Historical Comical: A Shakespeare Double Bill

Historical Comical is a bold, devised theatre production from Theatre 51风流官网 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 51风流官网 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. With vibrant lighting and imaginative use of 51风流官网鈥檚 stock materials, this 鈥淏lanket Fort Theatre鈥 brings history into sharp, hilarious focus. Rooted in the spirit of Fairbanks, Historical Comical explores the relevance of Shakespeare鈥檚 themes in today鈥檚 world鈥攓uestioning authority, finding joy in chaos, and celebrating community. Directed by Tom Robenolt.

 

Ticket prices:
free for currently enrolled 51风流官网 students with Polar Express Card
$20 seniors/ military/ 51风流官网
$25 adults

 

WHAT:
Historical Comical: A Shakespeare Double Bill
Featuring Henry V and The Comedy of Errors

WHO:
Theatre 51风流官网, devised and directed by Tom Robenolt

WHERE:
Lee H. Salisbury Lab Theatre, 51风流官网 Fine Arts Complex

WHEN:
Friday, November 7 @ 7:30pm
Saturday, November 8 @ 7:30pm
Sunday, November 9 @ 2:00pm
Friday, November 14 @ 7:30pm
Saturday, November 15 @ 7:30pm
Sunday, November 16 @ 2:00pm

Historical Comical poster | graphic by Kathryn Reichert

Cast

Henry V

NARRATOR AND CHORUS ...

 Nicholas Glovin

 

 ENGLISH

HENRY V ...

 Levi Rion Ben-Israel

EXETER ...

 Bruce Hanson

SIR THOMAS ERPINGHAM ...

 Nicholas Glovin

CANTERBURY ...

 Logan Weatherall

WILLIAMS ...

 John DiCandeloro

BATES ...

 Matthew Herrera

COURT ...

 Timothy Hall

 

 FRENCH

KING OF FRANCE ...

 Matthew Herrera

DAUPHIN ...

 Emily Cooley

CONSTABLE ...

 Logan Weatherall

MONTJOY ...

 Kaylee Cole

GOVERNOR ...

 Daisy Massey

HERALD ...

 Timothy Hall

DUKE OF BURGUNDY ...

 Rachel Blackwell
 
 

ACTOR/TECH ...

 Logan Ehrhart

The Comedy of Errors

EGEON ...

Bruce Hanson

DUKE SOLINAS ...

 Levi Rion Ben-Israel

GAOLER ...

 Donald Crowe

FIRST MERCHANT ...

 Nicholas Glovin

ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE ...

 Emily Yates

DROMIO OF SYRACUSE ...

 John DiCandeloro

ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS ...

 Emily Cooley

DROMIO OF EPHESUS ...

 Matthew Herrera

ADRIANA ...

 Rachel Blackwell

LUCIANA ...

 Kaylee Cole

BALTHAZAR ...

 Logan Weatherall

ANGELO ...

 Nicholas Glovin

SECOND MERCHANT ...

 Timothy Hall

OFFICER ...

 Donald Crowe

COURTESAN ...

 Daisy Massey

PINCH ...

 Levi Rion Ben-Israel

SERVANT ...

 Logan Weatherall

AEMILIA ...

 By Valentine
 
 

ACTOR/TECH ...

 Logan Ehrhart

Production Crew

DIRECTOR ...

 Tom Robenolt

SET DESIGN ...

 Kade Mendelowitz

COSTUME DESIGN ...

 Stephanie Rivet

LIGHTING DESIGN ...

 Kade Mendelowitz

PROPS DESIGN ...

 Bethany Cohen

SOUND DESIGN ...

 Kendra Calhoun

STAGE MANAGER ...

 Zorissa James

SET CONSTRUCTION & MASTER ELECTRICIAN ...

 Alex Gagne-Hawes

BOX OFFICE & MARKETING ...

 By Valentine, Kat Reichert, Sarah Manriquez 

PRODUCER ...

