3.21.17 IAW&A SALON: 3 Playwrights. 3 Poets. Killer Fiction and Soulful Music

By Karen Daly

Photos by Cat Dwyer

That’s a recipe for a stimulating IAW&A Salon at The Cell. Even post-St. Pat’s, there’s no let-up in talent or audience enthusiasm. We were particularly happy to welcome two new presenters, Meredith Trede and Freddie White and to hear a fine tribute to Jimmy Breslin.

Gary Cahill opened the evening with his short-short story “Responsorial” — a taut, edgy, dark tale of Irish-American revenge for a decades-old IRA killing, and the sorrow that lived on in a Hell’s Kitchen denizen’s broken heart. Gary is a member of the Mystery Writers of America New York Chapter and International Thriller Writers. Catch Gary reading from his crime novel-in-progress on Saturday, April 15^th at 7:00 pm at the KGB Bar, 85 E. 4th Street.

Brent Shearer, who says he’s now a “blaggard living on the lower West Side,” started out as a reporter for a local New Jersey newspaper, where he became smitten with the great journalist Jimmy Breslin. Brent read a fine essay about Breslin who died last week. As Jimmy put it in his last column, “Thanks for the use of the hall.”

IAWA Salon, Cell, 32117

IAWA Salon, Cell, 32117

Gary Cahill, left.  Brent Shearer

In her first Salon visit, Meredith Trede read from her recent collection of poems, “Tenement Threnody” poems in voices from Inwood, her childhood New York City neighborhood. Called “wonderfully evocative persona poems of Irish-American tenement life,” they are the latest in her prize-winning body of work. Find it at www.meredithtrede.com.  Meredith “appreciated the friendliness and enthusiasm” of Salon goers.

We benefitted from Marcia Loughran’s recent Lenten vow to try to produce a poem a day. She read two of her resulting poems “Birds, Trains, Birds” and “Take Two” in which she reminisced about going to movies with her father. Marcia also shared her signature “messay” or mini essay, about the journey of her stolen credit card. Her chapbook, “Still Life with Weather” said to be “full of music” is available at https://www.amazon.com/Still-Life-Weather-Marcia-Loughran/dp/1539481182/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

IAWA Salon, Cell, 32117

Meredith Trede, left.  Marcia Loughran

 

John Kearns, pictured at right,  read a short scene from his play, Sons of Molly Maguire. Mine owner and prosecutor Franklin B. Gowen declares that the accused Molly Maguires have offended the majesty of the law, stand in the way of progress, and must be hanged as an example to others. When undercover detective James McParland enters, he tells Gowen that he shares his goals and is disgusted that the Molly Maguires call themselves Irishmen. We’re happy to announce that our Salon producer and host’s play will be staged in Dublin in May. https://www.facebook.com/events/1669973526629814/

In Thom Molyneaux’s Tennessee’s Waltz, Stanley Kowalski meets Blanche DuBois some years after Streetcar Named Desire. The result was a scene that was serious, funny and mysterious. Jack DiMonte and Guenevere Donohue brought Stanley and Blanche to vivid life.

Host John Kearns thanking actors Jack DiMonte and  Guenevere Donohue and playwright Thom Molyneaux

Poet, playwright and man about Greenwich Village, Gordon Gilbert, Jr. read the lyrics to a song he created in the style of Bob Dylan, “When Her World Caught Fire.” He followed with a short love poem, “Forever In-Between” and a light-hearted piece titled “An Old Lover Stays Over.” Gordon, pictured at left also hosts spoken word events at the Cornelia Street Café.

Dublin born playwright Derek Murphy presented two scenes from his comic play Inside Danny’s Box, which he calls “a love story of sorts, set in Ireland.” Actors Sarah Lafferty and Zack Gafin had remarkable chemistry in that love story.

Sarah Lafferty, Zach Gavin

Guenevere Donohue’s original song “The Spirit Rises” is her soulful take on the spirit of rebellion, and the positive effects of self-sacrifice, challenge, and change.

IAWA Salon, Cell, 32117

IAWA Salon, Cell, 32117

Guenevere Donohue, Freddie White

Speaking of soulful, Cork-born musician Freddie White has been a vital part of Ireland’s music scene since the 1970s and has been recognized throughout the world for his multiple talents. Tonight he sang two original songs form his recent CD “Prodigal Songs.” Freddie’s exquisite rendition of “The Parting Glass” was a perfect end to our evening.

See you next time, Thursday, April 6, 7 pm at Bar Thalia.

3/2/17 – First IAW&A Salon of March an Engaging Mix of Regulars & Newer Presenters

by Brendan Costello

Photos by Gordon Gilbert

The first Irish American Writers and Artists salon for the month of March, on Thursday the 2nd at Bar Thalia, featured an engaging mix of regulars and newer presenters, including a few international guests.

