She received a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical and a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Musical for her role as Rosabella in the Broadway theatre revival production of The Most Happy Fella in 1992.
[1][4] She grew up in North Java, New York,[5] and attended Attica Central High School.
[1] She was an original cast member of Barnum on Broadway in 1980, and appeared in a production of The Comedy of Errors at Vivian Beaumont Theater in 1987.
[2][1] In 1991, she joined the revival production of The Most Happy Fella during its run in East Haddam, Connecticut, as Rosabella.
[2] The show delayed its transfer to Broadway until after Hayden, who was pregnant while it was staged in Connecticut, gave birth.