Haven’t been to an Artists Without Walls’ Showcase? Here are some of the sights and sounds you’ve been missing. Music provided by Warren and Gibson Malone, Sasha Papernik, Jenai Huff and Deni Bonet.
Haven’t been to an Artists Without Walls’ Showcase? Here are some of the sights and sounds you’ve been missing. Music provided by Warren and Gibson Malone, Sasha Papernik, Jenai Huff and Deni Bonet.

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 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!”

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 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 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!

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.

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 photographs from Tuesday’s Artists Without Walls’ Showcase at The Cell. The names of the photographed appear above the photo.
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Mark Donnelly
Honor Finnegan
Renata Hinrichs
Warren and Gibson Malone
Nicholas Garr
Martin Kleinman
“Mrs” Simring
Niamh Hyland
Charles R. Hale
The Evening’s “Cast of Characters”
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.”

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 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, 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.

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 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, 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.”

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.

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.

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.

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 from the Artists Without Walls’s Showcase, 3/26/14. The names of the photographed appear above the photo.
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Billy Barrett
Jerry O’Sullivan
Jerry O’Sullivan and Connie Roberts
Tara O’Grady, Miguel Vias, Brendan Connellan and Alessia Sushko
Warren Malone
Maeve Higgins
Noah Hoffeld
Joe McElligott, Charles R. Hale and Niamh Hyland with students from Lehman College
Noah Hoffeld and Salina Sias
Kate McLeod
Bernadette Fee and Pat Coyne
Intermission