“…one of the best songwriters to ever come out of the Maritimes…”
CIUT Radio, Toronto
Mary has sung since the age of three. Her father was a story teller and native of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, her mother was a musician and singer. A native of PEI she introduced her children to celtic and folk music.
She studied under Jim Sugg in Acadia University graduating with a BA in Music majoring in Voice receiving scholarships all four years. She performed Cherubino in the Marriage of Figaro, Despina in Cosi Fan Tutti, and Jenny in The Beggars Opera with the Acadia Opera ensemble. She was accepted into the Banff School of Fine Arts Summer Musical Theatre Program and studied voice with Dodi Protero, Theatre with Michael Bawtree. The following year she was accepted into the American Musical Dramatic Academy in New York City and studied Musical Theatre for two years under Michael Sartor and Karen Gustafason (conductor and musician on Broadway for 20 years), Dance under Harry Woolover (Broadway Dance Captain)/Piper Pickerell (Choreographer including Bette Midler Show), acting under Howard Fine and Sue Ott-Bennett and voice under Florence Bower.
From New York City Mary performed in the AMDA off-Broadway theatre, then moved back to Canada making Toronto her base continuing studies in acting with Carol Rosenfeld, singing with Odette Beaupres and many dance classes. She performed major roles in musicals and plays across Canada including the YARC, Elysian Theatre, Stephenville Festival, Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador, Neptune, Mulgrave Road Coop, The Great American Theatre Company, Leah Posluns, Chester Playhouse, Victoria Playhouse and many many more. She also performed in CBC Radio Drama, films and commercials.
Overlapping her acting/singing/dancing career Mary re-discovered her folk roots and her ability to write songs. She formed a collaborative band under her own name with core members Laurence Stevenson (www.myspace.com/laurencestevenson) and Don Moore and also Jeffrey Ryan (www.jeffreyryan.com/) and Paul Camrass. For the next 10 years they travelled across Canada performing in major venues (Molson’s Stage, Harbourfront, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts etc.) Folk Festivals (Owen Sound, Mariposa, Lunenburg Folk Harbour etc. and folk clubs (Seaside, Tranzac, Oasis etc.). She has appeared on numerous TV shows including the Eye of Toronto and the Dini Petty Show. She has written over 100 songs. She has performed with major folk singers in joint concerts, song writing work shops and Festivals. She released 3 albums (her second album through CBC in Halifax). Her song “Female Sailor” appeared on Mariposa Compilation and her vocals were used for the opening theme in The Nature of Things plus other recordings including Hans Hug “Blue in the Dark”.
Her most recent album WEAVE turned heads with her personal blend of traditional song writing. She was one of six finalists in the Folk Alliance 2008 Mountain Stage New Song Contest. Her title song “Weave the Yarn” received honourable mention in the 2006 singer/songwriter awards out of London, UK through “We Are Listening”, and “The Grail” semi-finalist in the UK Nationwide songwriting contest. Recently WEAVE won Best Provincial Folk CD and Weave the Yarn won Best Provincial Folk Song at the Toronto Exclusive Music Awards. The TEMAs give recognition to nominated artists from across Canada. WEAVE also has received accolades from many magazines and ezines and is currently being played worldwide on Internet radio and Ipod.
Over the past 12 years Mary resumed her classical, folk and musical theatre career alternating between musicals, folk festivals and classical concerts. She performed in a Musical Theatre Duo extravaganza in Chester Playhouse and Victoria Playhouse (PEI). She performed in “Broadway Our Way” through Maritime Concert Opera under the direction of Bill Shookoff. She performed Vivaldi with the Halifax Baroque Ensemble, 2nd Witch in Dido and Aeneas, and Mistress of Novices in Suor Angelica with The Maritime Concert Opera and many individual solo concerts. She was also commissioned to write the songs for “Champlain the Musical” and over the last 20 years has written musicals in joint (Mulgrave Road Coop) and for children’s theatre (The Really Little Theatre Company, and The Triplets). Her songs have been performed by artists across Canada and she continues to write and arrange music. For the last 10 years she has lived in Lunenburg Nova Scotia teaching voice, musical theatre, folk and continues to write and arrange music. She formed a popular small harmony group called Hodgepodge to give young students confidence in harmonies and performing. Her vocal students have performed in the Provincials in Musical Theatre and voice for 8 years, winning Musical Theatre Provincials in 2006. Past students include Emma Cook (emmacookmusic.com) and Jennah Barry (myspace.com/jennahwinfredbarry).
Upcoming performance: Mary will be performing the role of the mother in Maritime Concert Opera’s Amahl and the Night Visitors.
On November 4th and 5th MCO will present the Musical/Opera Morgan La Fay words and music by Mary Knickle, piano score by Andre Haines.
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