Judy Hayward holds a BFA in piano performance from Louisiana Tech University. She went on to receive her Masters degree from the University of Oregon in Arts Administration.

Ms. Hayward was employed with the Center of Variety Performing Arts in Los Angeles, and danced in various musicals, including Dames at Sea and Carousel in Encino, CA, and No, No, Nanette at the Masquers Theatre in Hollywood. She later became the staff accompanist for the Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts in Santa Maria, CA, where she also taught music theory. While still living in California, she was the Artistic Director for Pismo Beach Light Opera Company, with which she was music director and choreographer for their productions of The Wizard of Oz and West Side Story.

Ms. Hayward became the assistant music director for The Harlequin Theatre, an equity dinner theatre located in Rockville, MD. While at the Harlequin, she was assistant music director for Dream Girls, Big River, Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Reflect Up?, Sound of Music, and Funny Girl. In Anchorage, Alaska, she was music director for The Fantasticks, under the direction of Susan Watson. She was also an accompanist for the award-winning Alaska Children’s Choir.

In New Hampshire, Ms. Hayward was the Music Director for 6-1/2 years with Peacock Players, an award-winning youth theatre organization located in Nashua. While with Peacock Players, she was music director for their production of Les Miserables (School Edition), which won the New Hampshire Theatre Award (NHTA) for Best Musical in 2002. Other credits with Peacock Players include Into the Woods, Just So Stories, Children of Eden, Seussical the Musical, Pippin, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, to name a few. Ms. Hayward has twice received the New Hampshire Theatre Award for Best Music Director–in 2004 for her work with MADCo’s production of Cabaret, and again for the 2007 Actorsingers’ production of Thoroughly Modern Millie.