Ross Ragland Theater Education & Outreach Programs
Ross Ragland Theater and Cultural Center, 218 North 7th Street, Klamath Falls, OR 97601
About
Ross Ragland Theater Education & Outreach Programs include drama, movement, music, dance, an after-school improv class, summer art classes, student matinees, workshops with renowned artists, a teen theater program, and the Astronaut Academy Spring Break Camp. The Astronaut Academy Spring Break Camp offers a STEM experience that focuses on science, technology, and aerospace.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: Artists in residence rotate through schools during the school year in three eight-week blocks.
• Price: The Access Program for Low Income Youth and Families provides free or reduced tickets and tuition.
The Ross Ragland Theater Education & Outreach Programs are part of a historic performing arts and education center that began as The Esquire, a 1,000-seat Art Deco movie theater that opened on November 30, 1940. Fundraising for renovation began in 1983, renovation of the facility began in 1987, and Ross Ragland Theater opened its doors in March of 1989. In late 1989, nine months after it opened, Ross Ragland Theater became a privately owned, not-for-profit corporation, and later fundraising supported the addition of the adjoining Cultural Center.
The mission of Ross Ragland Theater & Cultural Center is to provide high-quality performing arts and educational experiences that enhance community life in the Klamath Basin. The Outreach and Education program provides curriculum-based cultural experiences to schoolchildren in a four-county region, and annually over 10,000 children benefit from educational programming at the theater. Through the Youth StARTS Arts Integration for Elementary Schools program, artists in residence rotate through schools during the school year in three eight-week blocks, and each elementary-aged student receives at least one instructive session in drama, movement, and music annually.
The Youth StARTS Program partners Ross Ragland Theater with traveling artists, classroom teachers, and local school districts and has grown into a cost-effective public-private partnership and a state-wide model for arts integration. The Ross Ragland Theater serves as a gathering place for shared experiences that reflect the cultural richness and diversity of the region. The Access Program for Low Income Youth and Families provides free or reduced tickets and tuition.
The Ross Ragland Theater Guild is a volunteer organization of over 100 active members who staff every event with ushers and concessionaires. Two other volunteer organizations, the Board of Directors and the Ragland-Rife Foundation Board, help provide for the daily and long-term health of the theater. The leadership team includes Paul Stewart (President), Allison Phair (Vice-President/Secretary), Courtney Talbot (Treasurer), John Evoniuk (Director), Elizabeth Evoniuk (Director), Stephen Gaither (Director), Josh Guest (Director), Robin Raiter (Director), Jim McCabe (Ragland Rife), Joan Staunton (Member Emerita), Regina Morris (Guild President), and Jay Schindler, along with an Education & Outreach team.
Last updated June 12, 2026.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: Artists in residence rotate through schools during the school year in three eight-week blocks.
• Price: The Access Program for Low Income Youth and Families provides free or reduced tickets and tuition.
The Ross Ragland Theater Education & Outreach Programs are part of a historic performing arts and education center that began as The Esquire, a 1,000-seat Art Deco movie theater that opened on November 30, 1940. Fundraising for renovation began in 1983, renovation of the facility began in 1987, and Ross Ragland Theater opened its doors in March of 1989. In late 1989, nine months after it opened, Ross Ragland Theater became a privately owned, not-for-profit corporation, and later fundraising supported the addition of the adjoining Cultural Center.
The mission of Ross Ragland Theater & Cultural Center is to provide high-quality performing arts and educational experiences that enhance community life in the Klamath Basin. The Outreach and Education program provides curriculum-based cultural experiences to schoolchildren in a four-county region, and annually over 10,000 children benefit from educational programming at the theater. Through the Youth StARTS Arts Integration for Elementary Schools program, artists in residence rotate through schools during the school year in three eight-week blocks, and each elementary-aged student receives at least one instructive session in drama, movement, and music annually.
The Youth StARTS Program partners Ross Ragland Theater with traveling artists, classroom teachers, and local school districts and has grown into a cost-effective public-private partnership and a state-wide model for arts integration. The Ross Ragland Theater serves as a gathering place for shared experiences that reflect the cultural richness and diversity of the region. The Access Program for Low Income Youth and Families provides free or reduced tickets and tuition.
The Ross Ragland Theater Guild is a volunteer organization of over 100 active members who staff every event with ushers and concessionaires. Two other volunteer organizations, the Board of Directors and the Ragland-Rife Foundation Board, help provide for the daily and long-term health of the theater. The leadership team includes Paul Stewart (President), Allison Phair (Vice-President/Secretary), Courtney Talbot (Treasurer), John Evoniuk (Director), Elizabeth Evoniuk (Director), Stephen Gaither (Director), Josh Guest (Director), Robin Raiter (Director), Jim McCabe (Ragland Rife), Joan Staunton (Member Emerita), Regina Morris (Guild President), and Jay Schindler, along with an Education & Outreach team.
Last updated June 12, 2026.
Is this your business? There is no cost, but you will be asked to sign up or log in.