Allison Gogarty singing for her husband
The latest in a series of profiles of the finalists in the Morristown's Got Talent competition to be held Feb. 25.
There are three loves in Allison Gogarty’s life – her family, singing, and Sweet Lucy’s Bakery in Morristown.
And while the first, specifically her one-year-old son Leo, takes up the majority of her time, and she always makes time for Lucy’s, singing opportunities can be scarce.
Enter Morristown’s Got Talent.
“I’ve always loved to perform but haven’t had many opportunities to do so in the recent past,” said Gogarty, 31, of Morristown. “My husband enthusiastically encouraged me to audition so I decided to take a shot with the hope I would get the chance to perform in front of my husband, since he’s never seen me sing in public.”
Gogarty made the cut, and will sing “What I Did for Love” from the musical “A Chorus Line” on the Mayo Performing Arts Center stage this February.
Gogarty specifically chose the song because it is meaningful to her husband, reminding him of her father.
“Since my husband was the one to encourage me to audition, I figured I would do something that would mean a lot to him,’ she said.
Gogarty said she’s been singing since Kindergarten.
“I got rejected from my school talent show after I abruptly stopped singing in the middle of my audition and told the judges I had decided to cut it short,” Gogarty said. “I eventually learned the rest of the words to ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ and after that you couldn’t shut me up.”
Gogarty said that includes “screaming along to ‘Come Sail Away’ when Styx recently played the Mayo Center.
A public relations freelancer and currently a “professional diaper changer and toy picker upper” for Leo, Gogarty loves to spend time in Morristown.
“I love being able to walk around Morristown, especially in the spring and summer. We love sitting outside at Swiss Chalet for breakfast, going to the swings at Lidgerwood Park, and sitting by the fountain in the Green,” Gogarty said. “I love how much there is to do with my son, from music class to exercise classes I can bring him along to and all the parks nearby. It’s just a great place to live and when we were looking for a house, our main concern was still being able to walk to town.”
That and Sweet Lucy’s of course.
“Did I mention the Sweet Lucy’s cake?” she said. “I would invent a new holiday and celebrate half birthdays just to have an excuse to eat Sweet Lucy’s chocolate cake with cookie dough filling and buttercream icing.”
Leading up to the show, Gogarty plans to take as many voice lessons as she can fit in between diaper changes.
“It’s not really my style to say that I should win, I’m just excited to get a chance to sing on stage,” Gogarty said. “If I won that would be amazing, but I will leave that up to the judges.”
If she does win though, her friends and family have something to look forward to.
“Sweet Lucy’s cake for everybody!” she said.
Gogarty next plans to start pursuing a master’s degree within the next six months, as well as teach Leo to pick up his own toys.
Morristown's Got Talent
What: A show featuring the best amateur talent from Morristown, Morris Township and Morris Plains presented by and benefiting the Morris Educational Foundation
When: 7 p.m. Feb. 25
Where: Mayo Performing Arts Center, 100 South St. in Morristown
Tickets: On sale Monday, Feb. 2, at the Mayo center. Tickets can also be purchased by calling 973-539-8008 or online at www.mayoarts.org.