WHAT A NIGHT! AWoW's SHOWCASE at THE CELL 8/26/2014

Mark Donnelly
Mark Donnelly

It was another splendid evening of performances at Artists Without Walls’ Showcase at The Cell Theatre this past Tuesday. Mark Donnelly got the evening started with the opening monologue from his new play No Dead End (still a work-in-progress). A terrific performance, plus cool props — black-and-white posters of Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, Spencer Tracy and the Dead End Kids in the background.

 

 

Honor Finnegan and Aviv Roth
Honor Finnegan and Aviv Roth

Honor Finnegan roused the crowd with her humorous lyrics and powerful voice. She sang a new song, “Fortune Cookie”, on which she played the ukulele; Aviv Roth joined her on guitar for Christine Lavin’s hilarious “Air Conditioner Song”, followed by Honor’s rousing blues, “Internet Junkie”. At the break, Honor was seen enjoying salted peanuts at the bar. Channeling Dizzy Gillespie for a future tune, Honor? “Salt peanuts. Salt peanuts!”

 

 

Renata Hinrichs
Renata Hinrichs

Cannes Film Festival and Obie award winning actress Renata Hinrichs gave an engaging and riveting performance of a section from her solo show, Random Acts.  The play brings humor and pathos to a time in our history we shouldn’t soon forget.  Tickets are now on sale for her second show, October 18th at 6pm, in the United Solo Festival  Link to tickets: http://bit.ly/1nuGzZT

 

 

Warren and Gibson Malone
Warren and Gibson Malone

Warren Malone, a New York based singer/songwriter who is originally from Manchester England, was joined by his eleven-year old son Gibson for a rousing set. They began with a Jerry Lee Lewis tune, “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” with Gibson on the piano, pumping out a driving boogie pattern with his left hand while his right added some flashy ornamentation. They followed with Warren’s poignant song about his father, “Whole Life Blues,” and concluded with another great flashback, Fats Domino’s “Blueberry Hill.” A sensational performance by this very talented father and son duo.  

 

 

Nicholas Garr
Nicholas Garr

Nicholas Garr opened the second half of the Showcase by giving a wonderfully moving and hysterically funny performance from his solo theatre piece Paper Tigers, which explores our shared issues of love, sex, ambition, and self image in a world where things are often not as they appear. And the lobster outfit was incredible!

 

 

Martin Kleinman
Martin Kleinman

Marty Kleinman, the popular New York storyteller, read an excerpt from his new short fiction collection, Home Front.  Careening between heartbreak and hilarity, Marty’s tale took us on a white-knuckle joyride through the convulsing Bronx landscape of the late 1970s.   Through his spot-on dialogue of ne’er-do-well characters, and keen observations of life during New York’s nadir, we were reminded that there were darn good reasons why “Fun City” apartments could be had so cheaply back then.

 

 

"Mrs" Simring
“Mrs” Simring

Last night, Steve Simring’s mother returned from the grave to tell a sympathetic audience about her less than successful marriage.  She rarely made mistakes, she said, but she screwed up royally when she married Simon. At last, according to her, she found vindication and understanding in a group of lovely, caring people at the Cell.  She’s happy to report that today she is resting peacefully. Perhaps she’s recovering from expending so much breath in the final moments of her act. You had to be there!

 

 

All in all, a great evening, bringing AWoW’s Summer Showcase Series to a close. The next Artists Without Walls’ Showcase will be at The Cell Theatre on Tuesday, September 23rd, 7pm, 338 W23rd St. 

 

 

Photos by Mitch Traphagen

 

 

For more information on Artists Without Walls contact info@artistswithoutwalls. com  

 

 

 

 

MITCH TRAPHAGEN'S PHOTOS from ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS' SHOWCASE at THE CELL 8/26/14

Mitch Traphagen’s photographs from Tuesday’s Artists Without Walls’ Showcase at The Cell. The names of the photographed appear above the photo. 

.

Mark Donnelly

AWOW Showcase August 26, 2014

 

Honor Finnegan

AWOW Showcase August 26, 2014

Renata Hinrichs

AWOW Showcase August 26, 2014

Warren and Gibson Malone

AWOW Showcase August 26, 2014

Nicholas Garr

AWOW Showcase August 26, 2014

Martin Kleinman

IMG_3702awow

“Mrs” Simring

AWOW Showcase August 26, 2014

Niamh Hyland

AWOW Showcase August 26, 2014

Charles R. Hale

AWOW Showcase August 26, 2014

The Evening’s “Cast of Characters”

L1009225awow

BRILLIANT LINEUP ON TAP for ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS' "SHOWCASE AT THE CELL" 8/26

Why attend an Artists Without Walls’ Showcase?  Here’s what poet Connie Roberts said about a recent event. “It was a thrilling, life affirming night—life-affirming in the sense that an Artist Without Walls’ showcase highlights beautifully, often spectacularly, our shared humanity. In our fast-paced, rat-race lives, it is easy to feel disconnected from the world, from our fellow man/woman. But then you have a space like AWoW has created, where people bring their stories and share them—their hurts, betrayals and joys—in various mediums, with a bunch of other folks, who have their own stories.  It’s as if by magic, the whole room experiences a sense of connectedness, real-time affirmation that we’re all part of a rich and complex tapestry.”

 

Mark Donnelly
Mark Donnelly

We have a great line up planned including Mark Donnelly who will perform the opening monologue from his new play No Dead End. Set in Los Angeles in the late 1980s, No Dead End explores the blurring of movie fantasies and reality through the friendship of a film librarian and an aging actor. Mark writes plays, poetry, short stories and nonfiction. Mark holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Brooklyn College and is an adjunct English professor at St. Francis College in Brooklyn Heights.

