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Tyler Hynes‘ fans surprised him for his birthday by donating the funds to create a drama award in his honor. The “Tyler Hynes” award will help a family send their child to the same drama camp that Hynes himself attended when he was young.
Young People’s Theater in Toronto Is Offering the Drama Scholarship
The Young People’s Theater in Toronto announced the new scholarship, which was funded by Hynes’ fans in his name.
The theater wrote on Instagram, “YPT is thrilled to announce that, thanks to the generosity of the international fan base of actor and YPT Drama School alum @tyler_hynes, we are offering a new Drama School award! The Tyler Hynes Award will be given to students in JK-Gr. 2 who are first time applicants to YPT’s Summer Drama Camp. The deadline to apply is Monday, June 6!”
Interested families can apply for the award here. This is one of two awards offered by the drama school to help a child attend the Summer Drama Camp for the first time.
According to the Young People’s Theater website, his fans wanted to donate to a cause in honor of Hynes’ birthday. While debating where to donate, they remembered that he often talked in interviews about attending the Young People’s Theater summer drama camp as a child.
The website noted, “His fans chose to establish an award at YPT in his honor, so that a new generation of Canadian youth may be inspired to pursue a career in the arts.”
Fans can still donate to the award at this link.
On Instagram, shan35 replied to the announcement, writing, “Thank you @ypttoronto for working with us so kindly to set this up. You were great and we much appreciate you embracing the idea! @tyler_hynes is part who he is bc of you which inspires us. The work you do is so important and we wish the kiddos many summers of fun!! Looking forward to further contributions! This is wonderful and beautiful! Cheers! 🎭🎨💛💙🤍”
Hynes Said His Fans Are ‘Rare & Wonderful’
In an Instagram post, Hynes thanked his fans and said he didn’t see this one coming.
Hynes wrote, “I can’t believe you guys have done this. And all the other acts of kindness around my birthday entirely unprompted. A birthday I still haven’t celebrated, but thanks to you I really have. You guys are rare and wonderful 🤍🙏🏻”
He went on to share that he attended the camp when his parents didn’t have much money, and they were offered the chance to put him in the summer program.
He wrote, “Those few weeks turned into a career. And you guys have made it possible for others who may not be able to afford this opportunity a chance to discover their calling. The fact you thought up and executed this award based off of this story I shared in some interview I assume is truly something.”
He wrote to his fans that the award might be in his name but it’s “truly an expression of your kindness.”
Many joined in the replies to share how excited they were about this news.
Erin Krakow wrote, “Amazing!”
Cathy Burgess replied, “So Happy to give these kids this opportunity!! #tylerhynes we love you & thought it would bring you joy also!! ❤️”
Jodi Gosselin-Smith wrote, “Truly amazing and inspiring 👏 you always make us proud to be Hynies Tyler. You deserve all the love and support.”
Hynes Attended the Camp When He Was 7
In a 2018 interview with My Devotional Thoughts, Hynes talked about his experience at the Young People’s Theater camp. He said he attended the camp when he was seven after his dad, a mason, got a discount.
“I was a rambunctious little kid bouncing off the walls, and they wanted to send me somewhere cheap to get me out of the house. So that’s what they did,” he said.
He said that he did a play with the company that was his first paying job at seven. He played five characters in “A Christmas Carol” and “enjoyed the whole dynamic of it and getting a reaction out of people.”
He added that his parents were really smart about how they handled him starting out in the business so young.
“They always kept me in school, and I had a very normal upbringing,” he said. “It wasn’t a bizarre circumstance where they were pushing me into acting. It was just something that I fell into, and they were very accommodating.”
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