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 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 world around 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.
TESTIMONIALS
“Fran McGarry and Eve Terry, perhaps unbeknownst to them, played a huge part in my path to my present career. Though I was just a schoolkid, they treated me like an artist; made me believe I had something unique to offer. They helped grow my confidence which I believe can take you anywhere you want to go. I am so grateful.”
“Frances is a true gem and one of a kind! Hard-working and always up for the challenge, she is a delight and the sweet Aunt I always wish I had.”
“I’ve known very few actors on top of their game in terms of preparation. Never an excuse. Frances is the kind of actor everyone wants to work with.”
“I often refer to Fran McGarry as my ‘Bentley’ of actors. She is a hand-made truly one-of-a-kind supreme vehicle for a character. Whenever I get a new project I make sure I have at least one powerful talent who I know I can count on, who “gets it”, understands direction and executes it to the enth of depth. This may sound overly dramatic but when you are directing and you have the pressures of time, budget and expectation then having a talent like Fran McGarry is a must. You’d be foolish not to. I am proud to say I knew this about her without even having to audition her for the first thing I cast her in. And it was the lead role! I needed her exceptional talent. And boy did she deliver! And I have at least 4 other projects with her in mind. So yeah, if you’re smart, you’ll book her.”
“Fran’s joie de vivre is a resounding celebration for every guest on her show!”
“Fran McGarry is a longtime and valued member of New York Women in Film & Television, and I’ve had the great pleasure of working with her when she volunteered at the NYWIFT Muse Awards. Fran brings care, intelligence, and enthusiasm to everything she does, and her warm nature and networking savvy are a welcome addition to all of our community gatherings.”
“For more than 10 years I’ve worked with Fran in various capacities from serving on the League of Professional Theatre Women’s Board of Directors to Oral History events at the Library of Performing Arts at Lincoln Center. She’s a go-getter, smart, and FUN –always willing to pitch in and volunteer her time and talent.”
