One month ago I was lamenting the end of the college football season. I was stressed out with graduate school admissions and worried I’d never find the perfect job that would let me live out all my aspirations as a professional actress or writer. I watched my Chicago Bears implode in the Super Bowl and have patiently watched the college basketball scene alter its shape every weekend.
Just when you least it expect it, life slaps you in the butt and shakes you silly. I had nailed my admissions tests, was trying to find money to pay for school, and accepted the fact that I was not going to see my dream of performing on a major stage. I was resolved that this was how it was going to be…that was until my phone rang on Tuesday morning at 11AM.
“Tracy, are you available to move to join the Las Vegas company of ‘Mamma Mia?’ This isn’t an offer, just checking availability.” I was stunned. I started to sweat and silently freak out. Las Vegas? Mamma Mia? Move? Now? When? How long? Holy sh*$! How was I supposed to go through my day, wondering if my life was about to change?
By 2:00PM I had my offer: a permanent replacement in the Las Vegas production of ‘Mamma Mia’ at Mandalay Bay, a fully-furnished corporate apartment for one year, a car, a killer salary, a 401K, full health insurance and the reality that my oldest dream was about to become a reality! To top it off, I was going to be in Vegas and starting rehearsals during All-Star week!!!
Of course the boyfriend was concerned. ‘How can you leave me? What will I do? It’s Vegas: what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!’ I couldn’t blame him. If my boyfriend told me ‘Hey, I have to move to Vegas for work,’ I’d be skeptical too. After many long conversations, he came to see the positive side of this situation: he’ll have to come to Vegas twice a month to visit his girlfriend! (That isn’t so bad!)
Sure, it’s a great job and the long distance thing will suck, but this is my one-in-a-lifetime chance to realize a dream that I’ve had since I was a little girl. The best part is, as I’ll be working in Mandalay Bay this week in the theater, just a few steps away from the NBA All-Star Jam Session at Mandalay’s Convention Center. You can bet your bottom dollar that I’ll be wandering down that hall a few times a day, hoping to catch a glimpse of the All-Star line-up and plunder some swag.
My dream has come true, I’m moving to Vegas, and I also got engaged last night. Yea, it’s been a big week. I’m nervous as hell, thrilled beyond belief, and scared to death. Who needs an NBA All-Star when I just became the luckiest Broadway Baby with a gorgeous diamond ring to flaunt around the strip? School is still in the cards, but I’ll have to wait for those admissions letters before I can plan the next step. While the All-Star events will seem unbelievable, nothing compares to the week I’ve had or the year I am about to embark on. Life comes at you fast, but I don’t need Nationwide to keep me safe: I’ve got my love, my dream, and my imagination to keep me afloat!
I’m back and will be posting the events from Mandalay all week. Cheers!
Cheers my dear! I said it all in my email to you earlier today, but I wanted to congratulate you again here since I saw your post. The lights of the Strip will shine even brighter with you in Vegas.
Mandalay Bay is a beautiful casino. My wife and I saw Toby Keith there last September. Mamma Mia was one of the shows I wanted to see next time I go to Vegas, it just moved to the top of the list!
I could tell from the first thing you wrote here that you loved sports but your passion was performing! I loved the picture of you posing with the little girl while dressed as Belle you posted a while back!
Thanks guys, for all your comments! Yea, performing is where my heart is...but I've already decided that part of my wedding will involve football, somehow! Sports are a very, VERY close second!
Wow, I fail to check in with you for a little while and you go from "missing love" on #### Eye (by the way did that ever air?) to getting engaged and landing your dream job.?
A very large congratulations are in order for you for both of these wonderful developments. I am very happy for you and you more than deserve all of these blessings. Now the question is if it were this or winning the NGS2 how would you ever decide? LOL. Glad to see things are going very well for you.
I'd love to stop by and see one of your performances in about three weeks when I am in Vegas. Every year during the first week of March some of my friends and I head out to "Sin City" for a little retreat. I'll be in town March 1st through the 4th. Hope to get the chance to see you.
Shoot me an email sometime.
Last edited by Gbrent on February 13th at 12:36 PM.
you never did tell us when you were gonna be on tv (that i know of).
i hope this doesnt mean you'll be wanting out of the clique. there's only 1 way to get out, and i dont think you'd enjoy it.
congrats on the vegas deal, and the engagement. i guess that'll offset the buckeyes blowing the nat'l championship game in football, and bowing down to wisconsin in basketball (this is the ONLY time i'll even come close to making a prediction).
when you get rich, you have to invite us all to come see your show.
