Kira Guloien was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, where she began training as a competitive singer and dancer from an early age. Her mother, a double bassist with a fifty-year career in The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, and her father, a Juno Award-winning Jazz Saxophonist and member of The Order of Canada, both played a significant role in nurturing her artistic talents.
At the age of 16, Kira was selected as a top 12 finalist on CBC TV's inaugural season of Triple Sensation, a countrywide audition. This achievement led to her being hand-picked by a celebrity panel, including Garth Drabinsky, Marvin Hamlisch, Sergio Trujillo, Adrian Noble, and Cynthia Dale, to participate in a month-long master class in Toronto.
Kira's professional career began while she was still a student at Ryerson Theatre School, where she studied acting. She quickly gained recognition, starring in Hometown at the Blyth Festival and later playing the title role in the world premiere of Judith Thompson's Elektra in Bosnia at the foot of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece.
In 2013, Kira joined Canada's leading theatrical institution, The Stratford Festival, starring as Mrs. Walker in Tommy under the direction of Des McAnuff and Pete Townshend. Her performance received rave reviews, with Toronto Star critic Richard Ouzounian describing her as a "masterpiece of tortured sensuality."
Kira made her Broadway debut in the original Broadway cast of Doctor Zhivago- The Musical at The Broadway Theatre in 2015. She has since enjoyed a diverse career, spanning musicals, film, television, and the concert stage.
Her notable performances include Hadestown, Sousatzka, The Louder We Get, Ghost Quartet, Grey Gardens, Dr. Silver: A Celebration of Life, Hello Again, Nine, Marathon of Hope, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Damn Yankees, Jacob Two-Two, City of Angels, and numerous other productions.
Kira's film and television credits include Jupiter's Legacy, Murdoch Mysteries, Coroner, Glass Houses, The Listener, A Northern Song, Night Cries, and many more.
She has received numerous awards and nominations, including a Dora Award nomination for Outstanding Performance in a Musical, a Toronto Theatre Critics Award for Best Ensemble for 2019 & 2020, a My Entertainment World Award for Best Actress in a Musical, The Jean Chalmers Guthrie Award, and The Lou Taube Memorial Award.
Kira has also performed in some of Canada's finest concert halls, including Koerner Hall and The Winspear Center, and has been a guest soloist at New York's legendary supper club, Feinstein's/54 Below, on two occasions.
