Is Reagle in Trouble?
There was something different about St. Patrick’s Day in Waltham this year—there was no Reagle Music Theatre Irish show. And no summer shows have been announced either.
Over the last year, the beloved regional theater has been in a downward spiral, struggling to cover expenses and mount productions.
It’s not alone. Regional theaters across the country are grappling with increased production costs, reduced funding and smaller audiences following the pandemic. In some cases, loyal theatergoers have soured on programming philosophies perceived as more didactic than entertaining.
After a production of Newsies was cancelled in summer 2025, Reagle issued a statement.
“A decline in available government funding grants and ongoing financial strain on our valued donors and patrons has made it increasingly difficult to secure the resources needed to produce a show at the level of excellence our audiences deserve,” the statement said.
In fall 2025, creative director Rachel Bertone, hired in early 2022, left Reagle for a position teaching at Boston Conservatory at Berklee.
Since then, some other staff members have also departed.
Reagle managed to offer its beloved ChristmasTime show in December, its biggest fundraiser, but suffered through a third-party software issue that prevented some online credit card transactions for tickets.
Typically the theater announces its summer shows in the first few months of the year. None have been announced for 2026.
Reagle board president Sheron Thorpe Doucette stepped down in January, but said that educational workshops are still planned.
“I can tell you that we are moving forward with our April Vacation Workshop and our July Summer Intensive,” she said recently.
One of the workshops will feature Waltham native Mikey Graceffa, who starred in the Broadway production of Death Becomes Her, which was nominated for multiple Tonys.
Will the workshops generate enough revenue to help Reagle produce more outstanding community theater in the future?
Jean-Alfred Chavier, Reagle’s new acting board president and a familiar face on stage, could not be reached for comment, nor could acting artistic director Eileen Grace [shown above].
File photos
