Influential Woman · First Online With Fran
Frances L McGarry
Podcast Host, First Online With Fran
Northport, NY 11768
In Conversation
Frances McGarry for Bold. Brilliant. Unstoppable.
Read the transcript
Frances L McGarry: Speaker: Frances McGarry, Podcast Host - First Online With FranFrances McGarry: Influence is often quiet. It's the teacher who tells a 15 year old that their play matters.What does being an Influential Woman mean to you?Frances McGarry: An influential woman, to me, influence isn't about visibility. It's about what you leave behind and the people that you've worked with. I was a high school theater teacher and some of my students went on to become actors like Edie Falco and Chris Messina. Later, as director of instruction for Young Playwrights Inc. I watched young writers find their voice and grow into their craft. That's pretty much what stayed with me. Influence is often quiet. It's the teacher who tells a 15 year old that their play matters. It's the advocate who keeps showing up for a cause long after it's fashionable. Being an influential woman means using whatever platform you have a classroom, a stage, a podcast mic to make room for someone else's story, not just your own. What piece of advice would I give to younger women? Well, Allow yourself the chance for reinvention. I never thought I would be where I am today. The, the path wasn't a straight line, and it didn't need to be. Age doesn't matter. What matters is keeping your eyes open to possibility.What's one piece of advice you would give to younger women chasing their dreams?Frances McGarry: One piece of advice that I would give to younger women chasing their dreams, that would have to be. Allow yourself the chance for reinvention. I never thought I'd be where I am today. The path wasn't a straight line, and it didn't need to be. Age doesn't matter. What matters is keeping your eyes open to possibility.
Her Story
About Frances
A VALUED educator
For more than 30 years, I served as a high school English and Theater classroom teacher, valued for my expertise of Arts integration into school curricula while encouraging talented students who’ve grown to thrive in the industry. With a Ph.D. in Educational Theatre from NYU, I was hired as the Director of Instruction at Young Playwrights Inc., where I employed and trained professional playwrights to teach students the art of playwriting based on the innovative Write A Play! Curriculum. Deeply embedded in the social fabric of the Arts, I was inspired to write my story to honor the legacy of Young Playwrights Inc.’s Artistic Director Sheri M. Goldhirsch and the indelible impact of Stephen Sondheim’s visionary Young Playwrights Festival on the American Theater.
A VIVACIOUS professional actress
Reinvention is the source that spirals my creativity. I diligently sharpen my skillset with Casting Directors to tap into that kinetic energy that bubbles to the surface as soon as those stage lights hit my face or the lens of a camera captures my soul. Bringing joie de vivre to everything I do, I walk into every room with a lightning bolt of vivacious energy and zeal, eager to light the worldaround me. I have a decade of experience on stage, film, and television working alongside leading talent, with an array of notable performances: Hallmark’s One Royal Holiday, Our Mother’s Brief Affair, Two Many Moms, Lady Liberty Festival, and Emblem Health Care.
A GROUNDED
advocate & voice of the Arts
The Arts are our supernatural gift and I am privileged to be a faithful conduit of sharing mine with others. Grounded in my passionate commitment, I took action and started a blog-turned-thriving podcast First Online With Fran featuring ordinary people doing extraordinary things in the Arts, while emphasizing its undeniable healing power within our culture. Through the First 100 Stories campaign, I solicited testimonials from people around the world sharing their stories about how their lives were transformed by the Arts.
At the very CORE, a wife, mother & grandma
My family is the heart that fuels and propels me in all of my creative pursuits. I have been married to my best friend, Don, and staunch ally for over 40 years and am the proud mother of a son who has dedicated his life and work to serving others. Being a grandmother to my spirited grandson has been a source of continuous light and happiness, who’s already embodying Grandma by singing our favorite repertoire of songs for everyone to hear
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Frances
01What do you attribute your success to?
Empathy, Persistence, and the belief that we can make a difference.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Keep your mind open to new ventures. Embrace change and challenges.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Create relationships. I follow Adre DeShields tips upon winning his Tony Award for HADESTOWN at age 73:
- Surround yourself with people whose eyes light up when they see you coming.
- Slowly is the fastest way to get to where you want to be.
- The top of one mountain is the bottom of the next, so keep climbing.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Finding the perfect agent for my manuscript.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Authenticity and Truth. Abide by one's convictions.
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