Kathleen Walsh D’Arcy, left, and Maureen Walsh Hossbacher. PHOTO: CAT DWYER
Salon Diary /By Karen Daly
Kathleen Walsh D’Arcy and Maureen Walsh Hossbacher used their considerable skills in organizing, writing, performing and connecting to host our mid-May IAW&A Salon at the Cell Theatre. The result, in the words of poet Connie Roberts “...a marvelous night – with a fabulous line-up.” That line-up had new musical talent, video, poetry, theater, fiction and fun.
The program opened with a scene from Dublin-born playwright Derek Murphy’s “Dyin’ For It,” a darkly funny work about “extremely inappropriate grieving by the dying Wally Kelly’s wife and daughter.” Superbly acted by Kimberly Kelly Adams, Anna Colson Nugent and Karin de la Penha, the scene was directed by Joe Handel.
The award-winning poet from County Offaly and Hofstra University creative writing professor Roberts read from “Little Witness,” a collection of poetry inspired by her experiences growing up in an industrial school/orphanage in the Irish midlands. The poems included “Oasis,” homage to her 85-year-old foster mother and “Little Witness,” a punch-packing six-line poem about child abuse. Connie’s “The ‘Boys’ in the Bunkhouse” was inspired by fellow IAW&A member Dan Barry’s 2014 investigative piece in The New York Times and now a book of the same title “about a few dozen men from Texas with intellectual disabilities who worked in servitude for decades in a turkey processing plant in Iowa.”
“Inheritance” is about the 1943 Poor Clare orphanage fire in Cavan town, in which 35 girls and one old woman perished. The poem ends with the litany of their names, including “the 13 Marys.” Buried in eight coffins with no gravestone or memorial, the haunting verse finally gives them the commemoration they deserved. This summer Connie will receive the Exceptional Offaly Person of the Year 2016 Award at the Tullamore Show. https://connierobertspoet.com.
David O’Leary, an operatic tenor from County Wexford, has sung for President Bill Clinton and for President of Ireland Mary McAleese and now he can add IAW&A to his resume. O’Leary trained with the Irish soprano Deirdre Masterson and has won prizes at major classical competitions in Dublin, Wicklow and Sligo. He has performed on many concert stages and venues in New York and Ireland. David charmed us at his first salon with the Irish folk song “She Moved Through the Fair.”
Playwright, poet, and songwriter Gordon Gilbert has been presenting portions of his play “Monologues from the Old Folks Home” at earlier salons. Tonight he read segments from three monologues and announced a full performance on Friday, June 24, at the Cornelia Street Café. Gilbert regularly hosts spoken word events there, so plan to come out and support him. http://www.corneliastreetcafe.com/restaurant.html.
Kathleen O’Sullivan is creating a charming multi-media memoir “Isham Street” about growing up in the Inwood section of Upper Manhattan. Tonight, she showed a video introduction to that work, called “From Ireland to Isham Street” that introduces her family in their ancestral home in Rossdohan Island and describes her parents coming to America and settling in New York. They found, in the parks and rivers near Inwood, a place that reminded them a bit of Ireland.
Salon newcomer Leah Rankin studied classical cello performance at the Eastman School of Music and brilliantly combines classical music with trad tunes. One set used the opening phrase of a cello concerto and went into a jig called the “Silver Hand.” She also played the Scottish March “First Light,” a version of the reel “Killarney Boys of Pleasure” and “Catharsis” by Natalie MacMaster. Active on the New York trad scene, Rankin runs an open session with Don Meade and Tom Dunne every Friday from 9 p.m.-12 a.m. at the Long Hall pub, 58 East 34th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues. Everyone is welcome.
Leah Rankin.
CAT DWYER/CATYEYEPIX.COM
A playwright, producer and songwriter and IAW&A Board member, Mark William Butler was thrilled to present Kaitlyn Baldwin and John Skocik, two great performers who sang Mark's song, “I'll Wear Myself,” from his musical comedy in development, “Ugly Christmas Sweater, The Musical.”
Rosina Fernhoff is an accomplished actor known for her solo performances at theatrical venues across the country, especially of works written by her late husband Av Inlender. She studied acting with Lee Strasberg, and is the winner of an Obie Award for Best Actress for two Off-Broadway roles. Tonight’s monologue from Edward Albee’s play “All Over” concerns a woman's relationship with the dying husband of another woman and reveals her other relationships, especially a teenage love affair.
Marni Rice, singer, musician, writer and producer performed two songs from the Sarah Makem songbook, “My Bonnie Boy” and “The Lowlands of Holland” plus an excerpt from her collection of poems.
“It's Not The End of the World.” Don’t miss the chance to see Marni perform her original text and music in Cabaret of the Absurd at Wow Café Theatre, 59 East 4th Street on June 10 and 11 at 8 p.m. For more info please visit:www.dejouxmusique.com
IAW&A Board member and teacher of Creative Writing at the City College, Brendan Costello’s moving essay “Though Soft You Tread Above Me” memorializing his late father appeared recently in the Huffington Post. Tonight he read an excerpt from his novel-in-progress, “Winning,” set in the riverboat casino boom of the 1990s. In this segment, we meet a young man meditating on his impending professional success, ascending in his own estimation from “schlump to Trump.” (And if that particular phrase becomes popular, we can credit Brendan.)
Mark William Butler.
CAT DWYER/CATSEYEPIX.COM
Another very versatile artist: musician, singer/songwriter, actor, playwright John Paul Skocik closed the night with two original, witty songs, “American Dream” and “Being Alone in New York City.”
The next salon will take place at the Cell Theatre, 338 West 23rd St., in Manhattan, on Tuesday, June 21, beginning at 7 p.m. For complete updates on all members’ events and announcements sign up for the IAW&A Weekly at iawaweekly@gmail.com.
