I recently had the opportunity to interview Mary Frick. Our conversation took me behind the scenes into a world that I had only previously seen at the movie theater, through a television screen and on the stage.
Mary
was born and grew up in Southeastern, Pa. She has many fond memories
of a childhood spent with four sisters and two brothers.
Her
parents not only provided them with a solid foundation, but also an
active life that included many outdoor activities. Fishing, ice
skating and hiking were just some of the pleasant experiences that
she and her six siblings shared.
They
also spent many treasured moments indoors.
"We
would put on comedy and musical sketches during family get-togethers.
We would often break out into improvisational scenes," Mary
said.
Family
influences also added to her creative development.
"My
father's side of the family had a musical group who played and sang
at family functions. My Grandmother (Nanny) was also musically
inclined."
Early
experiences
Mary
showed a talent for writing, directing and acting as early as grade
school.
She
responded to her sixth grade teachers request when he asked the class
if anyone was interested in writing a Christmas play. Much to his
surprise, she presented him with a completed play about a week later.
After
seeing the script, he gave her permission to cast, direct and act in
the play. Her efforts resulted in an all-around success and affirmed
her belief that the dramatic arts were going to be a part of her
future.
She
excelled academically through her high school years. She also won art
contests, played field hockey, was on the swim and gymnastic teams,
played two instruments in the band, was a cheerleader and was elected
to the student council.
After
graduation, she traveled across the country.
Mary
was living in Ft. Lauderdale at the time and drove with a friend, on
Highway 10 West, across the southern states to San Diego, Calif.
They
made a stop in Carmel to see her friend's relatives and then made
their way up to San Francisco, where they delivered the car they were
driving to its owner. They were out of money at that point and saw a
sign on Market Street about joining the Air Force.
"I
talked to a recruiter. He said that we had to go onto the base to
take the test and that we needed a score of 90 or above to be
accepted into the Air Force. We then studied at the San Francisco
Public Library for a couple of days, went onto the base, and took the
test. I scored a 97 and the recruiter said that we were in.
"My
friend called her cousin, who was residing in Carmel, to tell him the
good news. But, he had spent 20 years in the Army and told us not to
join. He drove up to San Francisco and brought us back to Carmel,
where we lived and worked for awhile.
"It
was a very beautiful and incredible experience to drive across the
country and up the coast of California.
"I
realized that I wanted to be an actress. So, I enrolled at West
Chester University and earned my Bachelor of Arts Degree in Speech
Communications.
"I
was a single parent at the time, with two beautiful young children to
support, so I landed a job at a Pharmaceutical Company where I was
employed for 10 years. When my children were older, I decided to
pursue the acting field."
Mary's
pursuits helped to develop her acting abilities. She also broadened
her skills through the camera operation and directing training that
she received.
Fighting
the good fight
"During
my first semester, I landed a part in the play "Mother Courage."
"When
my son was diagnosed with a terminal illness, I immediately dropped
out of the play to care for him. I continued on with my studies at
the University while taking care of my children.
"That
part of my life was such a turning point in the path that I was
pursuing to become an actress.
"I
had to give an enormous amount of attention to my son. We traveled
back and forth to Children's Hospital (in Philadelphia) and to the
University of Penn for ten years. Children's Hospital became like a
second home to us.
"I
thought that I may have lost him, but he fought the good fight and
won the battle.
"The
good Lord saved him and for that I am very grateful."
David
Shuman
After
college, Mary attended a few acting schools in New York. She
eventually found an exceptional coach in David Shuman, at the
prestigious Weist-Barron school,
and studied with him for several years.
The
well respected Shuman has coached many well-known actors, including
Whoopi Goldberg, Kevin Spacey and Christopher Walken.
"He
was incredible!
"He
was very knowledgeable about the psychological makeup of a character,
relationships and the business."
She
noted that Shuman's no-nonsense style and ability to be in control
were keys to his effectiveness.
"He
was able to pull a good performance out of you and always helped you
to do your best."
