Getting Lucky

This St. Patrick's day I didn't go to the big New York City parade.  I didn't drink green beer or whiskey starting at 10 am.  I didn't even wear green.  Instead I dodged drunken college boys  bussed in for the day yelling out to me, "Hey, do you party?"  and headed to a quick warm-up/voice lesson before an important audition for a Broadway show!  I got to sing one of my very favorite songs for the audition, so I wasn't nervous one bit, just excited.

 After my voice lesson, I once again pushed through the excited crowds in Midtown to get to my audition.  As I sat in the waiting room I couldn't help but think back to past NYC St. Patrick's day.  My first was a visit from Nebraska over Spring Break, full of hope for the future might hold.

  My second was after I had permanently moved to NYC.  I was living in Williamsburg and spent St. Patty's working as a promotions girl for a whiskey.  Starting around ten in the morning, I trekked around the city to various bars giving out free shots of whiskey to already drunk boys and girls.  I made them play a game where they had to roll dice and try to win a free shot (They always won.) or some cool merchandise like a t-shirt or light-up shot glass.  To approach customers to play the game I was told to say "Hi!! Would you like to 'Get Lucky?'"  I'm sure my mom and dad were so proud.  

Honestly, it wasn't a bad job, and if I needed the money, I would do it again.  There was a big guy on the whiskey promotional team that intervened anytime a customer got too rowdy, I got paid pretty well, and doing those kinds of promotional jobs kept my schedule flexible for working on my career...But, I'm really hoping my shot girl days are over now....  

After my audition Thursday, I rushed to a read-through for my latest TV gig!!  Whoo hooo!!  I was so excited and nervous.  My stomach did flips as I watched my co-workers arrive: Cynthia Nixon, Laura Linney....!!  (Just to name a few.) 

I also happened to run into some Spring Awakening pals at the reading,..and then more friends out on the street!!  I spent the rest of the late afternoon enjoying the beautiful weather and catching up with old friends about our lives and new gigs.  

This St. Patrick's day I was buzzing all day, and it wasn't from shots of Whiskey or green beer.  From shot- girl to Showtime:  Look who's 'Getting lucky'?  Yay!!!

-- Emily Kinney

Comments

[Brandi Ford]

Congrats on the new gig Emily! Let us know when it airs.

[Prudence]

Holy crap, your TV gig sounds a lot better than handing out shots! And it's good that you ran into some old friends (and that you might make some new ones on the show). Congratulations!