Jeff Kready

Jeff Kready (born in Parsons, Kansas, United States) is an American stage performer and has been featured in Broadway musicals. As of July 2024, he’s performing in The Great Gatsby on Broadway and understudies Jeremy Jordan in the title role.

Raised in Topeka, Kansas, Kready made his Broadway debut in the 2006 revival of Les Misérables in the role of Babet/Fauchelevent and an understudy Jean Valjean,[1] and had the distinction of being the youngest actor to portray the role of Valjean on Broadway until 2015, when Kyle Jean-Baptiste performed the role at 21.[2] The show opened 9 November 2006 at the Broadhurst Theatre and closed on 6 January 2008. His next appearance on Broadway was in the Roundabout Theater Company 2008 Broadway Revival of Sunday in the Park with George as an understudy. The production was directed by Sam Buntrock and starred Daniel Evans and Jenna Russell.[3]

Kready was the standby for the leading role of Michael Dorsey in the Broadway musical comedy Tootsie,[4] a musical comedy based on the 1982 film of the same name. The musical has music and lyrics by David Yazbek with the book by Robert Horn, choreography by Denis Jones, scenic design by David Rockwell, costumes by William Ivey Long, lighting by Donald Holder and direction by Scott Ellis.[5] Santino Fontana stars as Michael Dorsey,[6] with Lilli Cooper as Julie Nichols, Sarah Stiles as Sandy Lester, John Behlmann as Max Van Horn, Andy Grotelueschen as Jeff Slater, Julie Halston as Rita Mallory, Michael McGrath as Stan Fields and Reg Rogers as Ron Carlisle.[7] The Broadway production began previews on March 29, 2019, at the Marquis Theatre and opened on April 23, 2019.[8]

Prior to that Kready starred in the lead role of Monty Navarro [9] in the Tony Award winning A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder. He had been a member of the Original Broadway Company since November 2013.[10] The production received nine Tony Award nominations, winning four - including Best Musical, and stars Jefferson Mays. Before taking over the leading role from Bryce Pinkham he appeared in the roles of Tom Copley, Newsboy, Actor and Guard.

Kready was in the original Broadway company of Billy Elliot The Musical,[11] directed by Stephen Daldry and choreographed by Peter Darling. The Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre on 1 October 2008 in previews and officially on 13 November 2008. The production received fifteen Tony Award nominations, winning ten. Kready took over the lead role of Tony (Billy's Brother) Summer 2010 Through 29 August 2010. Kready then left the show to originate the role of Tony on the second National Tour beginning November 2010.[12]

Kready was featured as Bert Healey in Annie Live!, a musical television special that aired on NBC on December 2, 2021. It was a performance of the 1977 musical Annie, which is based on the comic strip Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray.[13]

The special starred newcomer Celina Smith as the titular role, Harry Connick Jr. as Daddy Warbucks, Taraji P. Henson as Miss Hannigan, Nicole Scherzinger as Grace Farrell, Tituss Burgess as Rooster Hannigan, and Megan Hilty as Lily St. Regis. The special was directed by Lear deBessonet and Alex Rudzinski.[14]

Off-Broadway, Kready starred in the World Premiere of Tokio Confidential for the Atlantic Theater Company in the role of Ernest alongside of Jill Paice (Isabella).[15] Other notable performances include the World Premiere of In This House (Two River Theater Company) in Red Bank, New Jersey. The book, In This House, was written by Jonathan Bernstein with Mike Reid and Sarah Schlesinger and was directed by May Adrales.[16][17] Kready starred in the 2012 production of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic Carousel in the role of Enoch Snow opposite Jenn Gambatese (Carrie), for which he received a Connecticut Critics Circle Nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical,.[18] David Sedaris' one-man-show The Santaland Diaries at Hartford's Theaterworks,[19] and Thoroughly Modern Millie in the role of Jimmy, co-produced by the Maltz Jupiter Theater in Jupiter, Florida and Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey. The production also starred Lenora Nemetz, Burke Moses and Branda Braxton.[20] Jeff also starred in Paper Mill Playhouse production of Holiday Inn (musical) in the role of Ted Hanover,[21] and Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera's production of Brigadoon in the role of Tommy Albright.[22] Kready is a vocalist in the South Park 25th Season orchestra trailers.[23][24][25]

Kready was in the cast of the third Broadway revival of Company. He filled in for Christopher Fitzgerald in the role of David and understudied the roles Jamie, Paul, Harry, Peter, Andy, and Theo.[4] He also was in the ensemble of the New York City Center 2023 revival of Oliver!. Later that year, he starred as Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls at the Benedum Center.