Television
and movie roles
Through
Mary's training and persistence she earned roles in films,
appearances on television shows and work in commercials.
She
had a part in The Learning Channel series "Forensic Files",
which is now shown on truTV, was on the set of Law & Order: SVU
and had a background part in the HBO series "The Sopranos".
Her
feature film credits include "Spiderman", "Changing
Lanes" and the independent film "The Middle Voice".
How
a performance develops
Many
entertainment fans are fascinated by the method in which actors
develop the portrayal of their characters.
Mary
advised that after a successful audition, an actor will receive a
script and then begin to develop a character as they study their
lines.
"After
studying lines, if you get the opportunity you can improvise, which
helps with the scene.
"An
actor has to determine the character's agenda, motive, background,
etc."
When
working on stage, an actor will generally exhibit dramatic physical
movements and project their lines to the audience in a louder voice
than would normally be used in other venues.
Work
done in front of a camera would be presented differently, because
each feeling that is expressed is captured in a more intimate visual
form.
Free
time
Beyond
work, Mary enjoys watching movies, gardening, painting, photography,
writing, reading and is in a Bible study group with a former acting
friend.
She
also is involved in a community group through her church.
"We
clean the streets, plant flowers, and distribute groceries. Our
mission is to spread the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ."
The
next generation
Mary's
varied career experience has allowed her to be in a uniquely positive
position. It's one where she is able to offer seasoned advice to
those who are planning to pursue, or who are currently pursuing, this
particular creative field.
"I
have learned a lot by watching other actor's performances.
"The
more I grew as an actor, the more I was able to appreciate other
actors."
She
recommended those who are considering attending an acting school
should first audit classes. Doing so will allow potential students to
preview a school's atmosphere and help to formalize the decision
making process.
"If
you want to become an actor or actress and believe in yourself, find
a good coach, study, perfect your craft and get a good talent agent.
"I
found that studying to be an actor helped to open my eyes to the
intricacies of the human spirit."
(I hold all copyrights to this article which originally appeared on Yahoo's Voices platform in 2011.)
Mary
was born and grew up in Southeastern, Pa. She has many fond memories
of a childhood spent with four sisters and two brothers.
Her
parents not only provided them with a solid foundation, but also an
active life that included many outdoor activities. Fishing, ice
skating and hiking were just some of the pleasant experiences that
she and her six siblings shared.
They
also spent many treasured moments indoors.
"We
would put on comedy and musical sketches during family get-togethers.
We would often break out into improvisational scenes," Mary
said.
Family
influences also added to her creative development.
"My
father's side of the family had a musical group who played and sang
at family functions. My Grandmother (Nanny) was also musically
inclined."
Early
experiences
Mary
showed a talent for writing, directing and acting as early as grade
school.
She
responded to her sixth grade teachers request when he asked the class
if anyone was interested in writing a Christmas play. Much to his
surprise, she presented him with a completed play about a week later.
After
seeing the script, he gave her permission to cast, direct and act in
the play. Her efforts resulted in an all-around success and affirmed
her belief that the dramatic arts were going to be a part of her
future.
She
excelled academically through her high school years. She also won art
contests, played field hockey, was on the swim and gymnastic teams,
played two instruments in the band, was a cheerleader and was elected
to the student council.
After
graduation, she traveled across the country.
Mary
was living in Ft. Lauderdale at the time and drove with a friend, on
Highway 10 West, across the southern states to San Diego, Calif.
They
made a stop in Carmel to see her friend's relatives and then made
their way up to San Francisco, where they delivered the car they were
driving to its owner. They were out of money at that point and saw a
sign on Market Street about joining the Air Force.
"I
talked to a recruiter. He said that we had to go onto the base to
take the test and that we needed a score of 90 or above to be
accepted into the Air Force. We then studied at the San Francisco
Public Library for a couple of days, went onto the base, and took the
test. I scored a 97 and the recruiter said that we were in.
