Dr. Baron Kelly First Recipient of Colin Cook Fellowship

LAMDA is proud to announce Professor Baron Kelly, an internationally acclaimed theatre scholar and practitioner, as the inaugural recipient of the Colin Cook International Fellowship.

This fellowship, established in June this year, honours the legacy of Colin Cook, LAMDA’s esteemed former Head of the Drama School, who profoundly impacted generations of students and staff during his tenure from 1978 to 2015. 

In honour of Colin’s achievements, The Colin Cook International Fellowship will enable a distinguished artist or scholar to join LAMDA each year to undertake a defined project, working within the institution alongside staff and students. This annual endowed fellowship, will help ensure that Colin’s passion for teaching, acting and directing continues to inspire future generations of LAMDA students. 

Alongside Dr. Kelly’s Fellowship, LAMDA has also recognised him as their inaugural Visiting Professor of Acting and Directing.  This Visiting Professorship commenced this October, and will continue over the next three years, with an engaging lecture on the legacy of actors of colour in classical theatre.

His insights have already inspired the LAMDA community, and his contributions will continue to enrich our students, faculty, and audiences, as he returns for his Colin Cook Fellowship next year to direct a play during the summer repertory season.  We are thrilled to work with Dr. Kelly, whose wealth of experience will be a valuable addition to our mission of nurturing talent and advancing creativity through global impact. 

This exciting initiative is a fitting tribute to Colin’s legacy and a significant opportunity for LAMDA students to learn from a leading voice in the theatre and academia.