He’s spending time with his family. Helping his younger sister with homework. Walking and running. Making the most of moments with his ailing grandfather.

“If there’s one thing I always appreciate about being home,” Ahlers said, “it’s being around people who have it figured out. I am constantly reminded when I come back to Fort Dodge how necessary and vital a real community is. Our town is passionate about supporting the arts and athletics. They volunteer. They contribute. They pick each other up and support each other.

“At an uncertain time like this, you really focus on what you have and what you’re thankful for. So being here (during the global pandemic) has been a blessing in a lot of ways. It’s slowed things down and given me the chance to reconnect with what I care about most in life.”

Before the arrival of COVID-19, Ahlers — a 2015 Fort Dodge Senior High graduate — had been both pursuing ventures and landing roles at a rapid pace. His most recent project, “When The Street Lights Go On,” helped introduce the launch of Quibi — a new app for mobile devices and tablets offering original short-form movies, shows and other content.

-Submitted photo/Quibi/Darko Sikman
Fort Dodge Senior High graduate Ben Ahlers (above and left) is playing the role of Brad Kirchoff in the recently released Quibi series, "When The Street Lights Go On." Quibi is a streaming platform for mobile devices and tablets, available through the Apple App store and Google Play.

“Quibi is a platform for smaller, more digestible content, from stories to daily essentials covering news and pop culture,” Ahlers said. “In the case of our series, we have 10 episodes that range in time from 8 to 11 minutes each (all currently available to stream). It’s high-quality film-making in a smart, efficient package of quick bites.

“I’m really excited to be in on the ground floor, so to speak. Quibi is super innovative, with a lot of exciting, creative choices available to the viewer.”

“When The Street Lights Go On” is a teen murder mystery with a small-town, mid-1990s backdrop. The 24-year-old Ahlers plays Brad Kirchoff, a basketball standout and boyfriend of slain plot focus Chrissy Monroe.

“I’m a big fan of ’90s nostalgia, and this was a perfect high-school drama setup,” Ahlers said. “It was a very sought-after script. There are a lot of twists and turns in the character development and the storyline.

“I got to play something different — a villain of sorts. Someone who (the audience) won’t necessarily like. I was looking forward to expanding my skill set and breaking down preconceived notions of what a ‘typical’ role would be for me.”

“When The Street Lights Go On” was filmed in Vancouver last fall. It has an 8.1 rating on IMDb and a 71 percent positive net score on Rotten Tomatoes. Established Hollywood stars Queen Latifah and Mark Duplass have recurring roles in the series.

Quibi is currently available for a free 90-day trial on all smartphones and tablets through the Apple app store or Google Play. The platform’s co-founder, Jeffrey Katzenberg, is a film producer and media proprietor who had a 10-year run as the chairman of Walt Disney Studios from 1984-94. Katzenberg was also the co-founder and CEO of DreamWorks Animation.

Meg Whitman, Quibi’s other co-founder, is the CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

“This project and the content on Quibi has heart,” Ahlers said. “That’s what it still comes down to, whether you’re watching a three-minute YouTube clip or listening to a three-hour podcast. If the quality and the relatability reaches the audience, it will sustain.

“That’s what excites me: finding projects and scripts where we get to tell good stories through our creative choices. I’m really happy, lucky and grateful to be a part of that.”

Ahlers was three days from starting his next venture when production was shut down due to the pandemic. He returned to Fort Dodge from New York City last month and will stay here until the project — specifics haven’t been released to the public — commences.

“All of the moving around has been exhausting, but at the same time, I’m incredibly blessed to have the work and fortunate to be able to change the lens (of perspective) so often,” Ahlers said. “I’m just focused on what I can control, whether I’m in New York City, LA, Fort Dodge or a tent in Montana. I concentrate on the work I do to better myself, becoming more adaptable and comfortable as an actor, and being present in the moment.”

Ahlers, a University of Michigan graduate, landed a prominent role on NBC’s “The Village” in 2019. Ahlers also completed performances at the Williamstown Theatre Festival with “The Closet” and “The Member of the Wedding.” He landed a spot on the CBS show “Instinct,” and was the lead in the Runyonland Productions show, “Walk Off.”

Last summer, Ahlers lived in Los Angeles and was involved in the play, “Good Boys.” And this past Christmas, his “Home for the Holidays” concert raised over $11,000 for the Fort Dodge Fine Arts Association and Fort Dodge Senior High Vocal Music Booster Club.

“My focus will always be on putting my heart and soul into everything I do,” Ahlers said. “Seeing myself on TV or other (professional accomplishments) doesn’t make me a fuller person, though. I’ve already realized some of the things I was chasing and thought I wanted didn’t give me (the satisfaction) I thought I had been pursuing. It was just a misconception that I had to figure out for myself.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities and options that have allowed me to grow not just as an actor, but beyond. It’s an endless conversation we have with ourselves. I understand more about the importance of not only loving my work, but committing to the people who make life worth living. To me, that balance is everything. And being back here reminds me of that.”