Jeff Kready starring in 'Annie' and driving in Macy's parade: 'It reminded me of why I’m here'

Topekans are getting a rare opportunity to see Broadway performer Jeff Kready at work. The Washburn Rural and Washburn University product is popping up on television this holiday season.

Last week, Kready was part of the headline act of the Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, an event watched by more than 25 million viewers. Kready played an integral part in the performance of two musical numbers from the upcoming television portrayal of the musical "Annie."

It wasn’t Kready’s singing or dancing skills that stood out in this performance, however. It was his ability to drive a stick shift.

Carrying some important passengers, Kready maneuvered a 1933 Packard into position on 34th street in front of the iconic Macy's department store in New York City.

Harry Connick Jr. and Celina Smith emerged from the back seat of the car to perform “I Don’t Need Anyone But You” and “Tomorrow,” two famous numbers from the musical, which will be broadcast live at 7 p.m. Thursday on NBC.

“It was incredible,” Kready said of the experience. “It’s a beautiful car. I didn’t have to drive it far. Only a block. But it was magic in a bottle to be in the car with Harry Connick Jr. and Selena Smith in the back seat."

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Resume advice paid off for Jeff Kready

Advice from long ago helped him get the Thanksgiving Day gig.

“When I was first starting out, someone told me to always put that I have a valid driver’s license under the Special Skills section on my resume. I never understood why. But then a few weeks ago, I got a call from one of the producers asking ‘Do you have a valid driver’s license, and can you drive a stick shift?’

"It’s the first time that having that on my resume has paid off. Being the good Kansas boy that I am, I learned to drive on a stick shift. So I was ready.”

Having dropped off his famous passengers, Kready exited the car to dance and sing in the ensemble. It was a cold, early morning but well worth it, he said.

“I’ve been watching the parade since I was a kid. So to have a chance to perform in it was magical,” Kready said. “Sometimes, after you’ve been here, performing in New York, for a while, you lose that sense of magic. It becomes a job. But it was really special to me. It reminded me of why I’m here.”

Jeff Kready will play several characters in 'Annie'

Kready will perform a variety of auxiliary characters in the live TV performance of Annie.

“I get to do a lot of fun things in it,” Kready said. “In the ensemble, we play all of the peripheral characters that help to tell the story. You’ll see me popping up in a lot of scenes.”

Kready said when playing the role of Healy, he will debut a new skill.

“My big moment is when I get to play Bert Healy, the radio announcer, who just happens to be a ventriloquist. That’s a skill that I’ve never done before. Normally there is a ventriloquist with Bert, but I threw out the idea of making Bert the ventriloquist, which is something I’d never tried before.

"I’ve had to watch YouTube videos to figure it out. It’s a really fun feature for me.”

For the veteran performer, the live TV musical will be a first. He said in addition to learning blocking and choreography, he’s adjusting to the presence of cameras on stage.

“This is such a unique process because you have to add in the extra layer of having the camera,” Kready said. “We’ll have multiple cameras on stage with us. So you have to be aware of ‘Where is the camera man at this moment?’ so that you don’t do a twirl right into him.

“But that’s part of what makes this so exciting as a performer. You get one chance. It’s live on television. Anything could happen. You’ve got to be ready, and you really have to prepare.”

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Harry Connick Jr. was one of Jeff Kready's musical heroes

Kready has enjoyed working with Connick, one of his musical heroes. Connick even grabbed Kready’s phone to take a picture of the Topekan in the car in front of the store.

“He’s a terrific person to work with,” Kready said. “He goes out of his way to get to know everyone on the cast and crew. I’ve idolized him since I was in college. Now to work with him in person is a dream come true.”

Kready is not just enjoying working on the "Annie" project. He’s happy to be working at all. There was little work to be found for New York performers during the pandemic.

“I feel so grateful everyday when I walk through the door just to be back at work,” Kready said. “For this to be my first job back after about 19 months of just twiddling our thumbs waiting to go back to work, this is a spectacular first job. It gives this job a different meaning than any job I’ve ever had.”

Kready’s wife and fellow Broadway performer, Nikki Renée Daniels, also went without work for most of the pandemic. She was just about to begin a new job in the show "Company" when Broadway shut down.

“We thought it would be a month,” Kready said. “We thought: ‘Oh wow, we’re going to have a month off.' And that month turned into a year and a half.”

The couple did the best they could to keep busy, particularly through concerts and workshops via video. Kready said he is thankful for the opportunities technology provided. But he said he and his wife are anxious to be back on stage. Daniels is back at work with the "Company" production.

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Support from Topeka, Washburn Rural community

After Thursday’s TV performance, Kready will begin auditioning for a new gig.

Kready said he is happy to perform in a televised production that he knows many Topekans will watch.

“It always surprises me how wonderfully supportive everyone back home is,” the 2000 Washburn Rural grad said. “At this point, I’ve been gone for 15 years. Whenever I go back, it’s like I haven’t been gone a week. I still get the same hugs and small talk and updates on family that I would have gotten 15 years ago.

“I value my hometown so much because it was such a supportive place for me to grow up. That’s the reason I was able to go on and do what I do now. It’s because of that foundation that I have from back home.

"That people still keep in touch and still follow my career just means the world to me.”

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Jeff Kready starring in 'Annie,' driving in Macy's Thanksgiving parade