Hi there!

My name is Layla Nabavi (she/her) and welcome to my website! I hope you stick around.

I am a queer actor and musical theatre artist who is funny sometimes, based in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. I graduated from American University with a BA in Musical Theatre and a minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, while also recently completing a graduate certificate in Arts Management from my alma mater so the regular world might take me seriously in this economy. I am a self-described foodie with a strong passion for cooking, listen audiobooks from my local library app, and spend quality time with my cat Miso.

I feel confident and fulfilled when creating art in a healthy collaborative environment, and I’m very grateful for the professional experiences in the early stages of my career so far. The people I’ve meet and the art that was made has established my aspiring goals as an theatre artist; to support groundbreaking work, uplift unheard voices, and create theatre that strikes critical, engaging conversation. Recently, I understudied Sister Bear for Imagination Stage’s 2023 spring production Wake Up Brother Bear, and I am fortunate to have been able to stand in! After working with Nehprii Amenii and her play Food for The Gods at The Clarice, I have officially been “puppet-pilled,” and I hope to find more opportunities that engage in puppetry in my theatrical practice. If anyone happens to know anyone who teaches adult puppet performance classes for actors, please contact me I would love to chat over coffee sometime.

Whether it is taking a scene study class or cathartically playing sad songs on my guitar, I strive to find small ways to be proactive towards my craft when I am able. Outside of going to auditions, I work as a front-of-house manager at Woolly Mammoth and Studio Theatre, which has offered me the privilege to see world premieres of new plays and engage with the regional theatre scene.

If you are interested in working with me or having a chat, feel free to contact me with the information above.