Gus Kaikkonen’s directing credits include the New York production of HINDLE WAKES, nominated as Outstanding Revival by both the 2018 Drama Desk Awards and the Off Broadway Alliance. His production of THIS VERSE BUSINESS starring Gordon Clapp won the Best of Festival Award at New York's United Solo Festival. He won two New Hampshire Theater Awards for Direction in 2018 for his productions of THE PRODUCERS and THE DOCTORS DILEMMA. He directed his own new translations of DR. KNOCK and DONOGOO at the Mint, as well as the New York premieres of N.C. Hunter’s A PICTURE OF AUTUMN, Harley Granville-Barker’s THE VOYSEY INHERITANCE and FAREWELL TO THE THEATRE and St. John Hankin’s THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME, as well as Barker’s THE MADRAS HOUSE, all at the Mint; THE PHILANDERER, TARTUFFE, ARMS AND THE MAN, THE GENTLEMAN DANCING MASTER, I HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE, and HEARTBREAK HOUSE at the Pearl, MACBETH with Stephen McHattie, CANDIDA with Laurie Kennedy at Playhouse 91, RICHARD III with Austin Pendleton at Riverside Shakespeare, ANTIGONE (Wall Street Journal Best of 2006) and ART for the Phoenix Theatre Ensemble, Andrew John’s FRIDAYS with Henderson Forsythe, Trish Johnson’s SECOND PRIZE: TWO MONTHS IN LENINGRAD with J. Smith-Cameron, and Susan Sandler’s UNDER THE BED at HB Playwrights.
In the regions, he has directed at Goodspeed, Ford’s Theatre (TRYING with James Whitmore), Geva, the Asolo, the Philadelphia Theatre Company and the Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival, BoarsHead Theatre, Cohoes Music Hall, the Springer Opera House, and the Coconut Grove Playhouse (ABOUT TIME with Theodore Bikel). For a season he was the resident assistant director for the Washington Opera at the Kennedy Center. From 1990-93 he was the Artistic Director of Riverside Shakespeare Company in NYC, during which time he produced three seasons of works by Shakespeare and Shaw, as well as the world premiere of IRON BARS, by Arpad Goncz, the President of Hungary.
Mr. Kaikkonen’s plays, translations and adaptations have been produced Off Broadway at the Mint Theatre, the Pearl Theatre Company, New York Musical Theatre Festival, Playwrights Horizons, the Production Company; in England at the New End Theatre and the Theatre Museum in London, and at Alan Aykbourne’s Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough; and at regional theatres across the US. Awards include the Lecomte du Nouys Playwriting Award, a Michigan Arts Council Playwriting grant, Thurber and MacDowell Fellowships, and two NYSCA writing grants. The American Theatre Critics’ Association selected his play, TIME STEPS, produced at the BoarsHead Theatre, as one of the ten best plays to open outside of New York. His musical CINDY REILLY won Michigan’s Thespie Award for Best New Play. His musical PEOPLE LIKE US, written with Todd Almond, won the 2002 New Hampshire Theatre Award for best new play.
He is an eleven time winner of the New Hampshire Theater Award for Best Director. He has worked as a visiting artist at Juilliard, NYU, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, the University of Houston, Hofstra, Hendrix College, Connecticut College, and Louisiana College. He has taught at Shakespeare at Queens College and Playwriting at the Ohio State University.
He made his Broadway acting debut in the original cast of EQUUS. Other New York credits include THE MEMORY EXAM by Steven Fechter at 59E59 (September 2022) Tommy Tune’s American premiere production of CLOUD 9, and THE COUNTRY GIRL with Hal Holbrook. He has acted in A DAY BY THE SEA, MARY BROOME and HOUSE OF MIRTH at the Mint Theater. On television he co-starred in the PBS production of Willa Cather’s PAUL’S CASE with Eric Roberts, has appeared on Law & Order SVU and Criminal Intent, and has had continuing roles on ABC’s ALL MY CHILDREN and ONE LIFE TO LIVE. He has performed at the Long Wharf, Folger, Goodman, Asolo, GeVa, Arden, American Heartland, Aspen, and BoarsHead Theatres, and the Coconut Grove Playhouse, where he was nominated for a Carbonell Award by the Southeastern Theatre Critics Association. He received Vermont’s 2000 Bessie Award for Best Actor for RICHARD III at the Lost Nation Theatre. He is a member of SDC, AEA, SAG-AFTRA, and the Dramatists Guild.