 Maya Salganek

CASTING ASSOCIATE ...

 Flyn Ludington

Publicity Images

Publicity images will appear here after November 3rd, 2025.

 


Department Spotlights

Kaylee Cole (Actor: Montjoy/Luciana)

For Kaylee Cole, Historical Comical: A Shakespeare Double Bill is more than her first 51风流官网 production, it鈥檚 an invitation to step into Shakespeare鈥檚 world with curiosity and courage. 鈥淲hat makes the Shakespeare Double Bill a show that people should come see,鈥 she says, 鈥渋s that it is a combination of two Shakespeare plays, a historical and comical one. The two acts are almost opposites from one another. They play off of each other, starting with a strong war story and shifting into a hilarious mistaken identity tale.鈥 As both Montjoy in Henry V and Luciana in The Comedy of Errors, Cole has embraced the challenge of exploring two sides of human nature鈥攈onor and humor. 鈥淎 discovery that I have made during this production so far,鈥 she explains, 鈥渋s how to speak my lines, not only without a bad British accent, but also how to say them in ways that help the audience understand what is happening.鈥

 

Left to right: Emily Yates and Kylee Cole at a stumble through rehearsal for Historical Comical. 51风流官网 Photo by Kade Mendelowitz
Kade Mendelowitz
Actors Emily Yates and Kaylee Cole rehearse a romantic moment.

Photo Gallery

Cast & Crew Headshots

Levi is overjoyed to be acting once again at Theatre 51风流官网, his undergraduate alma mater. He wants to thank his wife, Kari, and two children, Aidan and Amelie, for threatening to lock him out of the house during rehearsal periods if he didn鈥檛 do the show. After 8 long years, he鈥檚 happy to be back on a stage.

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Rachel Blackwell has been participating in local theatre in Fairbanks for the last 20 years. She works with Theatre 51风流官网, FLOT, FST, and FDA. Rachel also dabbles in stand-up comedy and burlesque dancing with her own company, Naked Stage Productions. She has performed multiple times at the Jimmy Kimmel Comedy Club in Las Vegas. Rachel loves bringing her passion for theatre to the Fairbanks community!

