The Weight of Power

Hank Nuwer Takes on a Ruthless Role in STRIKE! While Championing Justice Beyond the Stage

The University of Alaska Fairbanks Department of Theatre & Film is preparing to launch STRIKE! A Musical and Dramatic Revue, an evocative performance blending music, poetry, and dramatic scenes to highlight the struggles of the working class. Opening in March, this production brings together labor anthems, contemporary musical numbers, and scenes from renowned playwrights such as Clifford Odets and Langston Hughes. Among the performers is Hank Nuwer, an adjunct professor in UAF’s Department of Science & Environmental Journalism, who plays Harry Fatt—a self-serving, anti-union company man.

Nuwer is no stranger to complex characters and weighty narratives. With a background in both journalism and theatre, he has spent decades telling stories that challenge audiences and spark important conversations. His acting career began at the University of Bridgeport’s Shakespeare Institute, where he trained under Broadway actors, playing roles ranging from Shakespeare’s Prince Hal to contemporary characters in student films. After a nearly 50-year hiatus from the stage, he reignited his passion for theatre in Fairbanks, appearing in Romeo and Juliet, Something in the Living Room, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. But Nuwer is also known for his work offstage—work that has left an indelible mark on American journalism and advocacy.

A nationally recognized expert on hazing, Nuwer has dedicated much of his career to exposing the dangerous and often deadly traditions in fraternities, athletics, and military institutions. His decades of investigative research have been cited in academic studies, legal cases, and even in the recently passed federal anti-hazing law. His work is featured in the PBS documentary Hazing, directed by Byron Hurt, which examines the deeply ingrained culture of hazing through personal testimonies and expert analysis.

“No hazer ever wanted a death to happen, but yet they happen,” Nuwer explains. “Student activists play an important role in influencing their peers in clubs and sports teams.” While Hazing sheds light on the tragic consequences of these rituals, Nuwer remains committed to driving change, working with the University of Washington to preserve and expand his hazing research database, ensuring his life’s work continues to inform and protect future generations.

His contributions have not gone unnoticed. In 2024, he was named an Alaska Children's Trust Champion for Kids in recognition of his decades of work in hazing prevention. He is also the Alaska Press Club's current state Columnist of the Year, honored for his incisive and thought-provoking journalism.

Now, Nuwer brings his commanding presence to the UAF stage in STRIKE!, fully embracing the role of Harry Fatt. “I wanted the part of Harry Fatt and tried out just for that role,” he says. “Symbolically, he’s a Fatt Cat, a plush bum with a supervisor’s title and men in his care whose lives and well-being he abuses. Physically, he’s a large man like me, and it’s a great showcase for any actor with a booming voice.”

“If Harry Fatt could write his bio, he would say, ‘I’ve got to do what I can for the company, because I’m a loyal company man, and sometimes you gotta get your hands a little doity or the Reds and strikers will ruin dis outfit,’” he says. “In other words, Harry Fatt is vain, self-deceiving, devoid of empathy, and proud of his high rank in the company. He’s a forerunner of the days when Senator Joseph McCarthy embarked on his Communist witch hunt.”

Despite the role’s villainous nature, Nuwer approaches it with a sense of purpose. “All the performers give their all in this production, and despite the rousing songs, this play is about poverty, company greed, early deaths in factories and farm fields. It’s an important piece of social commentary told through artistry.”

Though STRIKE! presents a historical perspective on labor movements, its messages remain strikingly relevant today. Nuwer’s own experiences as a young worker add an extra layer of authenticity to his performance.

“At age 17, I worked a short time as a migrant worker, and I not only saw how hard they worked, but I traveled with them in the back of a field truck and by bus,” he recalls. “My job ended when I sliced my hand with a machete in a farm field, and my fellow workers patched me up best they could.” He later worked two summers in a Buffalo steel mill and was a dues-paying member of the United Steelworkers. “I may be the only performer on stage who actually was a ‘union man’ for a time.”

Some moments in the show hit particularly close to home. “Maybe it’s because I worked briefly as a migratory field hand, but the scene in which a boy laments the death of his mother, a migrant worker, teared me up,” he shares. “The boy wistfully tells the audience his mother assured him one day they’d have a better life, and she perished before that day ever came. That poignant monologue alone will make audience members think.”

Nuwer’s experience in investigative storytelling and performance often intertwine. “Both acting and interviewing require empathy and understanding and knowledge of human psychology,” he says. His passion for revealing hidden injustices—whether through journalism or theatre—fuels his work. “The interviews I did with so many parents for my books Broken Pledges and the others on hazing caused me to write two versions of a hazing death in a one-act, one-actor play.”

While STRIKE! offers audiences a gripping theatrical experience, Nuwer hopes it will also leave them thinking about the real struggles workers have faced—and continue to face today. “I hope UAF and Fairbanks folks fill every seat,” he says. “This show has real weight to it.”

Tickets for STRIKE! are available now, and performances begin March 21. Stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes features on the talented cast and crew bringing this powerful show to life.