From 1996 until 2021 Mr. Kaikkonen was the Artistic Director of the Peterborough Players, an AEA CORST professional theatre in Peterborough, NH. There he directed over sixty plays including the world premieres of AULD LANG SYNE by Jack Neary (New Hampshire Theater Award for Best Play 2012), THIS VERSE BUSINESS by A.M. Dolan, his own plays, PEOPLE LIKE US (New Hamphire Theater Award for Best Play 2003) and SOLIDARITY and his own new verse translation of TARTUFFE. Under his aegis the Players have successfully completed two major capital campaigns to renovate the theater, expand the seating capacity and build on-site housing for 24. He was educated at Georgetown University.
In the regions, he has directed at Goodspeed, Ford’s Theatre (TRYING with James Whitmore), Geva, the Asolo, the Philadelphia Theatre Company and the Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival, BoarsHead Theatre, Cohoes Music Hall, the Springer Opera House, and the Coconut Grove Playhouse (ABOUT TIME with Theodore Bikel). For a season he was the resident assistant director for the Washington Opera at the Kennedy Center. From 1990-93 he was the Artistic Director of Riverside Shakespeare Company in NYC, during which time he produced three seasons of works by Shakespeare and Shaw, as well as the world premiere of IRON BARS, by Arpad Goncz, the President of Hungary.
Mr. Kaikkonen’s plays, translations and adaptations have been produced Off Broadway at the Mint Theatre, the Pearl Theatre Company, New York Musical Theatre Festival, Playwrights Horizons, the Production Company; in England at the New End Theatre and the Theatre Museum in London, and at Alan Aykbourne’s Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough; and at regional theatres across the US. Awards include the Lecomte du Nouys Playwriting Award, a Michigan Arts Council Playwriting grant, Thurber and MacDowell Fellowships, and two NYSCA writing grants. The American Theatre Critics’ Association selected his play, TIME STEPS, produced at the BoarsHead Theatre, as one of the ten best plays to open outside of New York. His musical CINDY REILLY won Michigan’s Thespie Award for Best New Play. His musical PEOPLE LIKE US, written with Todd Almond, won the 2002 New Hampshire Theatre Award for best new play.
He is an eleven time winner of the New Hampshire Theater Award for Best Director. He has worked as a visiting artist at Juilliard, NYU, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, the University of Houston, Hofstra, Hendrix College, Connecticut College, and Louisiana College. He has taught at Shakespeare at Queens College and Playwriting at the Ohio State University.
He made his Broadway acting debut in the original cast of EQUUS. Other New York credits include THE MEMORY EXAM by Steven Fechter at 59E59 (September 2022) Tommy Tune’s American premiere production of CLOUD 9, and THE COUNTRY GIRL with Hal Holbrook. He has acted in A DAY BY THE SEA, MARY BROOME and HOUSE OF MIRTH at the Mint Theater. On television he co-starred in the PBS production of Willa Cather’s PAUL’S CASE with Eric Roberts, has appeared on Law & Order SVU and Criminal Intent, and has had continuing roles on ABC’s ALL MY CHILDREN and ONE LIFE TO LIVE. He has performed at the Long Wharf, Folger, Goodman, Asolo, GeVa, Arden, American Heartland, Aspen, and BoarsHead Theatres, and the Coconut Grove Playhouse, where he was nominated for a Carbonell Award by the Southeastern Theatre Critics Association. He received Vermont’s 2000 Bessie Award for Best Actor for RICHARD III at the Lost Nation Theatre. He is a member of SDC, AEA, SAG-AFTRA, and the Dramatists Guild.
