Folger Shakespeare Library to Welcome Adjoa Andoh MBE in Inaugural Residency for Artists and Intellectuals

The acclaimed actor, writer, and director will spend a week in Washington, DC engaging with the community and utilizing the Folger's collection

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Folger Shakespeare Library has named Adjoa Andoh MBE as the inaugural resident in its new Director's Residency program. The Director's Residency, established by Folger Director Dr. Farah Karim-Cooper and organized through the Director's office, aims to connect a prominent artist or thinker with the resources of the Folger in order to engage with Shakespeare and the humanities in new and innovative ways. During the week of April 19-25, Andoh will be in Washington, DC consulting the Folger's collection, participating in public programs at the Folger, visiting other cultural centers, and working with students.

"The Folger is home to the world's largest Shakespeare collection, uniquely positioned at the heart of the nation's capital. By placing prominent artists, scholars, authors, and thinkers in direct dialogue with our resources, we hope to ignite new ways of imagining and understanding the world," said Dr. Karim-Cooper. "This residency allows the Folger to magnify its mission showing how Shakespeare and the humanities spark curiosity, nurture critical inquiry, and equip us to meet the complexities of our time with creativity and courage".

While Andoh is most well-known among American audiences for her role as Lady Danbury in the Netflix TV show Bridgerton, she is also a highly regarded Shakespearean actor and director. Among her many credits, she conceived, co-directed, and played the lead in Richard II at Shakespeare's Globe in the UK's first all women-of-color production. She is a theatre instructor, actor, director, writer, and mentor for BBC Radio Drama.

"Adjoa is the ideal person to work with as we establish this residency," said Dr. Karim-Cooper. "She brings a deep knowledge and vast experience with Shakespeare and the performing arts. I am excited to see how she makes use of the Folger's peerless collection and connects with the Folger community and the diverse, dynamic cultural landscape of Washington, DC."

Public programs during Andoh's residency include a talk on Sunday, April 19 and a  screening of Richard II on Tuesday, April 21. Andoh will also be the special guest at the 2026 Folger Gala on Friday, April 24. Details about the gala are available at folger.edu/gala and details about public programs are forthcoming.

Generous support for public programs related to the Director's Residency is provided by Vinton and Sigrid Cerf.

Adjoa Andoh MBE
An actor, writer, and director with a career spanning 4 decades, Adjoa Andoh is best known for playing Lady Danbury in Bridgerton and in its prequel Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, for which she is a 4-time nominee at the NAACP Awards. She starred alongside Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon in Clint Eastwood's Nelson Mandela biographical film Invictus. Her many television roles also include Nenneke in the Netflix blockbuster fantasy drama, The Witcher. On the stage, Andoh has had lead roles at the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Court Theatre, Young Vic, The Kiln, and in 2019, she conceived, co-directed and played the lead in Richard II at Shakespeare's Globe in the UK's first all women-of-color production. In 2023, Andoh directed, co-produced and played the lead in a new theatre production of William Shakespeare's Richard lll for Liverpool Playhouse and The Rose Theatre Kingston, which was also made into a film. Andoh has worked for RADA (The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) as an audition panel member and director for over 20 years. She has also taught and directed at Rose Bruford Drama School and is an Emeritus Fellow of St Catherine's College Oxford. Andoh was the Cameron Mackintosh visiting professor of Contemporary Theatre at Oxford University 2022-2023, and a joint Professor with Sir Greg Doran 2024-2025. She is an award-winning audiobook narrator with over 250 titles to her credit and has worked as an actor, writer, and mentor in BBC radio drama since the 1980s. Andoh is an associate artist at the Royal Shakespeare Company and an honorary fellow of the Shakespeare Association of America, the British Shakespeare Association and the Royal Society of Literature. She is co-director of production company SwingingTheLens.

About Folger Shakespeare Library
The Folger Shakespeare Library makes Shakespeare's stories and the world in which he lived accessible. Anchored by the world's largest Shakespeare collection, the Folger is a cultural organization where curiosity and creativity are embraced, and conversation is always encouraged. Visitors to the Folger can choose how they want to experience the arts and humanities, from interactive exhibitions to captivating performances, and from path-breaking research to transformative educational programming. The Folger welcomes everyone to connect in their own way—from communities throughout Washington, DC, to communities across the globe. Learn more at www.folger.edu.  

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SOURCE Folger Shakespeare Library