Retiree Revitalizes Baker City Arts, Boosting Schools and Community

Reed Wagstaff arrived in Baker City after retiring in the fall of 2022 and soon became a visible and constant presence in the town’s arts life. Over the past two years Wagstaff, 66, brought decades of technical-theater training and professional experience to Eastern Oregon Regional Theater, Baker High School and other community stages. He helped install and update lighting and sound in the Baker High School auditorium in a project that took months, served as musical director for regional productions, and accompanied choirs and school performances at the piano.

Wagstaff’s path to Baker City began in Cokeville, Wyoming, where he grew up, and later through his late wife, Edye Isaacson, who was from La Grande. The couple lived in northern Utah before choosing Baker City as their retirement home. After Edye died suddenly in March 2023, Wagstaff moved to Baker City and channeled his energy into volunteering across local arts organizations. His background includes a technical-theater degree and careers in government auditing and university research administration, but music remained central throughout his life.

“You can probably see him at many shows,” teachers and arts leaders noted in their praise for his generosity and steady leadership. Wagstaff described his own surprise at how fully his retirement would be filled: “When I moved here, I thought ‘What am I going to do with my time?’” He emphasized his continuing commitment to the community, saying he will “share music as long as I can.”

The immediate impact of Wagstaff’s work is tangible in improved performance quality and student experience. Upgrades to auditorium lighting and sound and the availability of instruments and technical equipment directly affect rehearsal and production opportunities for Baker High students, many of whom may otherwise lack access to such resources. Those improvements support hands-on learning in collaboration, technical skills and creative expression that educators view as important for student development.

Beyond schools, Wagstaff’s volunteer leadership has helped sustain regional theater productions that serve as community gathering points, contributing to social cohesion and public wellbeing. In rural counties like Baker, community arts can play a role in mental health and social support by creating shared cultural life and volunteer pathways for older adults seeking meaningful engagement.

Wagstaff’s example underscores how individual volunteers and modest material contributions can broaden access to arts programming when public budgets are stretched. For Baker County, sustaining those gains will require continued partnership among volunteers, school officials and local policymakers to ensure students and residents can benefit from the cultural and health-related advantages that thriving community arts provide.