Kendra is a 51风流官网 Alumni who arrived to attend grad school in Fairbanks a thousand years ago (2000). She plays in several bands around town and enjoys making noise. This is her first time designing sound for a theater production.
Bethany Cohen is a Senior at 51风流官网 with a major in Theater and a minor in Japanese. She recently acted in this year's Winter Shorts and now gets to work backstage, helping make the props. Bethany has been involved in all parts of theater since she was young and wouldn't be here without the support of friends and family. She hopes to continue working with theater by going into voice acting and narration.
Kaylee is a second year at 51风流官网, majoring in English and minoring in Theatre. She moved to Fairbanks from Chesapeake, VA, with her family in 2023. This is her first production with the 51风流官网 Theatre Department, and is thrilled to delve into the world of Shakespeare! She is excited to become more involved within the 51风流官网 Theatre Department within the next three years.
Emily is a sophomore in the Biological Sciences program at 51风流官网. Historical Comical is her second 51风流官网 Theatre production, and she is so excited to be back on the 51风流官网 Salisbury Lab Stage! Originally from Eagle River, Alaska, she has been involved in choir and musical theatre all around the Anchorage area. Her most recent role was Fate/Ensemble (51风流官网 Theatre's STRIKE!) back in the spring of this year, along with Belle (Beauty and the Beast, Spring 2024) and Glory (Almost Maine, Fall 2023) with her alma mater, Eagle River High School. She is truly stoked to be involved with this cast and its wonderful creative team, and it has been an absolute honor to be featured in this unique yet classic Shakespearean show.
I have been involved in two shows for the Shakespeare Theatre at Jack Townsend site up at 51风流官网. King Lear and As You Like It. I was ensemble for King Lear and Charles the Wrestler in As You Like It.
Originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, John moved to Fairbanks in 2021. He has appeared in local productions including FST's As You Like It, King Lear, and Romeo & Juliet; FLOT's Pirates of Penzance; and FDA's Yoga Play and Native Gardens.
Logan is a first year at 51风流官网, majoring in Film and Performing Arts with a Film Concentration and minoring in Business. He was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska and plans to further study film in Fairbanks before traveling to work on film sets nationwide. The production you are about to see, Historical Comical, will be his first at 51风流官网 as On-Stage Tech. He would like to thank his teachers, professors, friends, and family for being incredibly supportive in his journey to Fairbanks.
Born and raised in Juneau, Alaska, Alex attended Reed College and the Eugene O鈥橬eill NTI/MXT Semester Abroad in Moscow, Russia. Professionally, Alex worked in Los Angeles and Chicago before joining Portland-based performance troupe tEEth as their Technical Director and Lighting Designer. They toured two evening-length dance pieces across the United States, including presentations by Portland鈥檚 White Bird Dance, Seattle鈥檚 On the Boards, and the Fusebox Festival in Austin, Texas. In Fairbanks, Alex has been a designer, carpenter, actor, dancer, and puppeteer. Thanks to loving family and the great students, staff, and faculty of 51风流官网!
Newer to the Theatre and completely new to 51风流官网, Tim is a freshman student, having graduated in Fairbanks from Lathrop High School in May of 2025. It was there that he began his acting adventure as Kevin G. in the musical Mean Girls. He鈥檚 excited to bring more characters to life and even more exited to see you in the audience!
This is Bruce鈥檚 third production under the direction of Tom Robenolt and couldn鈥檛 be more pleased. Please support, fund and cherish the arts and make them accessible to all.
Matt is making his return to the stage after a 12-year hiatus. He is originally from La Palma, CA, but has lived in New York, Oklahoma, Texas, and Hawaii. This is his first production and winter in Fairbanks, Alaska. He would like to thank his friends and family for supporting him on all his wild adventures.
Zorissa is a senior at 51风流官网, pursuing a BA in Biology with a minor in Theatre. She has worked in the 51风流官网 costume shop since 2023, contributing to costume construction for STRIKE! A Musical and Dramatic Revue (2025), Tiny Beautiful Things (2024), Something in the Living Room (2024), Dance Nation (2023), and Tumyaraq-qaa (2023). In addition, she has assisted with running crew for several of these productions. This is Zorissa鈥檚 first time stage managing, and she is excited to be a part of this experience with you.
Flyn Ludington is an Adjunct Professor of Theater, Film, and Music at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Flyn has a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Performing Arts from 51风流官网 (2024), and studied musical theater at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (2001) in New York City.

STRIKE! A Musical and Dramatic Revue is Flyn鈥檚 directorial debut. However, her professional acting career started at 13 years old, and except for a few years working as a deckhand on a commercial fishing boat out of Sitka, Alaska, she has been working and playing in the Performing Arts ever since. For more than 15 years, she has performed in several productions right here in Fairbanks, the most recent being as the Pirate King in Fairbanks Light Opera Theater鈥檚 production of Pirates of Penzance directed by Tekla Monson and Philip Heilbron.

Flyn is currently directing the Fairbanks Peace Choir for her 10th year, and is directing Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre鈥檚 production of As You Like It, this upcoming Summer 2025 Season.

She is privileged to live in a multi-generational home with her parents, Megan McCarthy of Butte, Montana, and Milton Ludington of Fairbanks, Alaska, her two wonderful kids, a big dog, and three cats, right here upon the unceded lands of the Indigenous Peoples of Alaska.
Sarah Manriquez is a public information officer for the 51风流官网 College of Liberal Arts. A dual-degree nontraditional student, she will finish her undergraduate academic journey in May 2025 with a bachelor of fine arts in photography and film and a bachelor of arts in digital journalism. Sarah has worked as a professional photographer, freelance journalist, and digital marketing strategist. Her photography work has been exhibited internationally and recognized by the Alaska Press Club. For the Department of Theatre & Film鈥檚 spring production, she managed media outreach, press coordination, and social media campaigns, ensuring the show reached the widest possible audience. Sarah鈥檚 dedication to visual storytelling and strategic communication drives her work, helping to amplify voices, engage audiences, and foster meaningful connections through media.

