Mt. Lebanon resident appears in television show
Until about 2010 or so, Cheryl Sorice of Mt. Lebanon was fully immersed in the world of public relations, marketing and events planning.
With degrees from Bethany College in West Virginia and Duquesne University under her belt, Sorice had worked for everyone from the Pittsburgh Pirates to Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa to Southwest Medical Center in Charleroi.
Then, about the time she reached 30, Sorice decided to try her luck in a new field – working as both an actor and crew member for an assortment of movies and television series. The move was prompted by joblessness, thanks to a department closing, and a subsequent move back to Pittsburgh. The crew work came first, and she developed a greater appreciation for the film and television industries.
Sorice explained that she felt a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day working on a movie or series, and it was a way to achieve what she calls her “ultimate goal:” making the world a better place.
“Also, it’s a great job with benefits and a pension,” she added. “Plus, the salary I can make working on one show is the same, if not more, than me working in an office all year.”
A 1998 graduate of Trinity High School, Sorice’s résumé includes work as a stand-in for Oscar winner Marion Cotillard on the Pittsburgh set of “The Dark Knight Rises,” a speaking part on the TV pilot for “Burghatory” and a set decorator for the Oscar-nominated adaptation of “Fences.”
More recently, Sorice worked several jobs on the set of the series “Outsiders,” which airs on WGN America, and has a nonspeaking role as a member of an all-female tribe in the mountainous backwoods of Kentucky.
The second season of “Outsiders” was partially shot in the Pittsburgh area last year, and Sorice worked in the props, set dresser and sound departments, among others. She also had half of her head shaved for the role.
The first new episode debuted Feb. 21.
Now a resident of Mt. Lebanon and a mom, Sorice also has appeared in television commercials for Giant Eagle, Allegheny Health System and Kings Family Restaurants. She also can be seen in a recent print advertisement for Dick’s Sporting Goods, hoisting weights over her head.
It can be glamorous work, yes, but it also can be arduous, Sorice explained.
“I work 12 to 14 hours, five days a week for about four or five months,” she said. “It’s hard because I miss some things in life and miss my daughter, but then when the show ends, I may get a couple of months off, and I can focus all that free time on my daughter.”
Where would she like her career to go from here?
According to Sorice, “I would love to land a principal role on a film and continue acting, and use my acting and other abilities to help others.”