BAYLA WHITTEN

Bayla was born in Northern Virginia and lived there for the first 18 years of her life. She has been performing since she could walk. Whether she was dancing along with the Chuck E Cheese performers at her sister's birthday party or dancing around the house to "Footloose" playing on the jukebox, she was always putting on a show. At the age of six, Bayla was one of three chosen from her Kindergarten class to perform at the White House for President George H. Bush.

Imitating her sister, Bayla's musical debut was in eighth grade in the show Annie Jr. She played the lead role of Annie - even though she was taller and bigger than her costar, Daddy Warbucks! Her teachers saw her spark and talent and encouraged her to keep singing and performing. Bayla loved the attention.

Bayla continued to sing in choir throughout high school. She performed in every musical her high school offered. She was accepted to many schools but knew she could not pass up the opportunity when the acceptance letter to the Royal Academy of Music in London arrived in the mail.

Realizing that her passion was really for musical theater rather than performing classically, Bayla transfered to London's School of Musical Theatre. She worked with many well-known directors and attended many masterclasses with actors currently in the business. While at school, she originated the role of Gayla in No One in the World. At the end of the year, LSMT brought in agents to see the students and Bayla signed with the top agency in London - Burnett Granger Crowther Ltd. She met with top casting directors and landed the role of ensemble/1st cover Fantine in London's West End cast of Les Miserables. Bayla made some of her most important friendships during her year run in the show and continues to keep in touch and see her friends at least once a year.

In the summer of 2007, Bayla moved back to Northern Virginia where she performed in Signature Theatre's production of Merrily We Roll Along as Beth and in Arena Stage's Christmas Carol 1941. Bayla knew that musicals were her dream and the only place to achieve that would be in New York City. At the beginning of 2008, Bayla made the big move to NYC. Since then she has performed in the new show In The Ebb and most recently the NYMF '09 show Hurricane. She returns to DC for various cabarets and just completed performing in the ensemble and understudying the lead role of Florence in the musical Chess at Signature Theatre. Bayla is currently working on the new musical Snow White, Rose Red (and Fred) written by Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich at The Kennedy Center.

Bayla is a proud member of Actors' Equity Association. She could not have made it to this point without the unconditional love and support from her mom, dad, sisters, bubbie and many friends.