Under the prominent “Tower” sign in downtown Bend stands a theatre filled with history. It first opened in 1940 as a luxurious art deco-style movie theater. Over the next several decades, it evolved to include musical performances, fashion shows and other live performances.
By the 1980s, however, the Tower was struggling. A drop in attendance as well as increased maintenance issues led to its closure in the early 1990s. For nearly a decade, the community worked to find a way to reopen the theatre. By 1997, the nonprofit Tower Theatre Foundation was formed. It purchased and renovated this unique building. When it reopened in 2004, it did so with a new executive director, Ray Solley. Solley led the Tower for 16 years, up until his retirement this year.
In June, Brian August took center stage as the executive director. August recently shared about his hopes as the Tower Theatre Foundation’s new executive director.
the Source: You have an impressive resume working with nonprofits- what drew you to this position?
Brian August: The Tower Theatre is such an iconic landmark in Bend. I’ve been fortunate enough to attend many events at the theater where I’ve been able to connect with other theatre-goers and experience local talent, as well as amazing performers from outside of Central Oregon. Throughout the executive director selection process, I had the opportunity to learn about the incredible staff, volunteers, and board members and was so impressed by their commitment to the mission and the community. I am so grateful to be a part of growing this extraordinary institution and expanding its impact on all of Central Oregon.
tS: The community loves the Tower. As Central Oregon grows, how do you see including more of the community in events?
BA: As our community continues to grow, the Tower Theatre will continue to evolve and be a key place of connection and delight. It is our goal that all community members can find something to love and connect with through the Tower Theatre — and we’ll accomplish this through our diverse programs and performances occurring at the theatre itself, leveraging the Encore (our new more intimate program space) and our LessonPLAN educational series that connects performers to students in their schools and at the theatre to inspire their creativity.
tS: The Tower Theatre is not only a cultural hub for Central Oregon, but also a beautiful historical building — something that is relatively rare in Central Oregon. Do you have any new plans or hopes for the building?
BA: I believe it’s critical to maintain the Tower Theatre as a connection to our past and a bridge to our future. As with many historical physical spaces, the theatre will require continued investments to ensure it can comfortably and safely provide the community’s premier performing space. Our recent addition of the Encore space immediately adjacent to the rear of the theatre is so exciting as it gives us more flexibility to provide more space for the community.
tS: The Tower shows range from comedy acts to musical performances, from near and far. Do you see this changing or staying the same?
BA: I love our range of offerings to the community, and we will continue to grow as our community continues to grow and expand. We have an amazing program director in Stacy Koff, who is constantly on the lookout for the opportunity to bring great talent to the theatre. Performing arts is an ever-changing and innovative field, and we will continue to bring shows and performances that represent a wide range of genres that represent a wide range of genres.
tS: You have said a goal of yours is to “support local talent, creativity, and inclusion.” What are some things you are looking to do at the Tower?
BA: I see the Tower Theatre as a place of connection for the community. That includes showcasing local talent and creativity, as well as providing exposure to programming that otherwise might not be available to our local community. The Theatre also does this through supporting the creation of the next generation of arts performers and supporters, working with students in Central Oregon through our LessonPLAN series to inspire their creativity, and actively supporting graduating senior students’ pursuit of the arts through the Doug Watson scholarship program.
tS: To be an inclusive arts center also means to include people from various walks of life. Do you have any plans on how to include those for whom tickets are often too expensive?
BA: Accessibility is top of mind for all of us at the theatre. This includes being conscience of the challenge of affordability. We will continue to look for ways to ensure that we can expand opportunities for affordable experiences available while still bringing in incredible local, national, and international talent to Central Oregon.
I feel so fortunate to be taking over from Ray Solley — his 16 years at the helm at the theatre has positioned it as one of the most respected community organizations in the area, and he has left an amazing legacy through the team he has built and the connections in the community he has made. The staff, volunteers and the board are incredibly dedicated and hard-working. I can’t wait to see what we do together to bring even more delightful experiences and opportunities to the community.
This article appears in Source Weekly August 7, 2025.
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The Tower has long been a community asset that has forgotten it’s a community asset. Far too many people running the place kept it very stale. Almost exclusionary. With only plays and events the old guard approves of.
It’s a travesty the theatre is not used for local music! I pitched the idea of a local music series here and it went nowhere.
The place should be a stop for every band coming through as well. Bands that know the Domino is a dump and they aren’t on the LiveNation/Tickemaster level (thanks, City of Bend for selling that community asset from under our noses). No reason the calendar shouldn’t be full.