Payton is a true TRIPLE THREAT talent!! She has been studying music since the age of 4, receiving training in voice, piano and theory. She has completed the Voice 8 examination and Theory 4 examination with Conservatory Canada, receiving a First Class Honours with Distinction on both.
Payton has been dancing since the age of three and received training at Studio One Dance in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Acro, Pointe, Musical Theatre, Hip-Hop, and Lyrical. Additionally, Payton was the founder and co-captain of the first-ever competitive dance team at St. Ignatius High School.
She was a member of Vibe’s Competitive Musical Theatre team for three years and showcased her triple-threat talents in many local musicals, including Vibe’s production of Aladdin (Genie); Vibe’s production of The Lion King (Pumbaa); Applauze Productions’ Legally Blonde (Pilar); Vibe Performing Arts/All The Daze Production of Matilda (Matilda); and most recently, she took on the lead role of Cady Heron in Applauze Productions’ “Mean Girls: The Musical”.
Payton has won numerous awards in singing competitions and received the Medal of Excellence for achieving the highest mark in the province on her Grade 3 Voice examination with Conservatory Canada. She has won over 20 Gold Medals of Distinction at the Lakehead Festival of Music and The Arts and multiple Awards and Scholarships at dance competitions.
Payton has trained at the Institute for American Musical Theatre in New York City for their Summer Intensives. She has had the opportunity to work with some of the industry’s top choreographers, vocal coaches, and acting coaches in the USA, including Andrew Drost, Michael Minarik, Nicholas Cunningham, Amanda Lamotte, and more. Payton was also accepted into prestigious post-secondary programs at both the Institute for American Musical Theatre (IAMT) in New York City and Randolph College for the Performing Arts in Toronto.
Payton is entering her 2nd year at Lakehead University in the Honours Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting Major) program and hopes to pursue Law School.
Payton looks forward to sharing her love for singing, dancing, acting (… and everything “Taylor Swift”) with her students this year!