KLAMATH FALLS, Ore.- Ross Ragland Theater Board of Directors is changing its leadership structure. The Klamath Falls theater says the replacement of certain staff members will improve the theater in the long run. More than one staff member is out, including the executive director.
Ross Ragland Theater announced November 9th that some of their staff members, including their Executive Director Samantha Burris, would no longer be with the theater.
In the meantime, Oregon Tech Professor Curtis Peoples is taking on the role as interim executive director.
“I was not privy to any of those conversations,” Peoples told NBC5, “Staff does remain here. Some staff are not here and some staff are”.
The board says it hopes this restructuring will help improve the theater’s financials and operations.
A post on Samantha Burris’ personal Facebook said the problem isn’t with the staff, but with Ragland’s board. It claimed that she had been at the theater through its hardest times and that the board didn’t prioritize the theater’s needs.
The Ragland’s Board of Directors’ Co-Chair Sam Stewart commented on the post November 10th, saying the theater is losing money on shows and the amount of damage control the board has done is “astounding”. He went on to write that the spread of false information could lead to legal action, claiming employee’s poor performance damaged the theater’s reputation.
The new interim executive director is trying to move the Ross Ragland forward and has high hopes for the future.
“We are really wanting to revive our community’s spirit, of Klamath Falls, and make sure that we’re putting on quality entertainment at an affordable price for everybody,” Peoples told NBC5, “I’m excited to be working for the Ross Ragland Theater to help out during the interim period and make it successful. That’s what we want for the community”.
While Burris did not respond to our Facebook message, later on November 10th, Stewart took down his comment on Burris’ post. He told NBC5 over email that his passion for the theater drew him into the argument.
The board says their focus now is to prepare the theater for the future and continue to give guests exceptional service.
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