From 1996 until 2021 Mr. Kaikkonen was the Artistic Director of the Peterborough Players, an AEA CORST professional theatre in Peterborough, NH. There he directed over sixty plays including the world premieres of AULD LANG SYNE by Jack Neary (New Hampshire Theater Award for Best Play 2012), THIS VERSE BUSINESS by A.M. Dolan, his own plays, PEOPLE LIKE US (New Hamphire Theater Award for Best Play 2003) and SOLIDARITY and his own new verse translation of TARTUFFE. Under his aegis the Players have successfully completed two major capital campaigns to renovate the theater, expand the seating capacity and build on-site housing for 24. He was educated at Georgetown University.
GUS KAIKKONEN Director
[email protected]
Luedtke Agency (Penny Luedtke)
212 765 9564
484 West 43rd Street Apt 40H
New York, NY 10036
Member: sdc
www.guskaikkonen.com
NEW YORK THEATER:
Hindle Wakes (Mint Theater at the Clurman) 2018 Drama Desk Award nominee for Outstanding Revival. 2018 Off Broadway Alliance nominee for Best Revival.
This Verse Business (with Gordon Clapp) Selected Best Production in the 2013 United Solo Festival
A Picture of Autumn (with George Morfogen, Jonathan Hogan) Mint Theater
Dr. Knock, Mint Theater
Donogoo, Mint Theater
The Philanderer, Pearl Theater Co at City Center
The Madras House (with George Morfogen, Roberta Maxwell) Mint Theater
Janie Condon: Raw and Unchained, St. Luke's and EST
Tartuffe, Pearl Theater Co.
Art, Phoenix Theater Ensemble
Antigone (Wall Street Journal 10 Best 2006), Phoenix Theater
Arms and the Man, Pearl Theater Company
The Gentleman Dancing Master (NY premiere) Pearl Theater
People Like Us (with Matt Bogart, Pamela Bob) NYMF
I Have Been Here Before, Pearl Theater Company
Under the Bed (World premiere with Cynthia Harris) HB Playwrights Theater
Heartbreak House (with George Morfogen) Pearl Theater Co.
The Charity that Began at Home (with Kristin Griffith) Mint Theater
Anna Karenina (with Melissa Errico, Patrick Page) York Theater
The Voysey Inheritance (NY premiere with George Morfogen) Mint Theater
Candida (with Laurie Kennedy) Riverside Shakespeare at Playhouse 91
Second Prize: Two Months in Leningrad (w/ J. Smith-Cameron) Perry Street Theater
MacBeth (with Stephen McHattie) Riverside Shakespeare at Playhouse 91
Fridays (with Henderson Forsythe) Riverside Shakespeare at Playhouse 91
Richard III (with Austin Pendleton) Riverside Shakespeare
Ivanov (with William Sadler), ETC
Love's Labour's Lost, Greenwich Mews Theater
REGIONAL
The Producers at Peterborough Players, NH THeater Award for Best Direction of a Musical
The Doctor's Dilemma at Peterborough, NH Theater Award for Best Direction of a Play
Breath Of Life by David Hare (American premiere) Peterborough Players
Auld Lang Syne (World premiere with Gordon Clapp) Peterborough Players
This Verse Business (World premiere with Gordon Clapp) Peterborough Players, Merrimack Rep, Lost Nation, Northern Stage
Trying (with James Whitmore) Ford's Theater
I Do! I Do! (with Kirby and Bev Ward) Peterborough Players
About Time (with James Whitmore) Peterborough Players
About Time (with Theodore Bikel) Coconut Grove Playhouse
Peter Pan (musical version) Springer Opera House
Measure for Measure (with Gordon Clapp) Peterborough Players
Our Town (with James Whitmore, Mary Beth Hurt) Peterborough Players
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (with Jayne Houdyshell) Peterborough Players
Shirley Valentine (with Jayne Houdyshell) Peterborough Players
Peter Pan, Asolo Theater Company
Waiting for Godot, BoarsHead Theater
Syncopation, Asolo Theater Company, Peterborough Players
