Run to buy Donohoe’s ‘Ghosts’

Maeve Price, right, and her collaborators at the recent Salon. She will be in concert celebrating Women's History Month at Maple Grove Cemetery, Kew Gardens, Queens, on Saturday, March 7 at 4 p.m. PHOTOS BY DAN BROWN

Salon Diary / By Karen Daly

The mid-February IAW&A Salon at the Cell was a joyous night, even though it included stories of ghosts, dark family secrets and one not-quite- sane character. The joy came from the audience appreciation of the talented presenters and wonderful musical offerings, put together by host Maureen Hossbacher.

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Longtime former IAW&A Board member Kathleen Donohoe is launching her second novel, “Ghosts of the Missing,” about the disappearance of a 12-year-old girl during a local parade in a Hudson River town. The book explores how the tragedy reverberates throughout the town and connects to haunting traditions of its early Irish-American inhabitants. Brendan Costello, our newly elected vice president, interviewed Kathleen about the novel’s overarching themes as well as the publishing process. If you loved Kathleen’s first book, “Ashes of Fiery Weather,” run to buy “Ghosts” at your local bookseller or at kathleendonohoe.nyc

Natalie H. Rogers stirred up the night with two sensual poems with Valentine vibes in honor of the date just passed. One describes a younger man who “plays havoc with my righteousness” and the other about an erotic dream. Founder of “Talkpower: A Panic Clinic For Public Speaking,” Natalie is currently updating her book “Talkpower: the Mind Body Way to Speak Without Fear” with Skyhorse Publishing.

Kathleen Donohoe spoke about her latest novel “Ghosts of the Missing.”

Playwright and actor Martin Alvin returned to the Salon to read from his one-act play: “Brothers,” with the always compelling Maurice Kessler and Rosina Fernhoff. A one-act play in a series of one-act plays with recurring characters, “Brothers” features two brothers revealing startling secrets to each other. Attend a reading of Martin’s full-length play: “The Other Uncle Nicky,” with a stellar cast including Rosina Fernhoff and Maurice Kessler, on Thursday, 2.27.20, 7 p.m. at St. Malachy’s Church/The Actor’s Chapel, 239 West 49th St. Admission is free.

Since meeting Eric Poindexter at Symphony Space, where he is a teaching artist, host Maureen Hossbacher has been inviting him to perform at a Salon. Her efforts paid off thrillingly tonight when he sang “Summertime” and “The Party's Over.” An accomplished actor and singer who recently work on the Broadway bound musical “Mandela,” Eric notes that the songs are a taste of his upcoming cabaret this summer, and he’ll keep us posted.

Derek Dempsey, known to us as an exciting musical entertainer, has completed a novel, “Anthony’s Aria: The Story of a Working Class Opera God” with the intriguing premise: Could an Italian/Irish kid from Dublin be as good as Pavarotti? The audience loved Derek’s first public reading.

Derek Dempsey, who is best known for his singing and musicianship, was a hit with his first reading at the Salon.

A young woman in therapy develops a fascination with another client in Dan Brown’s latest monologue, “Mr. 5:15.” Actress Jolynn Carpenter gave a brilliant performance that explored the fine line between right and wrong, and sane and insane.

Fresh from her wonderful performance in Honor Molloy’s “The Round Room,” Maeve Price brought singer Molly Watson and pianist Gene Rohrer from the Turtle Bay Music School to share hilarious musical offerings. Maeve parodied the song “Memory” from “Cats,” dedicating it to everyone who has ever walked into a room and forgotten why they were there. And the “chicken” song from the children's opera “The Ballad of the Bremen Band” brought the house down. A Salon first, the group wearing squeaky rubber chickens and elegant chicken hats closed the evening on a joyful note.

Maeve will be in a Concert celebrating Women's History Month at Maple Grove Cemetery on Saturday, March 7 at 4 p.m.

 

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