Kristine Nielsen Brings Sharp Humor and Hidden Depth to Rajiv Joseph’s Archduke at Roundabout Theatre Company
Kristine Nielsen, one of the theater world’s most reliable scene-stealers, is back Off-Broadway with a role that seems almost engineered for her trademark mix of sharp wit and controlled chaos. She stars as Sladjana, an unpredictable and wildly entertaining cook in Rajiv Joseph’s dark comedy Archduke, now running at Roundabout Theatre Company’s Laura Pels Theatre.
This New York production offers a fresh and offbeat look at the events surrounding the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the act that famously set off World War I.
The role came to Nielsen in a very organic way. She has collaborated numerous times with Darko Tresnjak, the director of this production, including at Williamstown and on The Killer at TFANA. She says she trusts him completely and would do practically anything he asks. The project also found its way to her through her co-star Patrick Page, with whom she appears on the HBO series The Gilded Age. Page tipped her off that a script was heading her way and urged her to consider it. Once she read it, she immediately signed on, expecting—correctly—that the play would be a ride.
Nielsen and Page’s chemistry is something seasoned theatergoers will instantly recognize. She jokes about working with “Mr. Shakespeare,” a nickname Page earned for his mastery of classical material. Both would gladly collaborate again, and Tresnjak has floated the idea of finding them a farce. Nielsen is less certain she wants that much sprinting at this stage of her career, but she does have dream projects in mind. She mentions Peter Shaffer’s Black Comedy as a play with great roles for many of her long-time friends. She also notes that she and Page might make a compelling pair in August Strindberg’s Dance of Death, a bleak piece that becomes unexpectedly funny when handled just right.
Even though Archduke gives audiences only glimpses of Sladjana’s past, Nielsen created a full backstory to anchor her performance. She sees Sladjana as someone forced into servitude, constantly aware that her captain holds absolute power over her. Any moments where she undercuts him must be subtle enough not to get her killed. She also built in a personal connection to the play’s conflict: in her imagined history, Sladjana lost her entire family during the period the play references. Nielsen says that kind of emotional grounding gives her something solid to rely on during performances.
Known for her unforgettable line readings, Nielsen resists doing too much prep before rehearsals begin. She avoids locking herself into a single interpretation. Instead, she depends heavily on exchanging energy with her fellow actors—especially Page. Their scenes require intense listening, and she enjoys the unpredictability that comes with fresh discoveries each night, even when a moment occasionally falls flat.
Nielsen also shares the stage with three actors making their Off-Broadway debuts: Jake Berne, Adrien Rolet, and Jason Sanchez. She has taken on a light mentorship role, especially around proper breathing and voice projection in the Laura Pels Theatre’s unusual acoustics. Their enthusiasm impresses her—they arrive early, work hard, and embrace every part of the experience. The only thing she avoids is reminiscing about theater legends from her past; the younger cast doesn’t always recognize names like Jason Robards or José Quintero, so she prefers to keep conversations in the present.
Looking ahead, Nielsen still hopes to work with playwrights she admires but hasn’t yet performed, including Richard Nelson—who once served as her literary manager at the Guthrie Theater—and Tracy Letts, whom she frequently sees at awards shows thanks to her connection to Carrie Coon, Letts’s wife and her Gilded Age co-star.
For more on the production and performance details, you can visit the Roundabout Theatre Company website at this link.
