
Martina Fiserova
Prague born singer, songwriter and musician Martina Fiserova will be making her fourth appearance at an AWoW Showcase. She would also like to invite readers to her release party and introduce you to her latest CD “Shift”, which stamps her mark on the NYC arts scene, and was created both in Europe and in the USA. “Shift reveals the maturing and development of an artist, who is not looking back” – James Nadal, All About Jazz
Richard Deane
Richard Deane spends his time between New York City and Rhinebeck and has been continuing to work on his novel “When Yesterday Comes” while free lance writing and editing for a periodical financial publication. Richard will be reading a scene from his novel about a young girl with amnesia who finds herself homeless on the streets of the city in the care of a stranger.
The Cell Theatre is located at 338 W23rd St in Manhattan. The doors and the bar open at 6:45. Hope to see you there.
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….
In this week’s New York Times Style Magazine there is a piece about the 78-year-old experimental performance artist Joan Jonas, who lives in a loft in SoHo and who, since the late-60s, has been practicing her own unique art form: “Jonas has pursued a category-defying, perpetually exploratory practice that melds performance, drawing, film, video, sculpture, installation, sound and literature.” Jonas is a woman not constrained by any discipline. She would have fit in well with the sisterhood of artists—visual, performance, and musical—at the Artists Without Walls: Gallery Series, featuring Kathleen Bennett Bastis’ Permutations at the First Street Gallery, NYC this past Friday night. Mixed media artist Kathleen Bennett Bastis, singer-songwriter Martina Fišerova, violinist Annette Homann and performance artist Allison Sylvia, like Jonas, do not fit neatly into a pre-packaged brand: all are difficult—in the best way possible—to pin down. The aptly named exhibition Permutations served them all well. There was alteration and transformation in spades on the night!
Annette Homann and Martina Fiserova
The “art gallery etiquette” was thrown out the (second floor) window: no need to speak in hushed tones as you observed the marvelous surrounding art work in the white on white space. Laughter and conviviality abounded. Kathleen set the tone when she, in addressing the crowd, held up an AARP magazine with an image of Bob Dylan on the cover. Yes, indeed the times are a changin’. Kathleen beautifully (and magnificently) harnesses that sense of flux in her work, transforming and reimagining all kinds of detritus. “She’s the real deal,” someone leaned over and whispered to me. And we AWoWers that night had the best deal in town.
Niamh Hyland introducing Martina Fiserova
Martina Fišerova was the first of the evening’s entertainers. And boy did she entertain. In her green, tulle pixie dress and black boots, with guitar in hand, she worked her magic, opening with one of her classic quieter pieces, but, with encouragement from the crowd, embraced her wilder side toward the end, with a dazzling display of guitar work and what can only be described as supernatural vocals. It was riveting to watch and hear.
Allison Sylvia
Allison Sylvia followed on Martina’s heels. Allison, a recent graduate of NYU, is a thinking young woman who melds song, dance, poetry, and chant (for now) in her work—I’ve a feeling she’ll push the envelope even further in future performances—also had the crowd on the edge of their seats. A year or more ago, I’d read snippets from journal entries Allison had written—character sketches she committed to paper as she rode the subway between Manhattan and Brooklyn. And lo and behold, there she was Friday night dramatizing these characters—cello players and unrequited lovers—for an enthralled audience. Just as Kathleen had done in her multi-media pieces, Allison transformed her scraps into art.It’s exciting to watch her perform. And mark my words, she’s only coming into her own.
Annette Homann
Annette Homann, our very own lady-in-red, violinist extraordinaire, rounded out the evening’s entertainment. Over the past few years, I’ve seen Annette perform numerous times. She is an amazing musician, a powerhouse of talent. And when she steps on stage, not only are we captivated by her beautiful music, but we are held in the palm of her hand by her beautiful (and beautifully authentic) personality. Her mischievous wit (watch out for that twinkle in the eye!) and hearty laugh wins us over every time. Barefoot and resplendent in a flowing red dress, Annette, segued flawlessly from classical music to pop; in the latter, impishly gyrating exaggeratedly to the swells of Adele’s Skyfall, all to the sheer delight of the audience. This joie de vivre is trademark Annette: a consummate performer. She’s having a damn good time on stage; consequently, so do we.
AWoW co-founders, Niamh Hyland and Charles Hale, did an amazing job as always co-hosting. Their job is very important, as they create the space—literally and figuratively—for artists of all stripes to be their best selves, to push boundaries, to experiment, to collaborate in a safe, nurturing environment. They are also the glorious pied pipers whose charm keeps bringing us back again and again to these marvelous events.
I think Friday night we all left the Permutations exhibition more than a little transformed. Thank you Kathleen, Charles, Niamh, Martina, Allison and Annette.