MacBeth, Philadelphia Shakespeare Company
Lincoln in Love (musical with Richard Todd Adams) Goodspeed Opera, York Theater
Fully Committed (Philadelphia premiere) Philadelphia Theater Company, Coconut Grove Playhouse, Asolo, Peterborough, BoarsHead, Act 2 Playhouse
Romeo and Juliet, Peterborough Players
As You Like It, Peterborough Players
Twelfth Night (Best Production, Direction, Handy Award and
Sarasota Magazine 2002) Asolo Theater Company
42nd Street, Glassboro Summer Theater
Pippin, Glassboro Summer Theater
The Voysey Inheritance, Asolo Theater
Dinner with Friends, Florida Rep
Pitz and Joe (World premiere, with Josh Brolin), GeVa Theater
A Streetcar Named Desire, GeVa Theater
Mass Appeal, GeVa Theater
The Promise, Northlight Rep
From 1996 until 2021 Mr. Kaikkonen was the Artistic Director of the Peterborough Players, an AEA CORST professional theatre in Peterborough, NH. For 9 years he was a resident director at the Juilliard School. He was educated at Georgetown University. A playwright as well, his plays have been produced at Playwrights Horizons, the Juilliard School, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Commonwealth Stage, Cohoes Music Hall, BoarsHead and Attic Theatres, Paramus and George Street Playhouses, and the New End Theatre, the Stephen Joseph Theatre and Theatre Museum in England. Awards include a NYSCA playwriting grant and a NYSCA translation grant, the Lecomte du Nouys Playwriting Award, a MacDowell Fellowship, the 2003 New Hampshire Theatre Award for Best New Play, seven NH Theater Awards for Best Direction, and the James Thurber Fellowship.
Actor
GUS KAIKKONEN Actor (AEA SAG AFTRA)
Agent: Penny Luedtke 212 765 9564
OFF BROADWAY
THE MEMORY EXAM, Tom, (Oberon Theater at 59E59)
directed by Terrence O'Brien
A DAY BY THE SEA. William Gregson, Beckett Theater (Mint)
directed by Austin Pendleton
MARY BROOME, Edward Timbrell, Mint Theatre
directed by Jonathan Bank
THE HOUSE OF MIRTH, Lawrence Selden, Mint Theatre
directed by Jonathan Bank
THE PALACE OF AMATEURS, Beebe, Slim understudy, Minetta Lane
w/Laura Dern, dir. Norman Rene
CLOUD 9 dir. by Tommy Tune, Kathy/Joshua, Lucille Lortel
THE COUNTRY GIRL, Paul Unger, Chelsea Playhouse
w/Hal Holbrook, Christine Lahti
A LUV MUSICAL, Milt/Harry understudy, Jack Lawrence Theater
w/ Judy Kaye, dir. Larry Fuller (understudy for Nathan Lane)
FEMALE TRANSPORT, Surgeon, Performing Garage
BROADWAY
EQUUS Horse (Original Cast), Plymouth Theatre
w/Anthony Hopkins, Richard Burton, Leonard Nimoy
TELEVISION AND FILM
LAW AND ORDER CI “Renewal”, Mr. Duffy, NBC
LAW AND ORDER SVU, Rape Suspect, NBC
ALL MY CHILDREN, Barry (recurring), ABC
ONE LIFE TO LIVE, Hotel Manager (recurring), ABC
PAUL’S CASE dir. Lamont Johnson, Charlie Edwards, PBS
Co-starring role w/ Eric Roberts, Lindsay Crouse
NATIONAL COMPANY and REGIONAL
ANNAPURNA, Ulysses, Peterborough Players
RED, Mark Rothko, Peterborough Players
(Flanders Acting Award)
GODSPELL, Judas/Lamar, Ford’s Theatre
COPENHAGEN, Bohr, Peterborough Players
A NUMBER, Salter, Peterborough Players
AND THEN THEY CAME FOR ME, Eric, Arden Theatre
RICHARD III, Edward IV, Pioneer Theatre
OTHELLO, Iago, Lost Nation Theatre
TAMING OF THE SHREW, Petruchio, Lost Nation Theatre
RICHARD III, Richard, Lost Nation Theatre
(Vermont Arts Award “Bessie” BEST ACTOR 1999-2000)
THE WINTER’S TALE, Leontes, Lost Nation Theatre, Peterborough Players
SYLVIA dir. Daniel Fish, Greg, Peterborough Players
OLEANNA, John, Peterborough Players
RED, Rothko, Peterborough Players
I HATE HAMLET, John Barrymore, Aspen Theatre in the Park
