While the outdoor concert season might officially be over, ArtWRKD Gallerist & Curator Ashara Shapiro is finding ways to bring the arts indoors for the season. Shapiro, along with Stage United founder Joe Montone, are producing and co-hosting SPEAKeasy – a monthly showcase of stories performed in song, poem, and personal narratives.
The event will take place Friday, December 12, behind a secret bookcase which leads to the ArtWRKD Exhibition Space above Triple Sun Spirits, 126-128 S State St #300, in Newtown, PA. Tickets and information for the event can be found at stageunited.org. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Mary Grace Comber, of Doylestown kicks off the evening. Her work centers the natural world as teacher and solace. Her 2021 self-published book of poetry Please Don’t Shrink will soon be joined by her second book – Earth School.
Featured storyteller, Adam J. Newton, who is also from Doylestown, takes the mic next. His work focuses on emotional and philosophical catharsis. He made his authorial debut in the 2019 collection of short stories Creaky Stairs, A Book of Dark Truths. Adam is also the curator and organizer of the Bucks County Writers Group, which has helped numerous local authors publish their works for over 9 years.
Headlining the evening is Newtown-based Americana rock band Fallon’s Religion. Their sound reflects the southern rock roots of founding members and songwriters, Melanie Fallon and Dan Pell. The band’s latest single, “Chase Me Down”, blends R&B warmth and glimpses of Laurel Canyon with their signature harmonies led by Melanie’s powerful vocals.
“SPEAKeasy provides audiences a candid glimpse at the diversity of their neighborhood,” says SPEAKeasy Co-Producer Montone. “In a world of scrolling and AI, we might miss the captivating voice that could only be from Bucks County.”