 

 

Honor Finnegan
Honor Finnegan

Honor Finnegan is a Kerrville New Folk Song Contest Winner, and an accomplished vocalist. She will be sharing a couple of her songs, and covering one by Christine Lavin. Aviv Roth will accompany her on guitar. She will be peddling CDs so bring your spare change.

 

 

Renata Hinrichs
Renata Hinrichs

Renata Hinrichs, a Cannes Film Festival and Obie award winning actress, will present a section of Random Acts, a solo piece she wrote about growing up on the South Side of Chicago in the late 60s.  Her father, a young Lutheran minister, wants to change the world, and her mother just wants to be the perfect pastor’s wife. Renata is performing in the United Solo Festival on Theater Row, Sunday, Oct 12th at 2 pm.

 

 

Warren Malone
Warren Malone

Singer/songwriter Warren Malone loves to sing, write songs and play guitar.  “I love traditional folk music as much as I love a great pop song. The first record I ever put on was a Hank Williams’ record when I was four years old. As a kid I loved Elvis.” Joining Warren on the piano for some old time rock ‘n’roll will be his son Gibson Malone. If you haven’t heard these two play together you’re in for a treat. 

 

 

Nicholas Garr
Nicholas Garr

Nicholas Garr has appeared in film, TV and Broadway. “Lobsterman” is an excerpt from his solo play, Paper Tigers.  Nick appeared at a Showcase earlier in the year and meshed his great physicality and comedic skills with piped in sounds as diverse as spraying mouthwash, bullets flying through the air and screams to create an intense piece of theater. 

 

 

Martin Kleinman
Martin Kleinman

Martin Kleinman, a native New Yorker, who was born and raised in The Bronx, returned in 2010, after living in Manhattan, Jackson Heights and, for 25 years, in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Over the years, he has written a novel, screenplays and a recently published collection of New York-centric short fiction. Martin will read a short section from that collection, from the story called “Home Front.”

 

 

The Cell's Artistic Director, Kira Simring and Steven Simring
The Cell’s Artistic Director, Kira Simring and Steven Simring

Steve Simring is a forensic psychiatrist with more than a passing interest in theater. In his quest to understand his long deceased mother, he has attempted to channel her and explore her long and problematic marriage to his father. He’ll be doing just that on stage this Tuesday. 

 

 

And maybe a short film and an additional song or two. So join us Tuesday, August 26, 7pm for a great night of entertainment and conviviality at The Cell Theatre, 338 W23rd St., NYC. See you there. 

UPCOMING ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS' EVENTS

 

Sasha Papernik
Sasha Papernik

Pianist/singer/ composer Sasha Papernik is getting married Saturday Aug 23 in North Carolina to fellow musician Justin Poindexter. Performing the service will be legendary composer/jazz musician David Amram. A “bluegrass wedding” in the Blue Ridge Mountains is planned with AWoW members Annette Homann and Tara O’Grady in attendance. Congratulations Sasha and Justin.  

 

Renata Hinrichs
Renata Hinrichs

 

 

Artists Without Walls Showcase at The Cell Theatre, 338 W 23rd St., NYC. Tuesday, August 26th, 7pm. With Renata Hinrichs, Warren Malone, Honor Finnegan and more.  

 

 

 

Erin Layton
Erin Layton

And down the road a bit.  MAGDALEN, written and performed by AWoW member Erin Layton, will be presented by the 2014 United Solo Theatre Festival.  Venue: Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street.  Date and Time: Friday, October 3 at 6PM.  Tickets: $18; Click here to purchase tickets. Click on “Find Tickets” and go to  Friday, October 3rd at 6PM ONLY or call (212) 239-6200. Ask for tickets for United Solo show MAGDALEN.

 

 

 

 

CAT DWYER'S PHOTOS: ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS' SHOWCASE, 3/26/14

 

Cat Dwyer’s photos from the Artists Without Walls’s Showcase, 3/26/14. The names of the photographed appear above the photo. 

–

Billy Barrett

8z1B27JdoBe_zEx5l67RtT5cM-YvgldxNhWPQPfQ65o

Jerry O’Sullivan

C95BL5Z7EqnntDcGHo0B_LSJ10QE5AI40J1DCj7_jss

Jerry O’Sullivan and Connie Roberts

yODkYHpGGZYR8NlIrnwbCubhecLHzYTskkEj8O0a9As

Tara O’Grady, Miguel Vias, Brendan Connellan and Alessia Sushko

f7-vc8ku3hV9kiZZ5xF31kGSiaX2-0VVFNtMZzEC1EA

Warren Malone

4fd3rhawk1lrWTux9SpAl61KeX7LPuwHBZbcJ8rraK0

Maeve Higgins

hE0BocGr2OzCQxKBZn2eThkRsZi6noBBk6WyHuPK3tY

Noah Hoffeld

HIom4kTd0AqX4lOCWcaut-v2tvyABH6DZXYgeBA0p-I

Joe McElligott, Charles R. Hale and Niamh Hyland with students from Lehman College

mU3ToxehAlDCypkVSqiAICUMizOIBEttlIBCyFTCO4Y

Noah Hoffeld and Salina Sias

jEIXDuAAQcaWzHmu9H9T1T2YE7nicl0TI19Mu3m654c,e_eYRqw083WI9x9PpZOGROIquLYD_6-2k3NU0MVkV1E

Kate McLeod

KP0QgGcJef6MYE6ieoT4gG5VBqIqnJkuRPZ9cv8m5vM

Bernadette Fee and Pat Coyne

8caN8nrobc6RNfoxuXQ8LdkJAvi_OlblzKRFgGySoy4

Intermission

5vKU_PqleIOeYKzrlbn_UXxgrM5KNRlYr7EACM-j-ag