Our next Shine On winner is Kenny Hayes who was nominated by Neil Cachero.
Kenny Hayes has always been a bright light at Orpheus. He shines on and off the stage. He has a passion for music and theatre that is contagious and inspiring. COVID-19 has not slowed dawn that passion. If anything, it has grown, and through technology and social media he has been able to reach a broader audience.
When Ottawa shut down on March 13, 2020, Kenny's role as Music Director for Orpheus‘s Rock of Ages ended 3 shows too early. But that didn't stop Kenny from sharing his gift of music with Orpheus fans and others. With help from Rafael Maia, Kenny performs regular online concerts. He continues to share the joy of musical theatre through his Physical Distancing Sessions, performing his favourite songs as well as the favourites of his Facebook following.
Kenny is also a music and vocals teacher and has managed to maintain a full schedule of students. Online lessons are challenging, but his students appreciate his ability to make lessons enjoyable. When he complimented his student about improvements being made in piano, the student responded with “It's mainly because I like you." And if that isn‘t enough, Kenny is always a good social media follow. You can count on him for a positive word, a good laugh or an entertaining dance. Kenny shines bright as a joyful, uplifting and positive representative of all that is good about musical theatre and the Arts.