Jenks grad comes home in Broadway touring production of 'White Christmas'

Cody Davis remembers the exact moment he decided he wanted to be in the theatre. "It was downtown at the PAC, I was in 7^th grade and I remember from the opening number thinking, that's what I want to do," he told me with a gleam in his eye.

The show was “Aieda” and it was just a few of the hours Cody spent watching Broadway shows brought to town by Celebrity Attraction.

Cody left Jenks for the University of Michigan and then began the task of trying to find work. That came in places like the Music Theatre of Wichita versions of The Little Mermaid and Sunset Boulevard.

Then last year he auditioned for the touring production of White Christmas but didn’t make the show. That disappointment turned into big smile.

“I was sitting on my bed one day and got a call out of the blue with an offer for the tour,” he said beaming.

“They had remembered me from last year and it was my time” he finished.

His part in the show isn’t huge but he’s perfectly fine with that for now.

“I play Jimmy who is a nightclub owner, which is a little bit part and I’m also in the ensemble so I do all the dancing and singing with the other guys and gals.”

The first performance was Tuesday night and Cody said he was so excited he couldn’t hold still.

“Knowing there were family and friends out there really made it special” he told me.

Cody says he loves the shows dance numbers and being in a re-creation of an iconic movie. But most of all he loves that the production makes people feel good.

“It is my kind of show” he began. I get to smile the whole time and you put smiles on people’s faces, it’s just a blast.”

He closed our conversation by saying “it’s fun to bring Christmas to everybody else.”

Listen to the entire conversation with Cody here.

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas runs through Sunday at the PAC and there are still tickets available.