Irish girl 'chances her arm' to get Tony award-winning Broadway producer to see her musical
A Dublin woman has a very special guest taking a seat in the audience of her musical 'Big Shot' in the Helix, DCU tonight - and all by "chancing her arm".
Lauryn Gaffney spoke to Ryan Tubridy this morning about how just going for it can get you what you want.
At the age of 21, she wrote an award-winning musical called 'Big Shot’ that’s on tonight and in attendance will be Tony award-winning Broadway producer, Ken Davenport who she’s hoping to impress.
Big Shot tells the story of one Jeremy Crocker, a savvy defence lawyer thriving in New York City’s bustling legal profession. Despite his ambitions, Crocker falls in love with Carrie, a struggling Irish artist who works in Crocker’s go-to café in Downtown Manhattan. Although the two become ever more infatuated by each other, this threatens to derail Crocker’s career, with regard to the dubious new defence case he has taken on.
It all started for Lauryn when she was on a J1 in Boston living in a ‘frat house’ with all guys from MIT and making no money while working in a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream parlour.
They had a grand piano in the main house which nobody used. So, every morning she would get up before work and go down to the piano and write songs.
After Lauren wrote the musical, she and her best friend were at a musical conference. They went to various talks and after they saw Ken Davenport speak, they decided that he’s the man to produce it.
They emailed him and then three months ago, Grainne MacNeill (Lauryn’s co-producer) decided to call up his office and pretend they knew him but unfortunately he was in a meeting and so couldn’t come to the phone. So they emailed him again - he replied and said how he would love to come to Ireland to see it!
The producer, who was behind Broadway shows such as Once on This Island and Kinky Boots, even gave the show a shout out in a recent live stream.
Lauryn paid for Ken’s flights and his accommodation and the whole production herself with the hope that he will come on board with her production.
Listen to her full interview here:
