Introducing the Soldiers of Soldier's Tale: Kenny Wong, The Devil

Kenny Wong (ACTRA, UDA Stag.) is a multi-disciplinary performing artist with a Bachelor of Music Performance degree on the violin from McGill University. Whilst in school, he began studying acting at Straeon Acting Studios and voice with Panthea Loewen. Kenny played a supporting role in Duncan Sheik’s EDM musical series ‘Lost Generation’ (New Form), and has a recurring role in Amazon’s new series ‘Jack Ryan’, working with Academy Award winner Timothy Hutton and John Krasinski. In addition, he worked with Ben Stiller and Michael Sheen in the new feature film ‘Brad’s Status’, as well as Dean Norris and director Eli Roth in MGM’s upcoming remake of ’Death Wish’. He can also be seen in several other TV series including ‘The Bold Type’, ’19-2’ and ‘The Art of More’.

In May 2017, Kenny received the Telefilm New Voices Award from the Toronto Screenwriting Conference for his feature film screenplay, ‘Dystonia’, based off his real life experience with Focal Hand Dystonia. In the Summer of 2016, ‘The Battle Jar Chronicles’, a web series he cocreated, had exclusive screenings and it’s Season 2 premiere at both Montreal and Ottawa Comiccons.

As a violinist, Kenny completed his Bachelor of Music (Performance) degree at McGill University as a Schulich Scholar and received recognition for his “Outstanding Achievement in Violin Performance.” He has worked with a plethora of orchestras including the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal and L’Orchestre Symphonique de Trois-Rivières. In addition, Kenny had the privilege of performing in the ‘30th Anniversary Concert’ of Cirque du Soleil, ‘Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses’ twice with the Vancouver Film Orchestra, Michael Buble’s ‘Crazy Love’ album, as well as in concert with Il Divo.

Kenny is represented by Alison Little (Montreal) and Amanda Rosenthal (Toronto) at Amanda Rosenthal Talent Agency.

Are you originally from Montreal? If not, where are you from and what brought you here?

I'm originally from Richmond, B.C. but moved to Montreal in 2008 to study music at McGill University and ultimately acting. What made you decide to become an actor?

In high school, deciding between music and drama was always a huge struggle. I took both drama and music classes, but finally decided I wasn't good enough to be an actor and pursued my musical studies. It was in Montreal I decided, "nope, I have to do acting as well" and so I looked up acting classes and began my journey to storytelling there.

What is one strange or funny performance story you have?

I did a play once called 'The Birthday Party' by Harold Pinter and there was one performance where I had a huge coughing fit when I was supposed to be angry at my co-actor. It lasted probably a good three minutes, the coughing, before I got my line out. It got me so riled up and in the moment that I don't remember what happened after, I was just enveloped in the character. Even after the show, I was still affected by this huge change emotionally and I had someone come up to me after saying "I don't like you like this'. So I thought that was weird!

Do you have any advice for aspiring actors?

Train, train, train. Don't think its something that will magically just happen. Break walls, fall on your butt in a safe environment and keep doing it. Don't wait by the phone, don't wait for the next gig, keep training. Aside from the theatre, what are some hobbies/interests of yours?

I do a lot of filmmaking and writing in addition to the violin and acting. I co-created two web series called 'Musicals in Everyday Life' and 'The Battle Jar Chronicles' and those are currently in production. My writing is geared to screenwriting so I have two TV pilots and a feature film script in drafts at the moment.

Come see Kenny and the rest of the Soldiers Tale team in this not to be missed production on August 29th at La Sala Rossa at 8pm. Tickets are available by clicking here! Stay tuned for more behind the scenes sneak peeks!