In addition to Kready's stage credits, he can be found guest starring in the Emmy-nominated HBO series Boardwalk Empire appearing in season 3, episode 6.[26] Other television credits include a recurring co-star role in the CBS crime drama Elementary, The Good Fight web television series produced for CBS's streaming service CBS All Access, and in the CBS drama The Code.

Kready has also performed voiceover work in the UMPQUA Bank television commercial campaign.[27] He also sang on his wife's debut album, Home.[28]

Kready is a 2000 graduate of Washburn Rural High School. In 2004, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Voice Performance and Vocal Music Education from Washburn University.[29] and has also studied religious studies at Central Baptist Theological Seminary.

References

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  1. ^ "Broadway Les Misérables revival cast". Broadwaylesmis.com. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  2. ^ Blankenship, Bill (July 21, 2012). "Singers' season includes Broadway stars | Cjonline.com Mobile". M.cjonline.com. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  3. ^ Brantley, Ben (February 22, 2008). "Down by the Blue Purple Yellow Red Water". The New York Times. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  4. ^ a b "Jeff Kready". Playbill.
  5. ^ "Tootsie". Broadway.com.
  6. ^ Soloski, Alexis (March 20, 2019). "He's the Star of 'Tootsie' on Broadway. Wearing Heels Is the Easy Part. (Published 2019)" – via NYTimes.com.
  7. ^ "Tootsie – Broadway Musical – Original | IBDB". www.ibdb.com.
  8. ^ Franklin, Marc J. (April 24, 2019). "Go Inside Opening Night of Tootsie on Broadway". Playbill.
  9. ^ McPhee, Ryan (December 17, 2014). "Jeff Kready Is A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder's Newest Monty as Bryce Pinkham Steps Into The Heidi Chronicles". Broadway.com. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  10. ^ "A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder". IBDB. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  11. ^ "Billy Elliot: The Musical". IBDB. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  12. ^ Kane, Dan (November 24, 2010). "Review - 'Billy Elliot' is a crowd-pleaser - News - The Repository - Canton, OH". Cantonrep.com. Archived from the original on January 18, 2013. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  13. ^ "'Annie Live!' Musical Event Coming to NBC This Holiday Season". MSN. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  14. ^ "Harry Connick Jr. Joins NBC's Annie Live! as "Daddy" Warbucks". Yahoo!. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  15. ^ "Tokio Confidential". Tokio Confidential. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  16. ^ La Gorce, Tammy (March 2, 2012). "A Grammy Winner Tests Himself : 'In This House,' Composed by Mike Reid, Is at Two River Theater Company". The New York Times. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  17. ^ "Goodspeed Musicals". Goodspeed.org. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  18. ^ Rizzo, Frank (May 26, 2013). "Connecticut Critics Circle Nominate Best Of Theater Season - Page 4 - tribunedigital-thecourant". Articles.courant.com. Archived from the original on October 28, 2014. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  19. ^ Rizzo, Frank (November 5, 2012). "Jeff Kready Is Crumpet in Hartford's TheaterWorks". Articles.courant.com. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  20. ^ BWW News Desk (February 6, 2013). "Brenda Braxton to Star in Maltz Jupiter and Paper Mill's THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE; Full Cast Announced!". Nj.broadwayworld.com. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  21. ^ "Casting Announced For Holiday Inn". Paper Mill Playhouse. October 25, 2018.
  22. ^ "Stage review: Pittsburgh CLO's 'Brigadoon' dazzles with magical performances". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  23. ^ "A 30-piece orchestra performs a rendition of "Jackin' It in San Diego"". South Park United States. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  24. ^ Neale, Matthew (January 26, 2022). "'South Park' enlist full orchestra for new version of 'Kyle's Mom'". NME. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  25. ^ Wild, Stephi. "VIDEO: Elizabeth Stanley, Nikki Renee Daniels, Jeff Kready, and Tamar Greene Sing Orchestral SOUTH PARK Theme Song". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  26. ^ "Jeff Kready Biography". Archived from the original on February 6, 2015. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  27. ^ "UMPQUA History". YouTube. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  28. ^ "Nikki Renée Daniels | Home | CD Baby Music Store". Cdbaby.com. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  29. ^ "Student Accomplishments and Teaching Appointments". Washburn.edu. Archived from the original on May 23, 2018. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
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