Historical Comical: A Shakespeare Double Bill, by Bill!
Historical Comical is a bold, devised theatre production from Theatre UAF that dives into the ambition, absurdity, and contradictions of power through two sharply reimagined Shakespeare pieces. Act I offers a dreamlike, haunting take on Henry V, where heroic speeches cloak a ruthless pursuit of conquest, crafted and performed by UAF students and community actors. Act II erupts into The Comedy of Errors, a wild farce of mistaken identities set against the chaos of a tariff war, complete with mask work and mayhem. With live music, vibrant lighting, and imaginative use of UAF’s stock materials, this “Blanket Fort Theatre” brings history into sharp, hilarious focus. Rooted in the spirit of Fairbanks, Historical Comical explores the relevance of Shakespeare’s themes in today’s world—questioning authority, finding joy in chaos, and celebrating community. Directed by Tom Robenolt.
WHAT:
Historical Comical
WHO:
Theatre UAF, directed by Tom Robenolt
WHERE:
Lee H. Salisbury Lab Theatre, UAF Fine Arts Complex
WHEN:
November 6-16th, 2025
About the Director
Tom Robenolt is a seasoned director and actor with a career in Shakespearean and contemporary theatre. A former director and performer with Fairbanks Shakespeare and Perseverance Theatre, Tom has performed for audiences across the United States and internationally. His notable roles include Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night, Iago in Othello, Macbeth, and Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. Tom toured the tri-state area with the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s Shakespeare LIVE! program, performing in three productions, and has appeared in numerous mainstage productions with the company. Through the NEA Shakespeare in American Communities grant, Tom toured Shakespeare productions to Alaska’s villages and towns, fostering access to theatre in remote areas. He directed Lear Khehkwaii, a Gwich’in language revitalization project with Allan Hayton, bringing this innovative adaptation to Arctic Village, Fort Yukon, Nome, Kotzebue, Homer, Tok, Kenai, Palmer, Wasilla, and Anchorage. Recently, he directed Seminar at Theatre UAF and is excited to be back to direct an original concept, Historical Comical: A Shakespeare Double Bill, by Bill!