"My
friend called her cousin, who was residing in Carmel, to tell him the
good news. But, he had spent 20 years in the Army and told us not to
join. He drove up to San Francisco and brought us back to Carmel,
where we lived and worked for awhile.
"It
was a very beautiful and incredible experience to drive across the
country and up the coast of California.
"I
realized that I wanted to be an actress. So, I enrolled at West
Chester University and earned my Bachelor of Arts Degree in Speech
Communications.
"I
was a single parent at the time, with two beautiful young children to
support, so I landed a job at a Pharmaceutical Company where I was
employed for 10 years. When my children were older, I decided to
pursue the acting field."
Mary's
pursuits helped to develop her acting abilities. She also broadened
her skills through the camera operation and directing training that
she received.
Fighting
the good fight
"During
my first semester, I landed a part in the play "Mother Courage."
"When
my son was diagnosed with a terminal illness, I immediately dropped
out of the play to care for him. I continued on with my studies at
the University while taking care of my children.
"That
part of my life was such a turning point in the path that I was
pursuing to become an actress.
"I
had to give an enormous amount of attention to my son. We traveled
back and forth to Children's Hospital (in Philadelphia) and to the
University of Penn for ten years. Children's Hospital became like a
second home to us.
"I
thought that I may have lost him, but he fought the good fight and
won the battle.
"The
good Lord saved him and for that I am very grateful."
David
Shuman
After
college, Mary attended a few acting schools in New York. She
eventually found an exceptional coach in David Shuman, at the
prestigious Weist-Barron school,
and studied with him for several years.
The
well respected Shuman has coached many well-known actors, including
Whoopi Goldberg, Kevin Spacey and Christopher Walken.
"He
was incredible!
"He
was very knowledgeable about the psychological makeup of a character,
relationships and the business."
She
noted that Shuman's no-nonsense style and ability to be in control
were keys to his effectiveness.
"He
was able to pull a good performance out of you and always helped you
to do your best."
Television
and movie roles
Through
Mary's training and persistence she earned roles in films,
appearances on television shows and work in commercials.
She
had a part in The Learning Channel series "Forensic Files",
which is now shown on truTV, was on the set of Law & Order: SVU
and had a background part in the HBO series "The Sopranos".
Her
feature film credits include "Spiderman", "Changing
Lanes" and the independent film "The Middle Voice".
How
a performance develops
Many
entertainment fans are fascinated by the method in which actors
develop the portrayal of their characters.
Mary
advised that after a successful audition, an actor will receive a
script and then begin to develop a character as they study their
lines.
"After
studying lines, if you get the opportunity you can improvise, which
helps with the scene.
"An
actor has to determine the character's agenda, motive, background,
etc."
When
working on stage, an actor will generally exhibit dramatic physical
movements and project their lines to the audience in a louder voice
than would normally be used in other venues.
Work
done in front of a camera would be presented differently, because
each feeling that is expressed is captured in a more intimate visual
form.
Free
time
Beyond
work, Mary enjoys watching movies, gardening, painting, photography,
writing, reading and is in a Bible study group with a former acting
friend.
She
also is involved in a community group through her church.
"We
clean the streets, plant flowers, and distribute groceries. Our
mission is to spread the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ."
The
next generation
Mary's
varied career experience has allowed her to be in a uniquely positive
position. It's one where she is able to offer seasoned advice to
those who are planning to pursue, or who are currently pursuing, this
particular creative field.
"I
have learned a lot by watching other actor's performances.
"The
more I grew as an actor, the more I was able to appreciate other
actors."
She
recommended those who are considering attending an acting school
should first audit classes. Doing so will allow potential students to
preview a school's atmosphere and help to formalize the decision
making process.
"If
you want to become an actor or actress and believe in yourself, find
a good coach, study, perfect your craft and get a good talent agent.
"I
found that studying to be an actor helped to open my eyes to the
intricacies of the human spirit."
(I hold all copyrights to this article which originally appeared on Yahoo's Voices platform in 2011.)
