Preschool Grad Channels Broadway Dad in Heartfelt Tribute
Picture a preschool graduation doubling as a Broadway tribute—straight from Amanda Kloots’ playbook. When little Elvis strolled across the stage this spring, he wasn’t just grabbing his certificate in cap and gown. He was reppping his late dad, Tony-nominated actor Nick Cordero, in an outfit straight off the “Waitress” set. It’s that kind of millennial-vibes moment, low-key epic but also deeply touching.
Kloots, who’s been candid about navigating life after losing Cordero to COVID-19 in July 2020, shared clips of Elvis in a crisp white shirt, skinny black tie, and gray herringbone vest—nearly identical to his dad’s signature costume from Broadway. She captioned her Instagram reel, “Elvis representing Nick on graduation day,” and you could feel the lump in your throat through the screen. The clip shows Elisa beaming as proud mom stands by with a discreet “Cordero Class of 2024” sign tucked in the background, tipping the hat to what might have been Nick’s proudest moment.
Fans and friends flooded the comments, noting how effortlessly Elvis morphs into a mini-Cordero, right down to his wide eyes and cheeky grin. A handful of stage actors Amanda knows even chimed in, recalling Nick’s generosity backstage. Some couldn’t help but point out that this tiny tux-in-training looked every bit the star his father was. Cordero had mesmerized audiences in “Waitress,” “A Bronx Tale,” and “Bullets Over Broadway,” and now his legacy is living on in a preschool auditorium.
Amanda has made it her mission to keep Nick’s spirit alive through everyday gestures—her signature rose garden, the annual charity workouts, and now this preschool send-off. According to People Magazine, she told a fan via DM that when Elvis picked out the vest weeks ago, “He just knew.” And Dotdash Meredith’s feed reports that the school’s headteacher paused mid-ceremony to let everyone catch the moment, calling it “one of the sweetest tributes” she’s seen in her decade of hosting graduations.
Let’s not pretend it’s just another sappy family post. It’s a mini intermission in real life—a moment that blends Broadway flair with the messy magic of grieving and growing up. For those double-tapping, this scene serves up a reminder: legacies take all shapes, even pint-sized mortarboards and dapper vests.
Anyway, that’s the vibe. Do with it what you will.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine, Dotdash Meredith
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
