BWW Q&A: Tyler Winder Talks THE PRINCE OF EGYPT at Brampton On Stage

Raised as brothers in a palace of gold, Moses and Ramses are torn apart by a truth that will reshape their destinies — one to reign as Pharaoh, the other to rise and set his people free. This powerful musical of identity, faith, and the enduring strength of the human spirit unfolds on a grand scale. With a sweeping score by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin) and showstopping numbers including the Academy Award®-winning When You Believe, THE PRINCE OF EGYPT is a sweeping testament of courage and conviction.

Tyler has been performing for as long as he can remember. From a young age, he was always singing and acting out scenes and characters from his favorite movies and TV shows. He discovered his love for musical theatre while performing in Les Misérables—an incredible show and an unforgettable group of people to work with. He went on to study in Sheridan College’s one-year Performing Arts Preparation program, after which he began his professional theatre career and has never looked back. Performance credits include Jack Kelly (Newsies), Jesus (Jesus Christ Superstar), Drake/U.S. Roosevelt (Annie), Mr. Phillips/U.S. Gilbert Blythe (Anne of Green Gables), Apostle John (The Toronto Passion Play), and Benjamin/Baker (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat). He feels extremely blessed to live this life and career, supported by an incredible family. Tyler is grateful to use the gifts God has given him on stage and hopes to do so for the rest of his life. He is beyond excited to share the stage with this wonderful company for The Prince of Egypt.

How has preparing for your role in The Prince of Egypt, The Musical influenced your approach to acting?

I definitely wanted to come at this role differently than what I normally do, and I wanted to do my best to bring a lot of connection and emotion into it. Acting is more than just saying lines and pretending to be someone else—you need to be able to convince yourself and others that you are this person. Obviously, many actors have different styles in how they like to work with their characters, but this role, being Ramses, has really opened up what I am capable of as an actor. It allowed me to strip down what I know and become one with the character—to be Ramses, not just Tyler playing Ramses—and I hope that comes across in the show.

What particular challenges have you faced in portraying Ramses in The Prince of Egypt, The Musical?

The biggest challenge I faced as Ramses would definitely have to be his character arc. I loved the film growing up and watched it a lot, so I knew how Ramses was, but he’s very different in the musical because there are new songs and new moments that change his character in amazing ways. Although the movie and musical versions of Ramses are different, they are both very powerful. I originally prepared to play him similar to the movie, but I had to come into this without the movie on my mind so I could build the character in a new and exciting way. I don’t often play the bad guy on stage, and Ramses goes from being a loving brother to an enemy really quickly. It’s been fun exploring these challenges to shape the character exactly how we want him to be portrayed.

How does your experience with Brampton Music Theatre aid in your performance in The Prince of Egypt, The Musical?

This one is a bit harder to answer because I have only done one other show with BMT, and it was six years ago. It was run by a completely different group of people from my understanding, and we were in a different rehearsal space. But ultimately, there are still quite a few people around who I’ve worked with before. The familiarity helps in rehearsals for The Prince of Egypt, and knowing the standards BMT has for its shows motivates me. They’ve put on spectacular productions, and it’s an honour to be part of this one now.

How has your training at Sheridan College's Performing Arts Preparation program influenced your work in The Prince of Egypt, The Musical?

My training at Sheridan always comes into play, no matter what show I’m doing. I had incredible teachers for acting, dancing, and singing, which all apply to The Prince of Egypt. I definitely remember not being able to read sheet music properly before Sheridan—that skill has helped me so much in this show. I don’t dance much in this production, so I’m not using a lot of that training here, but this is a huge acting role, and what I learned at Sheridan gave me a strong foundation to build this character you’ll see on stage.

How does performing at The Rose add to the overall experience of The Prince of Egypt, The Musical?

I haven’t performed at The Rose since 2019, when I played Jack in Newsies. The Rose is a beautiful space with a very spacious stage. The audience layout is great, and it’s amazing to perform there. I think having the change rooms a bit farther from the stage helps because it keeps you focused and ready—you don’t have time to wander. The band being visible at the front is also helpful for staying in time with the music.

How has working with director Juel Brown shaped your performance in The Prince of Egypt, The Musical?

Juel is wonderful to work with. We got along well in rehearsals, and she really pushed me as an actor to get the best out of me, which I loved. Our visions for Ramses were very similar, which made building the scenes straightforward. That allowed us to go deeper emotionally and drive certain moments even further. She’s been super supportive and has given me a lot of confidence in how I portray the character—I appreciate that very much.

What aspects of The Prince of Egypt, The Musical are you most excited for the audience to experience?

I’m most excited for people to hear the voices on stage. There are so many moving songs, and when everything comes together, it’s powerful. The storytelling through movement and dance is also amazing to watch—our choreographer has done an incredible job. Honestly, there are so many elements I’m excited for the audience to see, but I’ll keep it to just a couple.

Why must audiences come and see the show?