Ephrata High School is proud to announce the appointment of alumnus Alec Lobe as the new Drama Advisor. Returning to the stage where his passion for performance began, Lobe brings a wealth of professional theater experience, a strong background in performing arts education, and a fresh vision for the student theater program.

A former student of the Ephrata School District, Lobe actively participated in choir, Cabaret, and EHS Drama before earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from Montclair State University in New Jersey. His professional acting career spans regional theaters and major entertainment venues across the country, including Hersheypark and Silverwood Theme Park. Notable stage credits include the title role in Yeston & Kopit’s Phantom at Arizona Broadway Theatre and Joseph in Quincy Valley Allied Arts’ (QVAA) production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

In addition to his performing career, Lobe teaches private voice lessons through his home studio and recently made his directorial debut with QVAA’s Rodgers & Hammerstein’s A Grand Night for Singing. He continues to perform locally and will star as Gleb Vaganov in Masquers Theater’s production of Anastasia this October.

"It’s a full-circle moment to be in charge of my hometown theater program," said Lobe. "The last couple of productions I did at Ephrata were under the guidance of Marla Allsopp, and it means a great deal to me to pick up the torch. As an actor, stepping into the role of director can be daunting, but I felt this was the right place to begin that journey."

Looking toward the upcoming season, Lobe plans to focus on productions that are both educationally productive and logistically feasible.

"Expect something small in scale, lighthearted in tone, and double-cast," Lobe noted. "I’m a big fan of understudies. I have a lot of experience as one myself, and I think it’s important for students to learn that we have each other’s backs even in the most difficult circumstances. Teamwork makes the dream work, whether its the Battle of the Basin or a production of Hamlet."

Beyond technical performance, Lobe aims to deepen how students approach the craft of acting itself. "I’m most excited about challenging students’ notions of what acting actually is, because I think a lot of young performers enter the art form thinking it’s about playing pretend or creating moments superficially. But to me, acting is living. We do it every day at work, at school, at Thanksgiving, or even at football practice when you’ve sprained your ankle and don’t want the coach to know. The only difference in theatre is that we’re discovering truth under imaginary circumstances."

The Ephrata High School community warmly welcomes Alec Lobe back to the district as he prepares to inspire the next generation of Tiger performers.