For Tyler Kyte, combining the “best of both worlds” has meant working in an environment where both acting and playing music are involved. Widely recognized as one of the young stars of Popular Mechanics for Kids (PMK) and as Vincent Spiederman on Instant Star, Tyler has grown as an actor and a musician who has followed his “far-fetched dream” from an early age:
“I’ve always wanted to be an entertainer in one way or another. Growing up in the small town of Lindsay, Ontario, being on TV seemed like a far-fetched dream. Getting the opportunity to work on PMK and Instant Star was an amazing experience for me. It helped me realize that there is a big world out there, with lots of amazing, hard-working people. I was real lucky to be able to work with so many great people on both of those shows.” Kyte explained. “As an actor, sometimes it pays off to be a musician as well. That was the case with Instant Star. The fact that I could play guitar worked to my advantage while auditioning for that show. It was a really fun cast and crew. We got to act on a teen drama as well as make music videos-- the best of both worlds!”
In 2004, Tyler appeared in the film, Prom Queen: The Marc Hall Story. The TV movie depicted the legal battle that ensued between Marc Hall and his Catholic school board when Marc was not allowed to bring his boyfriend to prom in 2002. In addition to the movie, Marc Hall’s story has also been adapted as a musical, which was not initially welcomed by two school boards in London, ON. According to The Toronto Star, The Thames Valley District School Board and The London Catholic District School Board withheld $15000 each in funding for the annual High School Project at The Grand Theatre. The funding was said to be pulled due to some inappropriate language and negative portrayals of adults in the script. However, in the court of public opinion, the funds were thought to be removed due to homophobia. That being said, the community of London raised thousands of dollars in support of the play and as The Globe and Mail reported, the Thames Valley District School Board reversed its decision.
When asked why Marc Hall’s story is an important one that still needs to be told, Tyler replied, “The world is really starting to pay attention to a lot of these issues. It’s about time. Collectively, we need to change the way we look at people who come from different backgrounds and have different views on the world. Although this is starting to take shape, it will continue to be an uphill battle. I’m excited for the changes that are coming to this world!”
Tyler is also excited about the upcoming tour with his band, Dwayne Gretzky, which will be making a stop at Rum Runners in London on February 15, 2018. For anyone who has not seen them live before, he described the ten piece band as “a traveling house party”! He also mentioned that “People can expect a high energy, epic show! We celebrate some of the greatest songs of all time. We hope to remind you of some of the songs you forgot you loved so much and have you dancing and singing all night long.”
Finally, Tyler Kyte offered the following advice to those who are looking to follow in his career footsteps: “Work hard. Surround yourself with people who make you better.
Enjoy yourself every step of the way. There is no real destination. It’s all about the journey!!!”
For more information, please visit www.dwaynegretzkyband.com.
Photo courtesy of Tyler Kyte/Dwayne Gretzky.
