NEW YORK — It's safe to say that the dream for many actors is to one day find themselves under the bright lights of Broadway some day during their career.
And while Broadway can seem like a long journey, especially when it comes to Arkansas, it's always been a dream for 8-year-old Kennedy Pitney, and it's one that she made come true.
While the bright lights were her ultimate goal, her reason for getting on the stage is as simple as any-- fun with her friends.
“I like that I get to be on stage with everybody and all of my besties,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy with the help of her mom Kim went to audition for a Broadway Musical. It wasn't just any musical though, it was "The Music Man" starring Hugh Jackman.
“We submitted her [audition], and she got a call back the next day. That was a Friday and they told us we had to be in New York on a Monday, so it was very fast and furious. We got the call she was casted on Tuesday,” Kim said.
In a short amount of time, Kennedy traded Little Rock for the Big Apple after being casted as the role of Gracie Shinn, as well as an understudy for Amaryllis.
“It was so amazing and when I figured it out, I had happy tears and I wanted to go around town and tell everybody,” Kennedy said.
Kim and Kennedy quickly jetted off to New York, got an apartment, and hit the ground running with rehearsals-- living up to the "fast and furious" nature that Kim had mentioned.
“The first number I was so nervous, but then I was like "oh wow this is fun,"” Kennedy said.
Following weeks of rehearsals, it was finally time for Kennedy’s big night on Broadway.
That night was one Kim will never forget.
“Her debut night we were gifted tickets to the show and the best way to describe it is that the breath left my body,” Kim said.
She wasn’t the only one blown away either, so was her co-star and leading man Hugh Jackman. Kennedy and Hugh even traded BFF bracelets crafted by the 8-year-old star.
“The best moment of my life because when I saw him, I was just like, "yeah!'” Kennedy said.