THE MISER dir. Douglas Campbell, Valere, BoarsHead Theatre
CANDIDA, Morell, BoarsHead & Peterborough
THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP, Lady Enid/Nicodemus, American Heartland
(Also at BoarsHead: Winner THESPIE AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR)
CYRANO DE BERGERAC w/Anthony Zerbe, Brissailles, Long Wharf Theatre
BENITO CERENO, Benito Cereno, Goodman Theatre
Dir. Michael Montel, w/Robert Guillaume
DON JUAN, Don Carlos, Goodman Theatre
THE SHADOW BOX, Mark, Coconut Grove Playhouse
(CARBONELL Nomination BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR)
OTHELLO, Cassio, Coconut Grove Playhouse
Agent: Penny Luedtke 212 765 9564
OFF BROADWAY
THE MEMORY EXAM, Tom, (Oberon Theater at 59E59)
directed by Terrence O'Brien
A DAY BY THE SEA. William Gregson, Beckett Theater (Mint)
directed by Austin Pendleton
MARY BROOME, Edward Timbrell, Mint Theatre
directed by Jonathan Bank
THE HOUSE OF MIRTH, Lawrence Selden, Mint Theatre
directed by Jonathan Bank
THE PALACE OF AMATEURS, Beebe, Slim understudy, Minetta Lane
w/Laura Dern, dir. Norman Rene
CLOUD 9 dir. by Tommy Tune, Kathy/Joshua, Lucille Lortel
THE COUNTRY GIRL, Paul Unger, Chelsea Playhouse
w/Hal Holbrook, Christine Lahti
A LUV MUSICAL, Milt/Harry understudy, Jack Lawrence Theater
w/ Judy Kaye, dir. Larry Fuller (understudy for Nathan Lane)
FEMALE TRANSPORT, Surgeon, Performing Garage
BROADWAY
EQUUS Horse (Original Cast), Plymouth Theatre
w/Anthony Hopkins, Richard Burton, Leonard Nimoy
TELEVISION AND FILM
LAW AND ORDER CI “Renewal”, Mr. Duffy, NBC
LAW AND ORDER SVU, Rape Suspect, NBC
ALL MY CHILDREN, Barry (recurring), ABC
ONE LIFE TO LIVE, Hotel Manager (recurring), ABC
PAUL’S CASE dir. Lamont Johnson, Charlie Edwards, PBS
Co-starring role w/ Eric Roberts, Lindsay Crouse
NATIONAL COMPANY and REGIONAL
ANNAPURNA, Ulysses, Peterborough Players
RED, Mark Rothko, Peterborough Players
(Flanders Acting Award)
GODSPELL, Judas/Lamar, Ford’s Theatre
COPENHAGEN, Bohr, Peterborough Players
A NUMBER, Salter, Peterborough Players
AND THEN THEY CAME FOR ME, Eric, Arden Theatre
RICHARD III, Edward IV, Pioneer Theatre
OTHELLO, Iago, Lost Nation Theatre
TAMING OF THE SHREW, Petruchio, Lost Nation Theatre
RICHARD III, Richard, Lost Nation Theatre
(Vermont Arts Award “Bessie” BEST ACTOR 1999-2000)
THE WINTER’S TALE, Leontes, Lost Nation Theatre, Peterborough Players
SYLVIA dir. Daniel Fish, Greg, Peterborough Players
OLEANNA, John, Peterborough Players
RED, Rothko, Peterborough Players
I HATE HAMLET, John Barrymore, Aspen Theatre in the Park
THE MISER dir. Douglas Campbell, Valere, BoarsHead Theatre
CANDIDA, Morell, BoarsHead & Peterborough
THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP, Lady Enid/Nicodemus, American Heartland
(Also at BoarsHead: Winner THESPIE AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR)
CYRANO DE BERGERAC w/Anthony Zerbe, Brissailles, Long Wharf Theatre
BENITO CERENO, Benito Cereno, Goodman Theatre
Dir. Michael Montel, w/Robert Guillaume
DON JUAN, Don Carlos, Goodman Theatre
THE SHADOW BOX, Mark, Coconut Grove Playhouse
(CARBONELL Nomination BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR)
OTHELLO, Cassio, Coconut Grove Playhouse
Playwright
Gus Kaikkonen, Playwright
Member: The Dramatists Guild
Original works for the theatre:
TIME STEPS (RAMBLINGS) produced by Playwrights Horizons, BoarsHead Theatre (3 different productions), Juilliard School, Commonwealth Stage, Attic Theatre. Selected as one of ten best plays to open outside New York by the American Theatre Critics Association 1979.
