Photography / Communication for Artists and Creatives
Cat Dywer’s photos of Artists Without Walls’ “First Anniversary Showcase at The Cell Theater.” The names of those pictured appear above the photos.
Yuri Juarez and Jhair Sala
Nick Garr
DJ Sharp
Mary Tierney
Seanchai Jim Hawkins
Caroline Winterson
John Duddy and Michael Brunnock
Aedin Moloney and Jack O’Connell
Mary Lannon
Andy Baldeschwiler
Jenai Huff, Jim Hawkins, Michael Brunnock and Niamh Hyland
Singer/songwriter Michael Brunnock and actor John Duddy will be performing an excerpt from Michael’s new work, a musical drama highlighting the life and legacy of Irish Nationalist hero Roger Casement at Artists Without Walls’ First Anniversary Showcase, Tuesday, Jan. 28th at The Cell Theater in New York.
Michael possesses an extraordinary voice, and his song writing is profound. It’s no surprise that David Byrne (Talking Head’s) cast him to sing the role of an Irish musician on the brink of success whose voice guides Sean Penn through an emotional journey of self-discovery in the film ’This Must Be the Place’ (2012). The score by Byrne with lyrics by Will Oldham (Bonnie Prince Billy) called for a distinctive vocalist, which Brunnock is, and the song ‘If it falls, it falls’ won a David di Donatello award, equivalent to the Italian Oscars.
Former middleweight boxing champion turned actor, John Duddy, who made his New York City stage debut in Kid Shamrock, will soon be appearing in Artists Without Walls’ member Colin Broderick’s Father Who at The Theater 80. The show opens on February 26th.
Join these two terrific talents this Tuesday night, January 28th at Artists Without Walls’ First Anniversary Showcase at The Cell Theater, 7pm, 338 W. 23rd St., NYC.
Artists Without Walls is happy to announce that Yuri Martín Juárez Yllescas guitarist, arranger and composer, will be performing at Artists Without Walls First Anniversary Showcase on Tuesday, January 28, 7pm at The Cell Theater.
Yuri began his career in 1996 as guitarist for various groups of Afro-Peruvian music, folk and fusion. His musical training ranges from formal studies with the Afro-Peruvian masters of the guitar Pepe Torres, Alvaro Lagos and Jorge Madueño and more “street” experience in Afro-Peruvian peñas.
Yuri has shared the stage and recorded with Eva Ayllón, Susana Baca, Chaqueta Piaggio Ebelin Ortiz, Pilar de la Hoz, Carmina Cannavino, Mariella Valencia, Pamela Rodriguez, Elena Romero, iconic Peruvian composers Kiri Escobar and Javier Lazo, and trail blazing bands including the Gabriel Alegría Afro-Peruvian Sextet, Novalima, Teatro del Milenio and Sin Líneas en el Mapa, among others.
In December of 2009 Yuri received the Latin Jazz Corner Awards in the categories of Best Afroperuvian Jazz Album and Best Latin Jazz Guitarist debut for his work “Afroperuano.”
Here’s a great cut of Yuri accompanying singer Sofia Tosello.
Darrah Carr Dance and ModErin: The 15th Anniversary Season. The Irish Arts Center, 553, W. 51st St. Today, Sunday Family Show 11am and a regular performance today, Sunday, 3pm .
ADMISSION: $25 non-member / $20 member / $15 family show / Use code DCD20 and pay the IAC member rate – while supplies last!
TICKETS: www.irishartscenter.org or 866-811-4111
Tara O’Grady will be live in Belfast on the Stuart Baile program at BBC Radio Ulster, Monday. Tune in at 10pm Irish time, or 5pm New York time. http://www.bbc.co.uk/radioulster
Antoinette Montague and the Band of Bones will be appearing at The Zinc Bar, 82 W. 3rd St., NYC, Monday, November 25, 2013, 8pm and 9:30 shows
Artists Without Walls’ Showcase at The Cell Theater, 338 West 23rd St., NYC. Tuesday, Nov 26, 7pm.
Here are Cat Dwyer’s photos (Cat’s website) from the 10/22/2o13 Artists Without Walls’ Showcase. The names of the photographed appear above each picture.
DJ Sharp
Niamh Hyland
Diana Jones
Deni Bonet and Ed Romanoff
Sana Musasama
Ed Romanoff and Niamh Hyland
Angela Alaimo O’Donnell
Jenai Huff
Ron Vazzano
Alan McMonagle
The following was written by Artists Without Walls’ member, John Moran:
———
I have ambitions to actually make acting my next career. Foolish you say! I know. You’re right. It’s a long shot at best and a difficult road lies ahead but having had an interesting and instructive life I believe I’m prepared for both success or failure and am simply grateful to be in a position to try. And try I will. I genuinely want to learn the craft so I am paying attention now to the heavy lifting required by stage acting, such as the concentration needed for Miller’s deceptively simple dialogue, the long emotional monologues of O’Neill or the quick pop and snap needed for much of Mamet’s prose. After that type of work I imagine delivering a line for a TV script will be easier.
