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Oregon Children’s Theatre is pausing all programming starting Sept. 1, including all mainstage productions, camps and classes. OCT’s board president Katie Slavin and producing artistic director Jenn Hartmann Luck emailed the news to members of the Portland theater community on March 25.
“You may be asking, ‘Is Oregon Children’s Theatre closing for good?’ The truth is, we don’t know,” Slavin and Luck wrote. “We currently believe there is a way forward: during our intentional pause we will use the time to examine and rebuild our business strategy, our programs and our approach to achieving our mission.”
The move is not entirely unexpected. In June 2024, the company emailed patrons with news that it needed to fundraise $150,000 as soon as possible. That number has bumped up to $1 million as of today’s communication. OCT plans to use those donations to keep staff employed while the company figures out its next steps.
Slavin and Luck cited COVID shutdowns, leadership transitions, and major funding losses for the dire financial situation.
“We need to proactively forge a road ahead, but we cannot do that while operating under the status quo. We need to stop, reflect, and be intentional about what our next steps are, what road we take, and how we plan to get there,” they wrote.
The company plans to proceed with its usual slate of spring classes and summer camps. OCT’s Young Professionals Company will perform its final series of staged readings May 15-18 and tickets are pay-what-you-can.