JUne 27: Tight Budgets and Tough Choices — A Season Update
Dear Bag&Baggage Patrons,
We’re reaching out today with honesty and hope.
First, a word of gratitude: Bag&Baggage and the wider Hillsboro community owe Nik Whitcomb a genuine debt of thanks. Nik’s vision and steady hand as Artistic Director helped reinvigorate B&B after the pandemic, his work helped to re-engage audiences who had drifted away and placed our theatre at the center of important conversations about justice and equity.
But, like every theatre and nonprofit arts organization across the country, Bag&Baggage is still living in the long shadow of the Covid 19 pandemic. We see it in our ticket sales, in sponsorships, and in fundraising overall. And while we’ve done everything we can to stretch every dollar and keep creating meaningful work for the past few seasons, the reality is this: we’re now facing a serious cash flow crunch that requires us to make some tough choices.
We have made the decision to revise two productions in our upcoming season, not because we’re stepping back from our mission, but because we’re doubling down on sustainability, responsibility, and the long-term future of Bag&Baggage.
Here’s what’s changing:
- Our holiday production is shifting from The Gift of the Magi to A Tuna Christmas.
It’s a whip-smart two-actor comedy with all the wit and warmth you’d expect from a B&B holiday show; and its much smaller scale will save us significantly on production costs while still delivering a B&B trademark holiday comedy. A Tuna Christmas will be performed on the same dates as scheduled. - We’re replacing Beauregard at Manassas with Hadestown: Teen Edition, brought to life by the powerhouse young artists of STAGES Youth Theatre Academy. This special production aligns beautifully with our values and gives the next generation of theatre-makers a spotlight on our stage while also saving us all of the production costs of Beauregard. Hadestown will be at The Vault starting January 23, 2026 for three weeks.
Our productions of Glass Menagerie, directed by Nik Whitcomb, and our co-production of Antíkoni with Native Theater Project will go forward as planned.
If you’ve already purchased a season membership, you don’t need to take any action, your tickets are good for the new shows!
Why we’re making these changes:
Because we need to cut back on our expenses, and because we’re being proactive.
This is about protecting the company’s future. We're making smart, strategic changes now to ensure Bag&Baggage continues bringing bold, professional theatre to Hillsboro for decades to come.
We’re still here, and still creating excellent work. But we definitely need your help to make it through this moment.
How you can support us:
- Buy a season membership
It’s the single most impactful thing you can do right now, and it guarantees you great theatre at a great value. - Make a donation
Every dollar helps bridge the gap and keeps us moving forward. Please consider making a donation as soon as possible to help us get through this cash flow crunch. - Join a Community Conversation.
We’re hosting gatherings in the coming months to hear directly from you, our patrons, supporters, and neighbors, about what Bag&Baggage means to you and what you hope to see in our next chapter. Send us an email to let us know you’d like to attend a community discussion at info@bagnbaggage.org.
For 20 years, Bag&Baggage has been rooted in bold storytelling, community connection, and artistic risk. With your continued support, we’ll keep that legacy alive and build something even stronger for the future.
With gratitude and resolve,
The Artistic Leadership Committee
Bag&Baggage Productions
Bianca McCarthy, Board Chair
Ephriam Harnsberger, General Manager
Signe Larsen, Resident Artist (signe@bagnbaggage.org)
Scott Palmer, Chair (scott.palmer@bagnbaggage.org)
JUne 20: ANNOUNCING B&B's artistic leadership committee
Bag&Baggage has always been rooted in bold storytelling, deep community ties, and a commitment to reflecting the voices of Hillsboro on our stage. As we step into a new chapter, we want to offer our sincere thanks to Nik Whitcomb for his service as Artistic Director. We’re grateful for the creativity and heart he brought to the company and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.
With Nik’s departure, we are taking thoughtful, intentional steps to ensure stability and momentum in our artistic work. We’re pleased to share that the Board of Directors has approved the creation of a new Artistic Leadership Committee, chaired by Bag&Baggage’s founder, Scott Palmer, and including B&B Board Chair Bianca McCarthy (former Executive Director of Echo Theatre Company), B&B Company Manager Ephriam Harnsberger, and B&B Resident Artist Signe Larsen.
This committee, composed of longtime artists, staff, and board members, will provide immediate artistic guidance and make key programming decisions while we pause a formal search for permanent artistic leadership. More importantly, the committee will lead a series of community conversations designed to put our audience and supporters at the center of the company’s next chapter.
What do you want from your hometown theatre company? What stories should we be telling? What role should Bag&Baggage play in the cultural life of Hillsboro?
We want to hear from you.
Keep an eye out for upcoming announcements about these gatherings! We hope you’ll join us to help shape the future of Bag&Baggage.
With gratitude and enthusiasm,
The Bag&Baggage Board of Directors
Chair, Artistic Leadership Committee: Scott Palmer, scott.palmer@bagnbaggage.org
May 28: CELEBRATING nik whitcomb's contribuitions
Dear Bag&Baggage friends and family,
I have news to share that carries both pride and a touch of bittersweet sadness.
This June, our Producing Artistic Director Nik Whitcomb will leave Bag&Baggage to begin a graduate degree in Urban Planning and to take on Community Engagement work with TriMet, weaving his passion for connection into a broader commitment to community service.
Nik’s time with us was bookended by uncertainty on one side and renewed hope on the other, and he guided us across that divide with grace, imagination, and heart.
Think back to the regional premiere of Red Velvet, when the story of Ira Aldridge echoed through our black box and sparked conversations about who gets to stand center stage. Remember the laughter that rolled across the Civic Center Plaza during last summer’s free production of Tartuffe, and the applause that thundered at the end of every production performed under his guidance.Through every rehearsal, talkback, and late-night set strike, Nik reminded us why live theatre matters.
And because he leaves us stronger, we can walk confidently into what comes next.
Our Board has begun a thorough review of artistic-leadership models, and we will be making an announcement shortly about how we intend to move forward. While that work unfolds, the current season remains on track, and if anything changes you will hear from us right away.
You play an important role at Bag&Baggage, so we hope you'll join us in June and July, when we will hold open conversations at The Vault so patrons, artists, and neighbors can share hopes and ideas for the future. Watch for details in your email and on social media.
If you have questions, suggestions, or simply want to send a note of thanks to Nik, please write to info@bagnbaggage.org. Messages will be sent to Nik so he receives every word of appreciation.
Thank you for the faith you place in us each time you buy a ticket, make a donation, or tell a friend about a show. Together we will write the next act of Bag&Baggage, and I cannot wait to see you in the audience when the lights come up.
With gratitude,
Bianca McCarthy
Board Chair, Bag&Baggage Productions
bianca.mccarthy@bagnbaggage.