Manheim Township grad performs in 'Hamilton' Broadway tour coming to Hershey Theatre

Dance teacher and artistic producer Lauren Sobon says it's not a surprise that 2012 Manheim Township grad Alex Dorf is touring with a Broadway cast.

Sobon has worked with a lot of students, but says she could tell early on, nearly 20 years ago, that Dorf had "the gift within him."

Dorf, now 31, will be able to show his friends, family and former instructors in Lancaster County how much he's grown in his career as he returns to the area as an ensemble member in the Broadway tour of "Hamilton," running at Hershey Theatre from Nov. 26-Dec. 8.

"It feels like a full circle moment to be able to come back to my roots, and come back to where it all started," says Dorf.

"Hamilton," which premiered off-Broadway in 2015 before becoming a global sensation shortly after, tells the story of founding father Alexander Hamilton. Instead of the typical Broadway style of music, often adapted from pop or rock, the soundtrack of "Hamilton" is heavily inspired by rap, hip-hop and R&B.

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Its original Broadway cast included Ronks native Jonathan Groff, as well as performers like Lin-Manuel Miranda (who wrote the music, lyrics and book for the musical, too), Daveed Diggs, Leslie Odom Jr. and Anthony Ramos.

"It tells a story that a lot of people can relate to," Dorf says, adding that Hamilton was often an underdog who made mistakes but found his way through.

Dorf never imagined he'd be part of the Broadway tour cast. He says it wasn't a show that was on his radar to perform in, though his agent helped set him up for a boot camp. Soon enough, he was cast in his first version of the Broadway tour, which lasted from fall 2022 to August 2023.

During his first "Hamilton" Broadway tour, he understudied in the role of King George III, the same role that got Groff a Tony nomination.

"It's cool that there's two guys from Lancaster County that have played the king," Dorf says.

Dorf started rehearsing for this Broadway tour run in June.

"I try to, every time I get on stage, take mental screenshots, because no gig is forever," Dorf says. "While I'm there, it's so nice to try to savor it."

Though Dorf now works as a full-time actor, and lives in New York City, he still thinks of Lancaster often and credits his career to those in the county who helped him grow at a young age.

Young potential

Dorf started acting when he was young, cast in productions like "A Christmas Carol" at the Fulton Theatre, and "Seussical" while attending Manheim Township High School.

He loved learning from the adults he saw performing, and remembers thinking that he could see himself taking a similar career path.

"Seeing firsthand what the lifestyle of an actor would be, and getting to experience that ... it definitely gave me a sense of purpose," Dorf says.

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Dorf started working with Sobon in 2005 when they were both actors in Dutch Apple's "Disney's Beauty and the Beast." Dorf was Chip, and Sobon was the Featherduster.

Nowadays, Sobon is the artistic director of Prather Productions, the parent company of Lancaster's Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre and the Broadway Palm in Fort Myers, Florida.

But, for a while, she was an actor and a dance instructor, creating a program with her late husband, Dean, called Carol's Academy of Dance. It's where Dorf took dance lessons.

"I've always known he's been destined for greatness," says Sobon. "I'm very proud of him and just excited to be one of many who were able to nurture his gifts, because he has been a gifted individual within theater, dance and musicality."

He's a good team player and a good collaborator, Sobon says. She plans to see "Hamilton" while it's in Hershey.

Beth and Mark Wagner, who co-founded the Manheim Township Performing Arts organization and ran it together from 1987 to 2020, agree with Sobon about Dorf's talents.

"Alex was a delight to have in rehearsal," Mark Wagner says. "He always came to rehearsals well prepared and full of creative ideas for his character and for the show ... He truly was born to perform."

While it has been around 12 years since Dorf graduated, the Wagners have kept up with Dorf's acting career. They traveled to see him in "A Bronx Tale" in Washington, D.C., and "Hamilton" in Toronto, Ontario, among other shows.

"Alex is a joy to be around, and we couldn't be any prouder of him," Beth Wagner says.

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The county where it happened

While Dorf performs in "Hamilton" during its Hershey run, he'll be staying with his parents in his childhood home in Manheim Township.

"I like Lancaster a lot," Dorf says. "I get nostalgic for things like driving through the country and seeing the horse and buggies, and farms, and smelling the manure."

Dorf also often reminisces on times of going to the Wilbur chocolate factory in Lititz, as well as Lancaster Central Market and Root's in Manheim.

While here, he's going to take his friends and castmates to several local staples, like downtown Lititz, as well as to Hershey's Chocolate World.

Dorf will get to spend Thanksgiving with his friends and family, too.

In a way, getting to perform in a musical as big as "Hamilton" in an area so close to home feels like a thank-you to those who helped Dorf get to this place in his career. He's grateful to his parents, as well as his friends and family, his dance instructors and Lancaster County's theaters for helping to nurture him throughout his life.

"I never would've been able to get to where I am without the support of all those people," Dorf says.

In February, Dorf will make his Broadway debut as a dance captain for "Pirates! The Penzance Musical," a reimagining of Gilbert & Sullivan's "Pirates of Penzance" that's slated to run from April 24 to June 22, 2025.

The musical will feature actors like Ramin Karimloo, Jinkx Monsoon and David Hyde Pierce.

Dorf will take a brief break from the "Hamilton" tour for the Broadway run, but, to paraphrase King George — he'll be back.