Actress Kylee Evans recently returned to the TV screen with the November launch of the second season of Mistletoe Murders. The series, filmed in Toronto, is broadcast on the Hallmark Channel.
Kylee is a native of Nova Scotia, but makes her home in Toronto these days. She’s had a wide ranging career in the entertainment business, one that began with classical music training.
LV spoke to Evans about career, and the popular returning TV series.
Kylee Evans: The Interview
Kylee may be well known for her acting roles today, but it all began with music.
“I’ve been singing and playing classical piano my whole life, since the age of four years,” she says.
She attended the University of Western Ontario, where she studied voice with Theodore Baerg, and graduated with a BMus in Vocal Performance. “After first year, I auditioned for the performance program.” There, she learned the techniques of Italian art song and other aspects of operatic performance. “I really thought that that would probably be what I do.”
However, when it comes to singing, Kylee’s first love was always musical theatre. She acknowledges the difficulty in getting back to that genre after four years of classical training, but decided to make the move to Toronto, where she found an agent. She also went to Sheridan College to study in their musical theatre program for a year.
“It was hard to be four years older than everyone else,” she says. Operatic training, in some respects, is at odds with the expectations of musical theatre. “I spent an entire year at Sheridan essentially humming,” Evans says. “My vocal teacher at Sheridan — there was no forgiveness for the classical training. It was a very uneventful year.”
Kylee spent her time trying to get her voice in what she calls “a different place”. “But, training is training, and I will say that my classical training helped me immensely.” Learning correct vocal technique is crucial. “The stamina that you have to have to sing eight shows a week — that’s all vocal health. Even with speaking now, with acting, you know where the voice comes from, and you know how to use it the right way. There’s no vocal fry.”
Mistletoe Murders
The TV series began as an Audible podcast series, led by Canadian actress Cobie Smulders. The podcast became such a hit it was picked up for television, even as the podcast continues.
“We just premiered season two of Mistletoe Murders,” Kylee says. “It’s based on an Audible series, which we just premiered season four of,” she explains.
“I play Brooke Carmichael. She’s sort of the town busybody or gossip if you will. She’s larger than life,” she says. “I always say she has an agenda.” A self-serving agenda, as Evans explains it. “She’s a lot of fun to play.”
Mistletoe Murders revolves around the adventures of Emily Lane, a Christmas shop owner who uses the skills she learned in a past life as an intelligence agent (something she’s kept secret) to solve murders. Naturally, she’s helped by local detective/hunk Sam Wilner. The town’s name is Fletcher’s Grove, in a nod to Jessica Fletcher of Murder She Wrote.
The series premise is, of course, Hallmark seasonal gold. “I don’t know why nobody thinks it’s weird — she moves there and murders start,” Evans laughs. “Brooke really wants her to like her.” Needless to say, that wish isn’t always fulfilled, and forms some of the show’s lighter moments.
A Varied Career
Kylee has had a varied career in entertainment. As an actress, her stage credits include Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, Shelly in Evil Dead 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 Strain on FX, Life with Boys for YTV, Private Eyes for Global, and Odd Squad for PBS. One of her most recognizable roles came on another popular Hallmark Channel original series, Good Witch, where she was a regular for seven seasons.
She was the host of The Inbox on Sportsnet, leaving the gig to become case girl #19 on Deal or No Deal with Howie Mandel. She became host of the family game show Just Like Mom and Dad for YesTV for two seasons with husband, fellow actor Sandy Jobin-Bevans.
Evans has also performed with Second City in Detroit and Toronto, and was nominated for two Canadian Comedy Awards. She has voiced animated characters on shows like Wandering Wenda on CBC, The Cat in the Hat Knows a lot About That for PBS Kids, the voice of Mrs. Hoozlewoo on Esme and Roy for Treehouse, and Ollie’s Pack for Nelvana.
“I don’t have a favourite,” Kylee says. From acting to comedy to hosting game shows, there’s something to appreciate about it all.
“I love cartoon work so, so much,” she says. “It’s something like no other. You get to be behind a microphone and not be judged for throwing caution to the wind.”
Television also offers unique opportunities. “I love television,” she says. “Every day is different. In theatre, my favourite time is rehearsal. I would be in forever rehearsal. I love opening night — and then it’s like, what’s next?” Performing the same role night after night in an extended run is somewhat daunting. “TV is, you do it and then move on”
Being a Canadian artist poses its own set of challenges.
“In this country, there’s no star system.” After her successful seven-season run on The Good Witch, rather than building on momentum, it was more like starting back at the beginning. “You’re back to square one. It’s a constant hustle. Once you lose that, you kind of lose everything.”
Survival in that environment means flexibility, and following the opportunities that present themselves.
“You have to be open to anything.”
She calls hosting game shows “an ultimate dream”. A multi-season gig with her husband was the icing on the cake. “It was really a dream come true.”
For women in the business in particular, the passage of time itself becomes a challenge.
“I was never blind to the fact that, yes, we age, and you don’t work as much,” Kylee says. There is always that day when it becomes an unwelcome reality. “It kind of smacks you in the face one day.”
What’s next?
“We’re fingers crossed for a season three of this show,” she says.
Mistletoe Murders has become a fan favourite, but of course, in the entertainment biz, nothing is guaranteed. Kylee is writing and auditioning for other roles, and remains hopeful for what’s to come next.
- Find Mistletoe Murders on the Hallmark channel [HERE].
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