About Us
‘Imagine NEPA’ has been a long time in the making. The owners, Katie and Samantha, first met in 2006 while they were college students, performing in a community theater production. Samantha found herself in need of a place to live, and even though they didn't know each other well, Katie, who was raised to believe there’s always room for one more, invited Samantha to live on her couch in her small apartment until she could find a better situation.
Over the course of 15 years, their friendship grew and they became more like sisters. They shared a love for theatre and the arts, which brought them together and strengthen their bond. Now, they are fulfilling their dream of opening their own performing arts and education space.
Katie and Samantha have always wanted to bring the confidence, joy, and friendship they found in the theatre and arts community to others They are excited to provide a space where people of all ages can explore their creativity and learn about performing arts. They are humbled and gracious of the amazing support they have received from family, friends and the greater community, who believe in their vision.
Their journey from college students to business owners is a testament to their passion for theatre and their commitment to making the arts accessible for all. Together they are the founding board members of the Imagine Performing Arts Fund. The fund was founded with the vision of providing scholarships, reduced tuition, and funding to increase community access to high quality theater workshops and performing arts based educational programming for all ages.
Katie Lane
Imagine NEPA
Program Director & Teacher
Imagine Performing Arts Fund
President
Katie Lane is a passionate individual who wears many hats - she is a mother to three, a wife, and a teacher. She has a strong love for performing arts, sustainability, and helping others. Katie attended Mansfield University and Keystone College, where she obtained her PA teaching certification. With her K-12 teaching experience, she has held various roles such as a competition marching band director, theater director, social studies teacher, and most recently, she worked in K-2 autism support.
Throughout her life, Katie has had a deep connection with the performing arts. She has been involved in school music and theater ensembles since elementary school, continuing through high school, college, and into adulthood. She firmly believes that the performing arts have the power to bring people from different backgrounds together and allow them to see each other's humanity. Katie also recognizes the importance of art, music, and drama in children's development, as they help foster emotional intelligence, self-expression, and creative thinking skills that will benefit them throughout their lives.
Katie has always dreamed of creating a space where children's imaginations can flourish, friendships can blossom, and a community of support and encouragement can thrive. She is excited to bring this vision to life at Imagine! Katie currently resides in Clark's Green, PA, with her husband, Kevin, and their three children, affectionately referred to as their "Beatles Babies" - Penny Lane, Lucy (in the Sky), and (Hey) Jude. They also have a dog, cat, and fish, and enjoy their shared love for music and hiking.
Samantha (Sam) Christ
Imagine NEPA
Technical Director
Imagine Performing Arts Fund
Secretary/Treasurer
Samantha's career path has indeed been unique and diverse. After graduating from Keystone College with a degree in Environmental Biology, she discovered her passion for education while working at the Keystone College Environmental Education Institute. This experience sparked her interest in teaching and led her to work as a High School Science instructor at Penn Foster.
Samantha's love for learning and her desire to further her own education took her to New Hampshire, where she pursued graduate classes in Conservation Biology. However, her heart brought her back to NEPA, where she found a new opportunity at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. It was there that she discovered her true calling in Education Technology and Learning Design.
At the medical school, Samantha held various roles, including Library Assistant, Curriculum Coordinator, and Education Technology Specialist. Her passion for education and technology led her to pursue a Master's degree in Education in Learning, Design, and Technology at Penn State University.
Despite her career taking a different direction, Samantha's love for the environment has remained constant. She continues to be passionate about environmental conservation and sustainability. Additionally, her love for learning and teaching has always been a driving force in her life. Samantha has a wealth of experience in theater and performing arts, which she combines with her science and technology background.
As the Technical Director at Imagine NEPA, Samantha plays a crucial role in supporting the organization's web presence and technology needs. She also occasionally takes the stage and teaches in the classroom, sharing her knowledge and passion with others. Samantha's diverse background and dedication to education make her an invaluable asset to the Imagine NEPA team.
Mandy Bogue
Imagine NEPA
Artistic Director & Teacher
Mandy began acting at the age of six, a shy girl who after hiding behind her mom’s legs at the sight of anyone outside of family, was enrolled in a local community theater class to encourage her to "come out of her shell.” That first class led to her being cast as the lead in their children’s Christmas production and that shy little girl never looked back.
By the age of 15, Mandy had earned a professional life in the arts, performing in regional theaters. She was cast on the soap opera Guiding Light her senior year of college, a role which garnered her an Emmy Nomination for her work. She also earned an Edgemar Film Festival Award Nomination for her work in the film Perhaps Tomorrow. Other TV and Film credits include Blue Bloods, Friends and Romans, Price for Freedom, Rock Story and Jokers Wild. To date, she has also written and produced three independent films. Mandy’s film Rock Story received a win for Best Writing at the Northeast Film Festival, a film for which she also co-wrote the music.
Although she is grateful for the television and film credits mentioned, Mandy’s true love will always be the stage. She starred on Broadway in Les Misérables (Eponine) and Gypsy (understudy Louise). Off-Broadway credits include Frankenstein and This Side of Paradise, where she was also featured on the original cast recordings. National Tours include The Sound of Music (Maria). She has also worked for regional theater companies across the country, including playing the role of “Belle” in Beauty and the Beast for Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera Company, and earned a coveted Carbonell Nomination for her role of “Marion” in The Music Man at The Maltz Jupiter Theater, Florida.
Throughout her professional journey, Mandy has managed to always find the time in helping the next generation of young actors live their dreams. She has been directing and teaching children and adults in the arts for over 20 years and has more than 40 productions under her belt. Mandy served as the Artistic Director of The Foundry Theater Company and The Backyard Playhouse. She directed several productions for The Creative and Performing Arts Academy of NEPA, The Ritz Theater and assistant directed with The Young People’s Theater Project. Most recently, she held the position of Theatre Director at Valley View High School for the last three years. Mandy continues to privately coach children and adults of all ages for their theater, film and college auditions. She has served as a guest teacher for some of New York's top casting agents in their TV/Film seminars.
On the home front, she loves most her roles of wife to actor Robert Bogue, mother of three beautiful children, Zeb, Zoë and Flynn, and official belly rubber of their sweet puppy, Winnie.
Dane Bower
Improvisation Teacher & Set Designer
Dane Bower is an award-winning* actor, director, and playwright originally from Factoryville, PA, who has been active in the Northeast Pennsylvania theater scene for over 20 years. Dane began his improvisational comedy journey back in 1999, when he became a member of the Scranton based improv troupe On the Spot Improv. From there, he went on to begin his own troupe, Impulse Improv, which operated in the greater Scranton area from 2001-2011. While operating Impulse Improv, Dane also studied at the Chris Barnes Comedy Dojo under the tutelage of Chris Barnes, who was an original member of Chicago-based improv comedy troupe Second City Improv and studied and performed with the likes of John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray.
Outside of improv, Dane has enjoyed a lengthy and fruitful career in various theater related capacities. He has served on the Board of Directors at Little Theater of Wilkes Barre, currently serves on the Board at Gaslight Theatre Company, was the technical director for a number of years at his high school alma mater, Lackawanna Trail, and is currently the director of theater at his college alma mater, Keystone College.
He resides in West Wyoming, and is the proud owner of two sometimes well-behaved Boston Terriers named Rigby and Wally. He is also the co-founder, writer, and co-director for local production company FlashMilk Productions. He can be found on or around stages all over NEPA, performing, writing, directing, set designing, set building, and whatever else is needed.
*2013, Best Supporting Actor in a Musical; 2017, Best Original One-Act, Writing; 2018, Best One Act Production; 2018, Best Director of a Musical; 2019, Best Lead Actor in a Musical