Amy Stiller to Kick Off Solofest at Cornelia Street Cafe

Actress/writer Amy Stiller, daughter of comedy duo Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, sister of Hollywood powerhouse, Ben Stiller, will kick off SOLOFEST at The Cornelia Street Café on Wednesday, July 13, at 6pm.

Amy brings her semi-autobiographical, one-woman performance piece, "Just Trust" to the Downstairs performance stage of the famed West Village artist bistro, where years before; Eve Ensler launched her Vagina Monologues.

"Just Trust" is the journey of a spiritually desperate young woman, striving to emotionally survive as the only non-famous person in a very famous family. Losing herself in the arms of an insecure comedian on the rise in Hollywood, and ending up as a patient to a therapist with challenges of her own, the question becomes - can she reconnect to the magic of her childhood and find her own creative path in a culture that values celebrity above everything else? How will she learn to just trust that she is enough?

In the following days and weeks a host of other talented performers will take part in SOLOFEST and they include:

Friday, July 15 - Arturo O'Farrill, Mexican born, world renown, Grammy Award-Winning Jazz pianist, composer, educator, founder and Artistic Director of the non-profit Afro Latin Jazz Alliance brings his very unique sound and style to Cornelia Street Café's Downstairs.

Sunday, July 17 - Michael David Quinn, the co-creator/performer of the Cornelia Street Café's legendary "Front Page Follies" returns with the finest in handcrafted artisanal American satire as part of SOLOFEST.

Monday, July 18 - Patricio Ferrari will share the latest from his recent Nomad Books, a multilingual poetic journey across continents, worldview and

soundscapes. Voices from companions such as Porchia, Pessoa, Lorca, Pizarnik and Merwin will also be heard.

Tuesday, July 19 - Robin Hirsch author, storyteller, owner, Cornelia Street Café will captivate the audience with stories from his un-published book, The Whole World Passes Through. These stories are about the numerous visitors who have passed through the café's famous red doors. From the near do wells, to the rich and famous - from politicians to musicians - from playwrights to Nobel Prize winning scientists.

Thursday, July 21 - Thomas Pryor offers a portrait of street life in the 1960's in an ode to his working class Manhattan neighborhood, Yorkville. In "City Boy" he reflects on childhood memories when Devil Dogs were a nickel, Spaldeens flew, and the capture game, Ringalario, let boys put their arms around girls for the first time. Nuns slugged you for humming baseball's beer jingles in class. And, like other fathers, Tommy's took him to saloons, all day, and no one thought it was strange. In this funny and bittersweet portrait of family and life, Pryor echoes TV's "The Wonder Years" - just add in taverns, subways and Checker cabs.

Saturday, July 23 - Leslie Goshko, heralded as a Time Out New York "Critic's Pick," "An Old-Fashioned Piano Party" returns to The Cornelia Street Cafe. Leslie is an award-winning storyteller, Huffington Post Comedy contributor, and a one-time performer in the Broadway musical Hairspray. And thanks to years of piano lessons, she also happens to be a classically trained pianist. Join Leslie as she combines her love of comedy, storytelling, and music into an old-fashioned piano party. Featuring everything from traditional standards to current pop hits, this evening of music and laughs holds something for everyone.

Wednesday, July 27 - June Ballinger performs Remembrance Day, an original story, written by June, about an 80-year-old former Bletchley Park code breaker, who has held her oath of silence for over 50 years. Now, today, the question becomes, what will happen if she voices her secrets to her daughter?

All performances begin at 6:00pm. Cover charge is $10.00, plus $10.00 minimum at The Cornelia Street Café downstairs, 29 Cornelia Street in the West Village, NY. Contact info@corneliastreetcafe.com, or call (212) 989-9319 for reservations.