Helene Kvale

Helene Kvale is an actor, director, writer and teacher. She worked as a stage, television and film actor in London before joining the Department of Dramatic Arts at the University of Connecticut where she teaches BFA Acting. She regularly directs at the Connecticut Repertory Theater and is the founding artistic director of Bated Breath Theatre Company. Helene has written several scripts as a screenwriter including Burning Blue, released theatrically in 2014. Helene graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science, with a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Anthropology. She then trained at The Drama Studio, London, receiving her post graduate actor training diploma. As an actor, Helene performed on the West End stage in Burning Blue (winner of 2 Olivier Awards), Life During Wartime, and To Kill A Mockingbird. She also starred in numerous regional and touring productions including The Secret Rapture, Roman and Marys, Diary of Anne Frank, Getting Out, Brand, Canadian Gothic, Sexual Perversity in Chicago. Helene was part of the National Theatre Company playing Lady Anne opposite Ian McKellen in Richard III and in King Lear (Brian Cox) as well as Napoli Milionaria. At the NT Studio she played opposite Ray Winstone in Shift and in Gitta's Atonement, directed by Brian Cox. Helene has appeared in many television dramas including Prime Suspect 4, Soldier Soldier, Daddy's Girl, London Bridge, This Life, Deceit, Lovejoy and The Bill to name a few. Film work includes Tomorrow La Scala! (British Academy Award Nomination and Juried at the Cannes Film Festival), Talk and 5:45 (Winner Berlin Short Film Festival). Helene is also a screenwriter and theater director. She co-wrote the independent films Burning Blue (distributed by Lionsgate 2014) and When You're Not Looking (in development). She translated A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen and co wrote The Parkville Project for Bated Breath Theatre Company. In 2003, Helene joined the faculty in the Department of Dramatic Arts at the University of Connecticut as Assistant Professor in Residence teaching on the BFA and MFA program. She was the founding Artistic Director of Bated Breath Theatre Company in Hartford where she produced, conceived and directed Hunger, The Parkville Project and her translation of A Doll's House at the Gene Frankel Theater in New York. Helene regularly directs for The Connecticut Repertory Theatre including Eurydice, Big Love, Pride and Prejudice, Too Much Memory, The Skin of Our Teeth and Gut Girls. She also directed Marat/Sade for the D Series. Helene is an alumna of The Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab.