New theatre teacher Ashley Kobza has brought a world of ideas to South High this year.  

Kobza helped direct last year’s South High production of “High School Musical” and said she fell in love with the students and was thrilled when she found out she could be this year’s theatre teacher.  

Kobza said she has always been involved in the theatre world; she primarily spends her time acting, teaching and directing and has her master’s degree in acting and writing.  

Kobza attended graduate school in Chicago then moved and studied in San Diego, California. In 2018, she moved back to her home state of Nebraska. 

When she moved back to Nebraska, she lived in Lincoln and was the director of education at Flatwater Shakespeare Company for a year. She then worked as an actor and educator at Lincoln Community Playhouse as well as The Rose Theatre and BLUEBARN Theatre, both of which are in downtown Omaha.  

Kobza said she is also a founding member of Old School Shakespeare Omaha, a group that involves serious actors, no director and only one rehearsal. They perform in places such as bars, museums and coffee shops.  

Kobza has taught theatre since 2009; she taught at The Ohio State University in Columbus and at the College of DuPage outside of Chicago, Illinois.  

When Kobza was hired to direct South High’s musical last year, she said she really enjoyed it. One of her friends then told her that South needed a new theatre teacher; she applied for the position and was thrilled when she got the job.  

Kobza said she enjoys many things about South High theatre, such as the people and what she gets to do with the students. 

“I love the students, and the performing arts faculty is so wonderful,” Kobza said.  

Kobza added that she also enjoys watching students break out of their comfort zones.  

“It was so cool watching everyone get together,” said Kobza. At the start of the year, she stated that many of the Drama 1 students were shy and afraid to participate. The students are now more eager to participate and look forward to class.