Actress Kylee Evans lately returned to the TV display screen with the November launch of the second season of Mistletoe Murders. The collection, filmed in Toronto, is broadcast on the Hallmark Channel.
Kylee is a local of Nova Scotia, however makes her dwelling in Toronto as of late. She’s had a large ranging profession within the leisure enterprise, one which started with classical music coaching.
LV spoke to Evans about profession, and the favored returning TV collection.
Kylee Evans: The Interview
Kylee could also be well-known for her performing roles at this time, however it all started with music.
“I’ve been singing and taking part in classical piano my complete life, because the age of 4 years,” she says.
She attended the College of Western Ontario, the place she studied voice with Theodore Baerg, and graduated with a BMus in Vocal Efficiency. “After first 12 months, I auditioned for the efficiency program.” There, she discovered the strategies of Italian artwork tune and different points of operatic efficiency. “I actually thought that that may in all probability be what I do.”
Nonetheless, in the case of singing, Kylee’s old flame was at all times musical theatre. She acknowledges the problem in getting again to that style after 4 years of classical coaching, however determined to make the transfer to Toronto, the place she discovered an agent. She additionally went to Sheridan Faculty to review of their musical theatre program for a 12 months.
“It was exhausting to be 4 years older than everybody else,” she says. Operatic coaching, in some respects, is at odds with the expectations of musical theatre. “I spent a complete 12 months at Sheridan basically buzzing,” Evans says. “My vocal trainer at Sheridan — there was no forgiveness for the classical coaching. It was a really uneventful 12 months.”
Kylee spent her time making an attempt to get her voice in what she calls “a distinct place”. “However, coaching is coaching, and I’ll say that my classical coaching helped me immensely.” Studying right vocal method is essential. “The stamina that you must must sing eight exhibits every week — that’s all vocal well being. Even with talking now, with performing, you realize the place the voice comes from, and you know the way to make use of it the suitable means. There’s no vocal fry.”
Mistletoe Murders
The TV collection started as an Audible podcast collection, led by Canadian actress Cobie Smulders. The podcast turned such successful it was picked up for tv, even because the podcast continues.
“We simply premiered season two of Mistletoe Murders,” Kylee says. “It’s based mostly on an Audible collection, which we simply premiered season 4 of,” she explains.
“I play Brooke Carmichael. She’s form of the city busybody or gossip if you’ll. She’s bigger than life,” she says. “I at all times say she has an agenda.” A self-serving agenda, as Evans explains it. “She’s quite a lot of enjoyable to play.”
Mistletoe Murders revolves across the adventures of Emily Lane, a Christmas store proprietor who makes use of the abilities she discovered in a previous life as an intelligence agent (one thing she’s saved secret) to unravel murders. Naturally, she’s helped by native detective/hunk Sam Wilner. The city’s identify is Fletcher’s Grove, in a nod to Jessica Fletcher of Homicide She Wrote.
The collection premise is, in fact, Hallmark seasonal gold. “I don’t know why no one thinks it’s bizarre — she strikes there and murders begin,” Evans laughs. “Brooke actually desires her to love her.” Evidently, that want isn’t at all times fulfilled, and kinds a few of the present’s lighter moments.
A Various Profession
Kylee has had a assorted profession in leisure. As an actress, her stage credit embody Audrey in Little Store of Horrors, Shelly in Evil Useless the Musical and Elle in Legally Blonde, which earned her a Broadway World nomination. On TV, she’s had recurring roles on The Stanley Dynamic for YTV, and Guillermo Del Toro’s The Pressure on FX, Life with Boys for YTV, Personal Eyes for International, and Odd Squad for PBS. One in every of her most recognizable roles got here on one other standard Hallmark Channel unique collection, Good Witch, the place she was a daily for seven seasons.
She was the host of The Inbox on Sportsnet, leaving the gig to turn out to be case lady #19 on Deal or No Take care of Howie Mandel. She turned host of the household sport present Simply Like Mother and Dad for YesTV for 2 seasons with husband, fellow actor Sandy Jobin-Bevans.
Evans has additionally carried out with Second Metropolis in Detroit and Toronto, and was nominated for 2 Canadian Comedy Awards. She has voiced animated characters on exhibits like Wandering Wenda on CBC, The Cat within the Hat Is aware of loads About That for PBS Youngsters, the voice of Mrs. Hoozlewoo on Esme and Roy for Treehouse, and Ollie’s Pack for Nelvana.
“I don’t have a favorite,” Kylee says. From performing to comedy to internet hosting sport exhibits, there’s one thing to understand about all of it.
“I really like cartoon work so, a lot,” she says. “It’s one thing like no different. You get to be behind a microphone and never be judged for throwing warning to the wind.”
Tv additionally affords distinctive alternatives. “I really like tv,” she says. “On daily basis is completely different. In theatre, my favorite time is rehearsal. I might be in endlessly rehearsal. I really like opening night time — after which it’s like, what’s subsequent?” Performing the identical position night time after night time in an prolonged run is considerably daunting. “TV is, you do it after which transfer on”
Being a Canadian artist poses its personal set of challenges.
“On this nation, there’s no star system.” After her profitable seven-season run on The Good Witch, slightly than constructing on momentum, it was extra like beginning again firstly. “You’re again to sq. one. It’s a continuing hustle. When you lose that, you sort of lose all the things.”
Survival in that surroundings means flexibility, and following the alternatives that current themselves.
“You need to be open to something.”
She calls internet hosting sport exhibits “an final dream”. A multi-season gig along with her husband was the icing on the cake. “It was actually a dream come true.”
For girls within the enterprise specifically, the passage of time itself turns into a problem.
“I used to be by no means blind to the truth that, sure, we age, and also you don’t work as a lot,” Kylee says. There may be at all times that day when it turns into an unwelcome actuality. “It sort of smacks you within the face at some point.”
What’s subsequent?
“We’re fingers crossed for a season three of this present,” she says.
Mistletoe Murders has turn out to be a fan favorite, however in fact, within the leisure biz, nothing is assured. Kylee is writing and auditioning for different roles, and stays looking forward to what’s to return subsequent.
- Discover Mistletoe Murders on the Hallmark channel [HERE].
Are you seeking to promote an event? Have a news tip? Must know one of the best events taking place this weekend? Ship us a note.
#LUDWIGVAN
Get the every day arts information straight to your inbox.
Join the Ludwig Van Toronto e-Blast! — native classical music and opera information straight to your inbox HERE.
Anya Wassenberg is the Toronto Metropolis Editor at Ludwig Van. Beforehand, she was a contract author with a specialty in tradition and journey for 3 many years, and a inventive writing teacher for Ontariolearn.