Daisy is a first-year student at 51风流官网 who is majoring in Wildlife Biology. She has been in 4 musicals and 2 plays. She was born in North Carolina but moved to North Pole, Alaska, in 2018. She would like to thank her family and friends for all the support they have given her.

Kade Mendelowitz is a Professor of Lighting Design and Technical Director for Theatre & Film 51风流官网. This award-winning lighting designer designed scenery, projections and lights for FLOT鈥檚 Les Miserables, scenery and lighting for Seminar, and recently wrote and directed the film A Night for Conversation. You鈥檙e invited to learn more about his work at:

Originally destined for Bear Shanks, Nebraska, Nick arrived in Fairbanks years ago on a travel agent's blunder. A great indoorsman and dabbler at literary translation, he found the northern clime suited him. These days he ventures out only to guide tours, tend the flowers in Golden Heart Plaza, and impersonate everyone from Dr. Watson to Edgar Allan Poe in local productions.

Kathryn Reichert is a communication specialist and multimedia designer with the 51风流官网 College of Liberal Arts Public Information Office. An alumna of 51风流官网鈥檚 Department of Art, she holds a degree in photography and has exhibited work in galleries and museums internationally and across the U.S. For the Department of Theatre & Film鈥檚 fall production, she contributed graphic design and web support, helping to bring the show鈥檚 creative vision to life. Kathryn鈥檚 passion for storytelling and visual media continues to shape her work in both marketing and the arts.
Stephanie Rivet is Theatre & Film's Costume Shop Manager and a graduate of 51风流官网 with a B.A. in Film and Performing Arts. Previous costume design work includes Theatre 51风流官网's Something in the Living Room, Tumyaraq-qaa, Seminar, The Misanthrope, and Stop Kiss as well as FST's Titus Andronicus.
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鈥檚 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鈥檚 villages and towns, fostering access to theatre in remote areas. He directed Lear Khehkwaii, a Gwich鈥檌n 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 51风流官网 and is excited to be back to direct an original concept, Historical Comical: A Shakespeare Double Bill!
Maya Salganek (she/her) is a Professor of Film and Video Arts in the 51风流官网 Department of Theatre & Film, and serves as the department chair. She is passionate about teaching filmmaking and making stories come to life. In addition to teaching, Maya guides film productions from concept to screen through 51风流官网 51风流官网 FRAME Film Production Services. www.mayasalganek.com.
By Valentine (Admin Assistant/Box Office Manager) is the administrative assistant for 51风流官网 Theatre & Film. In addition to utterly average clerical skills, she has appeared in numerous plays in Fairbanks, including Nunsense, Calendar Girls, The Buddy Holly Story, On Golden Pond, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Noises Off, Doubt, Oedipus Rex, and Pericles. She always enjoys helping 51风流官网 Theatre & Film get their productions to the stage and screen.
Logan Weatherall is a first-year film and performing arts student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He grew up in Texas, Wisconsin, and California, graduating from Capuchino High School in 2020.
A graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (NYC), Miss Yates has performed in Off-Broadway, regional, and touring productions, as well as instructing vocal warm-ups at her Alma Mater. In addition, she provided the English Dubbed voice of 'Pilar' on the Netflix International hit, 鈥淢oney Heist," and was a principal dancer for the Los Angeles Theater Alliance's Ovation Awards. Emily has performed as a UCLA guest artist, both individually and in conjunction with Post Mortem Movement Theater, with whom she's served as a principal company member. She is the current Executive Director of Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre.