NIKOS KARATHANOS

Nikolaos Karathanos was born in Athens in 1967, originating from Evrytania, Greece. He studied at the Pedagogical Academy of Rhodes and at the National Theatre of Greece Drama School.

His directing work includes the following:
  • 2006 "Julius Caesar" by W. Shakespeare, National Theatre of Greece
  • 2008 "Eight Women" by R. Thomas, Athens and Epidaurus Festival
  • 2010 "Cyrano de Bergerac" by E. Rostand, National Theatre of Greece
  • 2012 Opening Ceremony at the Ancient Theatre of Delphi
  • 2013 "Golfo" by S. Peressiadis, National Theatre of Greece
  • 2014 "Decameron - An adaption on Boccaccio's play", National Theatre of Greece
  • 2015 "Cherry Orchard" by A. Chekhov, Onassis Cultural Center
  • 2015 "Salome" based on the oratorio San Giavoanni Battista by Alessandro Stradella, Athens and Epidaurus Festival
  • 2016 "Birds" by Aristophanes, Ancient Theater of Epidaurus & Onassis Cultural Center
  • 2017-2018 "Operetta" by W. Gombrowicz, National Theatre of Greece
  • 2018 "Birds" by Aristophanes, St. Ann's Warehouse - Brooklyn, NY
  • 2021 "Prometheus" by Aeschylus “Prometheus Bound”, Onassis Cultural Center

"Birds" was named among the top-10 performances of 2018 in the US by "New York Magazine", and in 2020 was performed at the prestigious Santiago a Mil festival, Chile, by a cast including Greek actors, as well as Brazilian ones of the Passinho Carioca group.

He has received many awards for his work, both himself and the members of his group.
He has collaborated with the National Theater of Greece, the Greek National Opera, the Athens and Epidaurus Festival, as well as with numerous private and regional theaters, but also with Getty Museum, Los Angeles.

As an actor, he has collaborated with the directors Anatoli Vassiliev, Dimiter Gotscheff, Yorgos Lanthimos, Jossi Wieler, Matthias Langhoff, John Madden, Yannis Houvardas, Michael Marmarinos, Dimitris Mavrikios, Vasilis Papavasiliou, et al.
He has played the leading role in many performances of the classical and contemporary repertory and has taken part in tours across Greece and internationally.

Karathanos teaches at the National Theater of Greece Drama School (Stage Direction Department) and has taught at the University UCRA, Rio de Janeiro.

Films on his work:
  • "Golfo at Epidaurus", dir. Elias Giannakakis
  • "The Cherry Orchard, Mickey Mouse and Nikos Karathanos", dir. Elias Giannakakis
  • "Birds (or How to Be One)", dir. Babis Makridis

Artistic Research

As part of the Onassis AiR Pilot Professional Development Fellowships (2018), Nikos Karathanos conducted a multi-phase program of research trips, attending the 50th anniversary of Steirischer Herbst Festival, in Graz. Austria, followed by studio visits to performing and visual artists in the Netherland and Belgium, as well as meetings with venue, festival, and residency program directors, concluding with a practice-based phenomenological research trip to Brazil’s diverse urban and rural areas, Argentina, and Chile.