Thom Molyneaux started us off with three pieces from his one-man show, “Me and the Monologue,” a lyrical blank verse, part eulogy, part confession from Willian Alfred’s Hogan’s Goat, a riveting speech from Paddy Chayefsky’s Network, and Holden Caulfield’s contentious taxi ride with Horowitz the cabbie in Catcher in the Rye.

Nina Sokol, an American Danish poet and translator read several of her well-crafted poems. She has been published in various American journals, among others, Miller’s Pond and The Hiram Poetry Review.  Last year a collection of her poetry, Escape and Other Poems, was published by Lapwing Publications in Belfast, Ireland.

Cartoonist and illustrator Anne Gibbons read from the memoir she’s writing about being oldest daughter in a family of nine children. An exhibit of of her work entitled “Paintings of Old Family Photos and Cartoons for Today’s Crazy World” will be on display  for the month of April at An Beal Bocht Cafe in Riverdale, with a reception on Saturday, April 8th, 4-6 pm. Email Anne at ag@annegibbons.com or visit www.annegibbons.com for more information.

 Poet and playwright Gordon Gilbert read several selections, including “When I’m Gone,” wherein a father explains a plan to sustain his family after his passing.

Mikelle Terson is an artist and writer who made a long-awaited return to our stage. When asked what fuels her poetic musings,  Mikelle says she enjoys exploring the mysteries of the “why” and the wonder of the “is.” She read a trilogy about the loss of her parents.  In “death and taxes,” “today I bought my mother a red dress,” and “about the after,” Mikelle shared heartbreak, paradigm shifts and the small details that mark a life now gone.

IAW&A board member Kathleen Walsh D’Arcy announced the annual St. Pat’s for All Parade, for which she is co-chair, happening on March 5th.  She also promoted the benefit concert on the 3rd at the Irish Arts Center. As regular readers know, Kathleen was honored in December, along with co-chair Brendan Fay, with the Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad by the President of Ireland for their work organizing and producing the annual parade.

Bodhran player, playwright, and actor Brian Fleming rounded out our first set with some music.  Brian was in New York to participate in the St. Pat’s For All Parade and the fundraiser. Direct from County Clare, Brian is a percussionist and author of three one-man shows, and professed to sing nearly as well as Malachy McCourt. In 2016 he was nominated for best new writing at the New York Innovative Theatre Awards and three Oscars at the Dublin Gay Theatre Festival.

Bringing us back from an intermission, salon regular Jack DiMonte sang “Midnight Sun,” a jazz standard that began life as an instrumental by Lionel Hampton and Sonny Burke.  The great lyricist Johnny Mercer was driving along the freeway and heard the instrumental on his car radio. He added the beautiful lyrics that overflow with imaginative triple rhymes.

Poet and artist John K. Lawson read a few selections from his collection, A Map of Sorts, including “someone other than me,” which touched on some of his experiences and issues of others, like him, who were affected by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and Superstorm Sandy in New York.

Richard Stone performed a comic monologue as a character named Harry of Sinai, who shows up at the last supper in an effort to market the Jesus phenomenon and join the apostle entourage.

Salon producer and IAW&A Treasurer  John Kearns read an excerpt from his nearly complete novel, Worlds.  In 1890s Philadelphia, Seamus Logan has begun a new relationship with a Cork woman named Nora.  At first, while talking to his cronies at Boyle’s Bar, he is in no hurry to make a commitment to the young woman.  However, when he begins to fear that Nora is showing an interest in a humorous local man, Seamus heads to Philadelphia’s Jeweler’s Row at 8th and Walnut.

Another IAW&A board member, Sarah Fearon, covered comedic material on Lent, social media and mindfulness. Clearly the material to keep developing is Jitney on Broadway…not the play running now but “Jitney the Musical” about the Jitney bus line that goes to the Hamptons. Think Jitney meets a Chorus Line and Westside Story, you’ll laugh you’ll cry…get tickets now, one seat, one snack, one beverage included!

Alice Smyth, Celtic Harpist and Vocalist, and 2016 “People’s Choice NY Rose” in the New York Rose of Tralee festival closed out our evening with music, sweetly contemplative and then lively.  Alice played and sang, “The Fields of Athenry,” an Irish folk ballad set during the Great Irish Famine/Great Irish Hunger and finished off her set by playing two slip jigs, “Fig for a Kiss” into “The Butterfly.” To learn more about Alice’s work or are interested in having her play and sing for you, check out her website.

Join us for our next Salon on March 21st at the cell theatre!  Sign up to present at http://bit.ly/IASalon.