Hi, I’m Maddy Cooper, a DC-based actor and theatre artist!

I recently graduated from American University with a degree in Theatre Performance!

I grew up on a farm in rural New Hampshire, where I developed a lifelong love of stories and the natural world. I spent my teenage years performing Shakespeare (mostly outside!) and fostering my curiosity for the language and the way it relates to the world around us.

I became an actor because I deeply believe in the power of live performance to connect and inspire communities. I love getting to explore the range of human experiences and build worlds on stage with my fellow theatre artists.

In January of this year, I spent two weeks at American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin, participating in their new Shakespeare intensive, The Language Project. I had the incredible opportunity to dive into a two-week course on text analysis led by APT core company actors Tracy Arnold and Jim Ridge. 

In April, I produced my capstone project, a staged reading of my new play, Dear Ophelia. The play follows Marty as she tries to tell the audience the story of her relationship with her former lover, Clara. Centered around themes of grief and love, Dear Ophelia explores the way we deal with reality when it doesn’t look the way we’ve imagined it.

Additionally, I worked as a Learning Apprentice at Shakespeare Theatre Company throughout the 2025-2026 school year. As an apprentice, I assisted with both youth and adult classes, student matinees, and administrative work. It has been a joy to work alongside the STC team and share my love of theatre in an educational setting!

​Following my apprenticeship, I was given the opportunity to work as a Student Teacher and Assistant Camp Coordinator at STC's Camp Shakespeare this summer. I am thrilled to be spending my summer introducing kids to the magic of Shakespeare!