Layla Izabela
About Me
Photo by Abigail Grubb
Past
Since the moment I was born, I have been the entertainment for my family. After seeing me always dance along to music, my mother put me in ballet classes at the age of two, and it's been nonstop ever since. I learned ballet, tap, modern, and jazz, and at the age of 13, I transitioned into theatre and was able to pursue it basically full-time since I was homeschooled. After getting accepted to my dream program: the BA Acting - International Performance Ensemble program at Pace University in New York City, I discovered my love of creating devised work.
Present
I just graduated in May and finished a year-long process of developing a devised play based on a short story with three ensemble members about an Appalachian vampire based on the short story Mama Gone. The piece was presented at Pace University's Night of Original Works Festival. When I'm not rolling around on the floor in the rehearsal room or trying to get my hair to look like Natasha Lyonne's, my time goes into working at an old-school soda fountain, making sure my orange cat Ralph doesn't sneak into the fridge again, and trying to create the perfect mac and cheese recipe.
Future
Throughout my four years of college, my vision has become more focused; I am attracted to female-driven worlds that aren't afraid to explore the entire emotional spectrum and, within that specifically, feminine rage and women's wrongs. I find such gratification in sapphic queer romance and the soft worship of the female body. I enjoy ambiguity but strive to create such evocative moments that my audiences don't doubt their response to my work. This is the work I look forward to doing in New York post-grad.