dominiquefrangiamone – Armagh Project 2015

First Day

dominiquefrangiamone — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 15:09:32 +0000

The First day of the John Hewitt Society International Summer School was both inspiring and very encouraging. Ian Sansom was absolutely brilliant and was the perfect way to start off the week! I am in the short story workshop and feel privileged to sit beside published authors such as June Caldwell. I can’t wait to continue the week and take in as much information as possible.

Armagh, Then and Now ..

dominiquefrangiamone — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 01:54:18 +0000

When I first arrived in Armagh, I was extremely anxious and scared. I remember being on the bus and looking out the window, thinking what the hell did I get myself into? Where am I ? Where are all the buildings, people, and traffic pollution? I wanted to get on the first plane ride back to New York before the bus even dropped us off. Now, 3 weeks later, it is the complete opposite feeling. I don’t want to leave, believe or not I don’t miss New York at all. Armagh is absolutely beautiful and very serene. At first the quietness drove me a little crazy, being a city girl and all, but now I have actually grown to enjoy it. The calmness of the town has helped me gain control of anxieties I had dealt with most of my life. Living in Armagh has been an absolute blessing, I love everything about this town, the kind-hearted people, the 7 hills, my “wee” crossfit family, and of course Embers. Armagh has treated me very well and I can’t wait to come back.

The Rehearsal Process

dominiquefrangiamone — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 22:13:42 +0000

The rehearsal process for me has been both challenging and eye opening. It is extremely hard for me to get up in front of people and recite my work, I am a fairly new writer and I have not yet reached that level of confidence. However, these last few days have been extremely enlightening for me and the wonderful feedback I have been getting is extremely helpful. I have learned a lot about myself as a person and as a writer.

An Irish Proposal

dominiquefrangiamone — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 23:03:35 +0000

In An Irish Proposal, the audience and the main character Amanda have a very intimate relationship. Amanda allows the audience inside of her world and she completely opens up to them. She tells them about her painful past and inner demons she struggles with. As the writer I feel that the audience is extremely important because they provide you with positive and negative feedback, which can be helpful for future work.

The red headed hunk

dominiquefrangiamone — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 22:39:38 +0000

His name was Colin. He is a young bartender, I’d say about twenty-two. He had red hair and light green eyes with freckles that covered his face. I noticed him as soon as I walked in the bar, and there was something about him that made me want to get to know him. As I walked over to place my drink order our eyes met and he gave me a little smirk. After I ordered my drink he right away asked what part of the U.S am I from, and before I could even reply he had already guessed. He said my “accent” gave it away. We chatted for a few minutes about what it’s like living in New York and how he would love to move to the U.S one day, which baffled me because I couldn’t imagine why he’d want to leave such a beautiful country. Our conversation ended with a handshake and a “ very nice to meet you.” But boy did I wish I asked for his number.

No, I’m not Snookie!

dominiquefrangiamone — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 12:10:31 +0000

When meeting someone new for the first time, the first thing they always ask is where I’m from, which is probably because of my “funny” accent. I’m a New Yorker and have been for 25 years. Usually after they hear New York, they respond with a grunt or a roll of the eye. We are obviously all arrogant, rude, pushy, selfish, and most of us have no morals, in fact we are just “all about the Benjamins.” Than I’ll be asked “ but what’s your nationality?” and I reply American, and still that’s not good enough. The next question is, “ But where’s your family from?” Everyone always wants to know your entire history right from the start. I am an Italian-American girl, from New York. My question is why does it matter where I’m from or where I live, so you can make stereotypical assumptions about me right from the start. Growing up I hated being called a “guidette” just because my hair is black and skin is olive toned. There were many times I felt like I had to prove to people that I wasn’t a cast member of The Jersey Shore and actually had a brain and some self-respect. There were even times I was actually ashamed to say that I was Italian, because I hated being put in that category. As I got older I started to care less about what people thought about me and started to realize how wonderful it is to be an Italian-American girl, who got to grow up in one of the greatest cities in the world. Yes, I’m an Italian, but no I don’t use the phrase “ bada bing.” Yes, I’m an American, but I’m not lazy. Yes, I’m a New Yorker, but I’m in no hurry.

dominiquefrangiamone — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 00:08:36 +0000

Almost giving up on love, Amanda decided it was time for a big change and relocates to Northern Ireland, just in time for #leapyear.

Two thumbs up!

dominiquefrangiamone — Sun, 12 Jul 2015 08:41:34 +0000

I would definitely say that The production of The Shadow of a Gunman exceeded my expectations. After reading the play a few times and taking the workshop earlier that morning I was able to really appreciate the play. The cast did a fantastic job and kept my attention the entire time. Donal Davoren surprised me the most, I didn’t realize he was such a comedic character, in fact I didn’t realize the play was as comedic as they portrayed it to be. Overall I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed the play, I would definitely give them two thumbs up.

First impressions of Dublin

dominiquefrangiamone — Sat, 11 Jul 2015 16:21:47 +0000

When I first arrived in Dublin I had to do a double take because I honestly felt like I was back home in New York. I was so surprised by how modern it is here, it is very lively and seems to be pretty diverse. The architecture is very unique and the statues throughout the city are extremely captivating, especially because most have an interesting story behind them. So far most of the Dubliners that I’ve had an encounter with have been very welcoming and friendly, which is comforting when you are in a unfamiliar place.

Resonance in Armagh

dominiquefrangiamone — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 01:35:15 +0000

While walking the streets of Armagh, I continuously come across Chrysanthemums. The sight of these flowers tend to always comfort me, as they remind me of home. As a child my mother and I would plant these together, we would spend the entire day planting and laughing. I looked forward to this day every year, because it meant that for one day my mother was all mine. My mother was and still is the most wonderful woman I know and I cherished those hours spent with her. Colors, herbs, and plant life have always caught my attention and especially the meaning behind them. Chrysanthemums symbolize a life full of ease and when presented to someone as a gift they will bring them peace and happiness. I am especially drawn to the yellow and orange mums, which I believe is because those two colors seem to be appropriate with the emotions I have been feeling this week. Orange symbolizes adventure, risk-taking, confidence, competition and independence. Yellow symbolizes hope, happiness,positivity, and clarity. When the colors are put together they stand for rebirth and new beginnings. The two colors seem to intertwine quite often and the sight of them always clears my head of all my worries.