Christine Mehner
After directing A Philadelphia Story in 2019 for Cascades Theatrical Company, Chris Mehner joined the Board of Governors as Chair of Membership Committee. Heading the committee, the theatre saw its membership grow by over 30% the first year. Chris was elected president in July 2020 and with the new board began to examine the Theatre’s policies, programs, and procedures.
“Cascades Theatre is the oldest performing arts theatre in Bend.” Chris says, “And, while it had a vibrant presence in live theatre, the board thought it was important to add film arts, music, dance and storytelling in its mission to enrich the Central Oregon community experience.”
From July 2020 to July 2021, Chris wrote and applied for state, federal, and local grants to sustain the theatre. Her efforts, along with the Executive Director, brought in over $290,000. Chris and her team also helped design and remodel the theatre, created a new look for the organization’s brochures, help designed the newsletter, “Back Stage News,” and developed the new Cascades Theatrical Company’s website.
Chris’s priority now is to grow the Cascades Teen Theatre program and create a curriculum for the performing arts classes. She helped produce a short film, “To Out Scheme A Sister,” written by Harper Rich as part of the new Teen Showcase program. “I’m so proud of the all creative work our teens are doing.”
Chris earned her BA and Master of Fine Arts degree in Motion Picture Production from the University of California, Los Angeles. She is a multi-award-winning independent filmmaker and her films have screened at film festivals all over the world, at various art galleries, including the Smithsonian Institute Renwick Art Gallery, the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, and the Columbus Museum of Art. One of her films was chosen to screen at the Director’s Guild of America to honor Bernardo Bertolucci at his Retrospective Film Event. She’s held teaching positions at Loyola-Marymount University, California State University, and was a visiting artist at the University of Santa Cruz. After teaching for 10 years, Chris got her securities license and became an independent retirement specialist. As Vice-President of her company Molnar & Mehner Financial & Insurance Services, Inc., she hired and trained other financial professionals and set up employee retirement plans for businesses.
Chris loves spending time with her son, family and friends. She loves exploring Central Oregon and is now scouting locations for a feature film she is looking to produce. “I’m now in my Third Act,” Chris says, “And Cascades Theatrical Company has given me a new purpose and opportunity to give back to the community doing what I love to do. I feel lucky and honored to be a part of this wonderful organization.”