I was driving a limousine at the time; It was a late night pick-up, Christie’s auction house to the Upper West Side. An art dealer sat in the back.
“What is art?” I asked.
“Art is the tool which unlocks your soul,” he replied.
“Then what is good art?” I said.
Kathleen Bennett Bastis-Slate Study #2
“If your soul needs a hammer to release it and your art hits your soul like a hammer, it’s good,” he answered.
“What if your art twists your soul like a wrench?” I challenged.
“Then it is good for the man who needs the wrench.”
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On Friday night Artists Without Walls celebrated the work of Kathleen Bennett Bastis at Chelsea’s First Street Gallery. Her mixed media art works are truly tools to unlock the soul.
Martina Fiserova
Surrounded by Kathleen’s stunning and beautiful creations with names such as Sentinel, Concerto #1, Copper Spirit and Scattered Geometry, the equally evocative and eclectic artists Martina Fiserova, Allison Sylvia, and Annette Homann captivated the crowd with their own forms of highly skilled and entertaining art.
Alison Sylvia
Martina’s accompanied vocals playfully and intensely reverberated through what seemed like near perfect acoustics in Kathleen’s First Street Gallery space. Martina’s sonority so total, so brilliant, so penetrating was a perfect prelude to Allison Sylvia’s attention grabbing, fast paced, stay focused so you don’t miss a thought, hey, I think just learned something about myself, spoken word brand of poetry. Allison is not a rapper, but if Socrates were a rap artist you might think of Allison. Brilliant.
Annette Homann
Annette Homann wrapped up the evening’s entertainment by bringing us on a musical theme park ride: Soothing us with the classical, Massenet’s “Meditation on Thais;” moving us with the contemporary, “If I Aint Got You;” thrilling us with her fiddling in Mark O’Connor’s “Caprice for Unaccompanied Violin #2,” and making us smile with a sexy, funny, acrobatic interpretation of Adele’s “Skyfall,” complete with gypsie like dance moves and back bends while never missing a note. She is a profound talent.
Great art on every level for a warm and welcoming crowd.
There were so many wonderful comments about Friday night’s premier of Artists Without Walls’ Gallery Series, featuring Kathleen Bennett Bastis’ solo exhibition “Permutations,” that we are presenting a number of the comments here, which will be followed by others over the next few days. As you’ll, read and as you’ll see in the photos, it was an incredible night.
Annette Homann
“In speaking about the materials that go into her artistic constructs that are on stunning display in her solo exhibition, “Permutations” (at the First Street Gallery in Chelsea), Kathleen Bennett Bastis has said: “Their unique shape, texture and hue guide my creative process.” The same might be said of the collaborative evening Artist Without Walls created at that gallery last night.
In bringing together a trio of performers, guitarist/vocalist Martina Fiserova, violinist Annette Homann and poet/spoken word artist Allison Sylvia— whose talents are perfectly in synch with Kathleen’s vision— it made for an event the likes of which you will rarely, if ever, experience. A melding of artists within the walls adorned by Kathleen’s masterful works… it was a memorable night. Yes, it was that good.” Ron Vazzano
Niamh Hyland and Martina Fiserova
“Visual and performing arts converged at First Street Gallery in Chelsea for a fabulously entertaining evening. The gallery walls were lined with Kathleen Bennett Bastis’ artistic sculptures. Sallie Benton aptly described Kathleen’s work on Facebook: ‘Bastis works primarily in metal; but there are stone & tile pieces, glass and mirrored pieces, cardboard, wire, string, etc. The pieces are quite varied but all have one very strong, exceptional and true artist’s voice.’
Martina Fiserova began the performances with an experimental number, displaying her unique talent on the guitar. Allison Sylvia followed with a ten minute thoughtful and humorous soliloquy on life, a well-written monologue with each word carefully chosen and placed. The inimitable violinist Annette Homan finished the night with pieces ranging from classical to pop. The joy exuded from Annette, particularly during one number when she provocatively engaged the audience with her violin music and playful dance. ” Tom Myles
Annette Homann, Kathleen Bennett Bastis, Martina Fiserova and Allison Sylvia
“Lovely and talented! Brilliant across the board; Martina, Allison, Kathleen, and Annette. Happy I was able to attend; super sounds, sights and words – magical evening it was!” Michael Muller
Charles R. Hale
“An extraordinary evening. Unequivocally original. Martina ended her set with a song that was amazing and daring. Equally daring was Allison’s poetry; her words seem to come from the deepest parts of her energetic psyche. And violinist Annette Homann’s performance of “Skyfall” brought the audience to their feet. In a perfect world Annette would team up with Niamh Hyland to do the title track for the next Bond movie.” Sam Adelman
Ron Vazzano, Kathleen Bennett Bastis and Jenai Huff
“Thank you for a night that brought back memories of New York City “Happenings” of bygone days.” Joanna Migdal