I’ve always considered myself to be a good public speaker. I communicate clearly. I enjoy it. An audience of ten is great. One-hundred is even better. Public speaking causes me no concern whatsoever.
Keeping the above in mind, what a surprise to me when I auditioned for a spot in an acting studio, was handed a script, stood in front of a crowd of one man and nothing came from my mouth. Not one word. Not a sound did I utter. “That was interesting.” he said. Then yawned. What great fun.
Apparently I didn’t have a problem speaking my own words but when the words of another person were substituted such as those of a playwright, nothing good seemed to happen, or at least not until recently.
I have many bad qualities but giving up isn’t one of them. For over a year I’ve been working in a scene study class. The teacher, Scott Freeman seems to believe the devil is in the details and the phrase “go back and do it again” is not unheard of. I’ve come a long way since that troubling audition and at last felt competent enough to commit to do a first short scene in front of a genuine audience at an Artist Without Walls’ (AWoW) Showcase in late September.
Showcase time was getting closer and stage fright became the order of the day. Nothing I could do about it. I kept myself busy by taking the day off from work and spending time with an actress rehearsing an entirely different scene from the one I’d be doing that night. The showcase began at seven that evening and as the time grew closer for me to perform I grew……, hmmmm what’s the word I’m looking for? Oh yes, nasty; I grew nasty. I told my partner Jason and my buddy Joe not to talk to me and sat in the garden out back of The Cell theater going over lines I’d said a hundred times before. Then of course I found religion. I have a lot of negative opinions about the state of my church and The Creator himself when all is well, but when the guns are about to go off I can say Hail Mary’s as fast as anyone I know.
After a decade or two of the rosary the time came, my partner Jason and I performed and all was well.
For those who would like to step up, but like me are shy and reluctant, I must say that when you present at an Artists Without Walls’ Showcase you’re among friends. Seize the day. The members of AWoW want to see you do well and regardless of how well you believe you presented your work, they are happy to have you.
You/we/us are the reasons for the existence of an organization like AWoW to begin with. And remember, regardless of your feelings ten PM will come. The showcase will be over. You will have done yourself, and AWoW, a service by sharing your art. All will be well once again.
John Moran
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.
Antoinette Montague will be performing “Jazz Vespers” at Bethany Church, 275 West Market Street Newark, NJ, this morning, Sunday, August 25, 10am. For info call 203 820-8819
Tara O”Grady and the Black Velvet Band will be swinging originals and standards tonight, Sunday, August 25, 8:30pm, at New York City’s best swing dance club, Swing 46 Jazz and Supper Club located at 349 West 46th Street. Tara will also be appearing at Winnie’s Lounge at the Refinery Hotel, 63 West 38th St. Tuesday, Aug 27 from 5-9pm and on Wednesday, August 28, from 6-9pm.
Artists Without Walls presents its “Showcase at The Cell Theater,” 338 W. 23rd St., NYC. Tuesday, 7pm, August 27th. Evening includes jazz musician and composer Chris Stover, singer/songwriter Jenai Huff, dancer Samara, chanteuse Marni Rice and more.
Honor Finnegan will be performing at the CT Folk Festival and Green Expo in Edgerton Park, New Haven, Saturday, August 31, 4:30-5:30
Nigerian born, Spoken Word artist Koromone “Koro” Koroye” presenting her poem “My Name” at an Artists Without Walls’ Showcase.
For more information on Artists Without Walls contact info@artistswithoutwalls.com
Artists Without Walls’ member Honor Finnegan, a recent winner of the New Folk Song Songwriting Contest at the Kerrville Folk Festival, has been making a splash in the Northeastern regional folk scene with her original songs and ukulele playing. Combining elements of musical theatre, comedy, traditional folk, and poetry, Honor is “cooler than the other side of the pillow.”
Honor Finnegan was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago and learned to appreciate a variety of people and music living in a mostly African American neighborhood and sitting in the back seat of her single mother’s car listening to the radio for long periods of time. When Honor was eleven her dream of being an actress came true when she was cast in the first National Tour of “Annie”.
Honor is a regular attendee at the late, great Jack Hardy’s songwriter’s exchange, which has nurtured the talents of Suzanne Vega, and Shawn Colvin to name but a few. Honor recently performed this incredible version of Hardy’s “Aint I A Woman” at an AWoW Showcase at NYC’s Cell Theater.
For more information about Artist Without Walls contact info@artistswithout walls.com
