+ By Rahsaan “Wordslave” Eldridge + Photos courtesy of Leela Aviles-Dawson
A four-year-old girl walks into a room for her first piano lesson. The teacher asks if she knows the alphabet yet, and the child says no. The teacher then tells the child that she can’t learn piano without knowing the alphabet. So, the child goes home, learns her ABCs, and comes back to the teacher, demanding to be taught.
That’s the spirit of determination that has led to Leela Aviles-Dawson’s success as a multi-instrumentalist and an award-winning actress. Aviles-Dawson grew up as an only child in Bowie, Maryland, but spent a lot of time in Annapolis with her aunt and musician uncle. Her father, Mark Dawson, who also plays piano and percussion, was one of her earliest teachers. He taught her music theory, and they listened to a lot of music together. She also learned guitar and took voice lessons. The Beatles, the Beach Boys, and Queen were her Polestar. Yes, Genesis and Rush were also in rotation. But as early as she was learning music, she was also developing a passion for acting, and at seven years old, she landed her first role in The Sound of Music with 2nd Star Productions, a community theater located in her hometown.
She continued taking private piano lessons for eight years, sang in the school choir, and performed in musical theater. However, she generally hated school, particularly high school; she was a self-proclaimed know-it-all and teacher’s pet, which she believed led to her being bullied and isolated. She dropped out in the eleventh grade and later completed her GED.
At age 17, Aviles-Dawson moved to Gainesville, Florida, and started a band called Leela & The Rams. It was her first experience running a band, but with her fearlessness and guidance from the other members, she quickly found success in that local music scene. Her bandmates were from the area and already familiar with the promoters and venues, so they were able to help her make connections and teach her how to book and promote shows. It was on-the-job training, but she loved it, especially standing out there as a woman who is a multi-instrumentalist and leader of her own band. It was an ego boost. She was far away from home and family but thoroughly enjoyed her time, focusing on playing music and having fun. After a year and a half, Aviles-Dawson was ready for the next adventure, which would take her even farther from home and her comfort zone.
When Aviles-Dawson applied for Sir Paul McCartney’s The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, her parents didn’t know it until after she’d already been accepted. They were against the idea at first, in part because she would be so far away, but her father was also leery of the cost and the school’s accreditation. His daughter was willful. “If I want to do something, or I want something, I will get it. No one can stop me if I’m determined,” she says. She got her visa, took out a loan, and moved forward with her plans. It didn’t take her long to realize that this experience would be much different from her time in Gainesville. Her talent and ambitions were no longer unique. There were plenty of other talented women musicians who could sing, write, and play multiple instruments. She had to check her ego and grow up quickly. It was hard, adjusting to the culture and being away from family, but she wasn’t completely alone. A good friend and roommate, Hayworth, was one of three Americans attending the university. They bonded over their love for musical theater and supported each other emotionally through growing pains. They have remained friends since returning home in 2016.
After receiving her bachelor of fine arts degree, Aviles-Dawson was eager to return to Annapolis. The weather in England and distance from family affected her mood and mental health. Once home, she formed the band Del Florida, named in homage to her time spent in Gainesville. The group played regularly in the region until bookings slowed down due to COVID-19.
In 2021, 2nd Star Productions rebooted its production of The Sound of Music, the same show in which Aviles-Dawson got her first role. Her uncle was working in the show and suggested that she audition for the role of Maria. Eight years had passed since her last dramatic appearance, but when she landed the role, her love for theater was reignited. She continued working in community theater, and then she landed her life-altering bucket-list role.
In January 2024, Toby’s Dinner Theatre, based in Columbia, produced A Chorus Line, and Aviles-Dawson played the supporting role of Diana Morales, a streetwise Latina from the Bronx. Her mother, visual artist Yolie Aviles, is a Puerto Rican from the Bronx, so Aviles-Dawson felt deeply connected to the role. The choreography tested her limits as a dancer, and the schedule was rigorous, with eight shows over six days a week. “A Chorus Line changed everything for me,” she says. Director Mark Minnick applauded her captivating honesty on stage. “Her heart exploded out of her in each and every performance,” he says. He was so impressed that, halfway through the rehearsal process, he offered her a role in the upcoming production of Jersey Boys because he wanted to work with her again.
Minnick wasn’t the only one impressed with Aviles-Dawson’s performance. In May 2025, renowned theater organization Theater Washington awarded her a Helen Hayes Award for outstanding supporting performer in a musical. She wasn’t expecting to win for her debut professional role, and she credits Toby’s Dinner Theatre for the launch of her professional acting career and as the reason she won the prestigious award. She was also in She Persisted, a production by Adventure Theatre MTC that received eight nominations and won outstanding choreography in a musical the same year.
Apparently, Aviles-Dawson had been preparing for that moment since she was four years old, when she didn’t let the piano teacher turn her away, when she was listening to progressive rock and getting quizzed by her father on chord charts and time signatures. She’d been preparing since she moved to Florida at 17 years old and started her own band, when she left the country alone to study at her idol’s performing arts university. She has always put in the work and continues to work. Theater has taken the lead for the moment, but she still plays occasionally with Del Florida. She continues to write music and audition between shows, making sure she’s always ready for any stage that she’s called to be on.