FOOL OF HEARTS produced by Paramus Playhouse, Cohoes Music Hall, BoarsHead Theatre
THE CHINESE VIEWING PAVILION produced Off Broadway (Production Company), BoarsHead Theatre, University of Maryland (Baltimore)
POTHOLES commissioned by Actors Theatre of Louisville, produced by West Bank Café, BoarsHead; and in London at the New End Theatre, Theatre Museum, Covent Garden and the Stephen Joseph Theatre; published by Dramatists Play Service
WHAT ARE FRIENDS FOR? (one act) Commissioned and produced by Actors Theatre of Louisville
TEN MINUTES, PLEASE (one act)
SOLIDARITY produced by Peterborough Players, Best New Play Nomination, New Hampshire Theatre Awards 2006
CINDY REILLY (musical co-written with Kraig Swartz and Ellen Mandel) commissioned and produced by BoarsHead Theatre, also produced Peterborough Players. Best New Play, Michigan’s Thespie Award
PEOPLE LIKE US (musical co-written with Todd Almond) produced in workshop at the York Theatre, full production at Peterborough Players and New York Musical Theatre Festival. Winner Best New Play, New Hampshire Theatre Award 2002, 54 Below (2014)
Adaptations
THE VOYSEY INHERITANCE, produced Off Broadway by the Mint Theatre, also at the Asolo Theatre. Published in Harley Granville-Barker Reclaimed, Granville Press 2007.
THE GENTLEMAN DANCING MASTER, produced Off Broadway at the Pearl Theatre
THE MADRAS HOUSE, produced Off Broadway at the Mint Theatre. Published in Harley Granville-Barker Reclaimed, Granville Press 2007.
LITTLE WOMEN, produced at Peterborough Players
LITTLE MEN, produced at Peterborough Players
ANNE OF GREEN GABLES, produced at Peterborough Players
A DOLL HOUSE by Ibsen, produced at Louisiana College and the Peterborough Players
SHERLOCK!, produced at Peterborough Players.
Translations
DONOGOO-TONKA by Jules Romains, commissioned by the Mint Theater for production in 2014. (Written on a grant from NYSCA)
DR. KNOCK by Jules Romains, produced Off Broadway at the Mint Theatre
TARTUFFE by Moliere, a new verse translation produced (Summer 2010) at Peterborough Players
Novel
DETROIT
Screenplay
HEMINGWAY’S BUICK
Museum Plays/Videos
Three site-specific plays written on commission from the Walters Art Gallery with support from the NEA, The Getty Foundation, and the Lila Wallace Acheson Fund:
ECHOES OF THE MIDDLE AGES
OF COURTS AND COURTSHIP
PASSPORT TO PARIS
Honors
Thurber Fellowship (Ohio State University)
MacDowell Colony Fellowship
Le Compte du Nouys Playwrighting Award
American Theater Critics Association Award for TIME STEPS: One of Ten Best Plays to open outside NYC
New York State Council on the Arts CAPS Grant
New York State Council on the Arts Translation Grant
Michigan Arts Council Grant
New Hampshire Theater Award for PEOPLE LIKE US, Best New Play