Stephanie Silber – Artists Without Walls

Artists Without Walls’ growing multicultural community includes singers, dancers, painters, writers, actors, oral historians, poets, and cultural enthusiasts. Joining us for Tuesday night’s showcase will be Samara Adell, the founder of the Mosaic Dance Theater Company, whose objective is not unlike Artists Without Walls’. MDTC develops and presents original dance, theater, and educational programs celebrating the rich diversity of cultures and folkloric traditions of the Mediterranean, including the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey, Greece, Italy, and Spain. The dances and music, the stories and myths, and the history and legends of this fascinating area of the world form the wellspring of inspiration for MDTC’s creative vision. On Tuesday night, Samara and two members from MDTC’s troupe will be performing original works from MDTC’s extensive repertoire of dance.

Chanteuse-Accordionist and Theater Artist Marni Rice, whose musical repertoire includes vintage French Chanson, Euro Cabaret Songs and original music will be performing songs from herEP (Extended Play) Songs for a Small Chamber, a collection of original ballads. Marni’s goal is to create and present musical and theatrical performance works for an international audience, and to bridge the gap between people across cultural and linguistic barriers.

Filmmaker and writer Stephanie Silber will be reading from The Lemon Tree, a story of the day in the life of a little girl who’s been separated from her many siblings and sent to stay with her grandma following her mother’s collapse from nervous exhaustion. The story contemplates the question of what it means to be wounded; how trauma is experienced, and the redemptive possibility of healing.

Recording artist, composer and trombonist Chris Stover will be playing a brand new solo arrangement of Chico Buarque’s “Apesar de você. ” Chris said, “The song is dedicated to all of his friends in Brazil, fighting the good fight and making things happen over the last weeks – saravá, gente!”

For almost two decades Jenai Huff managed bands because she felt that music could impact the world in a positive way. Now, with her first CD, Transitions, released in 2011 she wants to do just that. And certainly the world could use some positive impressions these days. A little bit folk, a little country and a touch of bluegrass, Jenai is currently recording her second CD and will be performing songs from her new work.

Mark Donnelly will perform a monologue from the climactic scene in his one-act play The Steamfitter’s Dream. The monologue, which occurs in a Manhattan bar, centers around a middle aged, alcoholic construction worker trying to convince a young man that the drinking life is not something to aspire to. The play was published in Best Men’s Monologues of 1998 by Smith and Kraus.

And there will be more. The Showcase begins at 7pm at the The Cell Theater, located at 338 West 23rd St., NYC. Hope to see you there.

Cahoulas Cajun Band — **Catahoula Cajun Band**

Come on out to the “AWoW Showcase at The Cell” for a taste of “Northern Fried” Cajun music of Southwest Louisiana: Upbeat, danceable roots music, spirited two-steps and beautifully heartwarming, bittersweet waltzes. The Catahoula Cajun Band is a New York based group and while all the band members hail from north of the Mason-Dixon line, their love of toe-tappin’ dance and traditional music inspired them to tackle the two-steps, waltzes, and Cajun-French lyrics of Acadiana.

Here’s the rest of the evening’s line-up:

Timeout London said of singer/songwriter Matt Keating “Beautiful and honest songs of substance and melancholy.” Matt’s newest album, Wrong Way Home, a 16 song emotional piece, is his tenth release. Matt’s music is tinged by nostalgia while being entirely modern. It is contemplation on life’s narrative, offering moments of joy and melancholy, epiphany and regret.

Leni Stern, who was born in Munich, Germany, and educated at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, is a New York based guitarist whose recent recordings are lush, deeply felt explorations of the sound of Africa colored by Stern’s soulful lyrics, lightly sanded voice and dazzling instrumental prowess. Leni will be joined by one of her fine musicians, bassist Mamadou Ba.

Carl Capotorto, born and raised in the Bronx, is a playwright, screenwriter and actor, well known for his six seasons in the role of “Little Paulie” Germani in the Sopranos. Carl will be performing a work from his book, Twisted Head, a darkly comic memoir of growing up in the Bronx in the 60s and 70s.

Jack O’Connell, Michele Cetera and Ray Lindie, Showcases regulars, will be performing a scene from Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune by Terrence McNally. This two character play focuses on two lonely middle aged people who work in a Diner, he as a cook, she as a waitress. Johnny is certain that he’s found his soulmate in Frankie. She, on the other hand is far more cautious and disinclined to jump to conclusions.

Classical musicians Navid Kandelousi and Ava Nazar not only perform classical music but Persian traditional music as well. Navid, a violinist will be playing the Kamancheh, a traditional Persian instrument, and Ava will be playing the piano during their performance of Persian music.

Award-winning documentary filmmaker Stephanie Silber will be reading from her short story The Lemon Tree, which follows a little girl through an eventful day with her grandmother in a 1960’s cityscape both alluring and menacing. This excerpt finds the duo visiting the grandmother’s stricken friend in a New York hospital for rehabilitation.

Artists Without Walls was created to provide artists of all disciplines an opportunity to experiment with new ideas in front of a live audience; create an environment that fosters collaborative and creative effort and promote members’ careers in the arts, whether they have already established themselves or are at the beginning of their artistic career. We’re looking forward to a great night. Hope you can join us.

Tag: Stephanie Silber

ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS: “SHOWCASE at the CELL THEATRE” on TUESDAY, AUGUST 27

JOIN ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS: "SHOWCASE AT THE CELL THEATER" ON TUESDAY, JUNE 25