I'm boycotting the all star game, because David Stern obviously doesn't watch the game he governs.
Mehmet Okur over Zach Randolph and Elton Brand, yeah that seems fair.
I've never met you before but I'll say congrats on a chance to show yourself. Don't go to proud, go with confidence and always know your ability got you there so let your ability carry you to the next higher plane OK. Take care from the Hatchetman, Marty Walker
Walker meant to put a question mark after his "query", last comment. I'm his de facto editor, you see.
By the way, I forgot to mention that my wife graduated from UNLV in 1999. She transfered there from Cal St. San Beranrdino. Clark County and SB county border each other, and UNLV gives a discount to SB residents like my wife.
She paid here way through college so that was attractive to her.
She lived and worked not too far from the Strip, and her favorite casino was the Bellagio.
Because of our religion, she didn't party in the "Vegas" sense, but she had a blast. There is a beautiful LDS temple that she would attend almost every week about 20 minutes east of downtown.
And when I lived in Utah and California (a combined 11 years), Vegas was a great place to wander, starting in 1994...BYU football (and come to think of it, basketball) has a regular schedule there, now including MWC champ obligations. I saw 3 cool wins between '99-'03. My wife saw them lose to Air Force in '98, I think. Sam Boyd Stadium.
The Horse Shoe it ain't, but it is Div. 1!
I have a lot of friends who call Vegas home.
Ok, I'm writing my own post here, I'll hush up and move on. Later.
Last edited by edclinchsaint on February 14th at 4:23 AM.
Ziffer- I would never want out of the clique! This is the greatest group of people (that I've never met) in the entire world! Where else could I put up a posting like that and a bunch of sports freaks like us would be so happy?! Thanks so much for all the kind words!
PS- The badgers might have taken the first battle, but they won't win the war!
CarolynT- Since you are of the culinary variety, don't you come out here for any conventions or meetings? This place has all kinds of amazing restaurants!
PF- If you were out here, you'd be able to put your feelings aside. There is a crazy energy around the city about the game. Over at New York, New York, they even have the Statue of Liberty dressed in a jersey. I have the day off on Friday and plan on going to the Jam Session at Mandalay. It's all pretty cool!
EdClinch- Thanks so much for all the thoughtful words. I'm not a big gambler, and since my job requires me staying healthy, I won't be the biggest party girl on the Strip either. I'm just really thrilled with the chance to live out a dream.
Marty Walker- Of course I know where that it! I used to have family down there and I've been down there in the summer to see the 'Blue Jacket' type thing! I went to a private school in Columbus (I know, you can beat me up later) called Wellington. It was in Upper Arlington. Thanks for the note!
Hey, belle. We actually had a big contract with one of the HUGE casinos out there for revamping their buffets. Alas, the big wigs get to go on those trips. I just do the grunt work.
Been there once...during the last ESPY awards held in February. (Now they're in the summer sometime)
Saw Mike Piazza *autoswoon* at the airport.
Have huge amounts of fun and again, congrats on the gig and the engagement! All the happiness...
= )
How cool is that! Congratulations "Belle"! That news inspires me to keep on plugging! Nice guys (gals) do finish first sometimes. I'll be out there soon, and I will make it a point to see you in the show. Go get'm tiger.
Just a note to say hello and hope that the gig in vegas is all you wished it to be. Stinks that the BF can only visit twice a month, but I bet it's quite a visit!!! Aloha!
Great news all around. I'm very happy to hear you are going to be making a good living at something you really enjoy. There is only a very small percentage of people who can say that.
The engagement of course, is the best news of all. Congratulations. That show will run the rest of your life, no doubt to rave reviews. Good luck!
Who says a theater girl can't love sports? I may be a Northwestern graduate, but I'm an Ohio State Buckeye at heart. Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, I relocated to New York City to find a life on the stage. After four years of trying, (and finding some success), I am preparing to return to graduate school to pursue journalism. As an NGS II finalist, I got my feet wet as a FoxSports blogger and think it may be my new calling. Like theater, I doubt a job in online journalism will pay very well...but what can you do? I sing, I dance, and I can drink beer and eat chicken wings at a sports bar like the best of them...what more could you ask for?
