Ritz Theatre Board Conducting National Search for New Executive Director

Board names Jillian Becquet as Interim Executive Director

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas, July 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of the Ritz Theatre is announcing it will conduct a national search for a new executive director to work with leadership as they continue on their path of preserving Corpus Christi's iconic theatre. Jillian Becquet has been named interim executive director.

The Ritz Theatre announces a national search for an executive director to progress work to rebuild the 1929 theatre.

Becquet has served the Ritz in a fundraising capacity and was formerly with the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History, serving in several capacities, including interim executive director. She is also a Commissioner and former Chair of the Corpus Christi Landmark Commission and has extensive experience with historic structures.

"We are pleased Jillian will be joining us in moving forward to bring this South Texas legend back, as we believe her familiarity with our fundraising goals and projects, and her passion for preserving the Ritz's rich cultural history make her a natural fit," said Board President Rick Hatch.

The Ritz Theatre – opened in 1929 – is one of the few remaining historic buildings in Corpus Christi and was recently awarded a $30 million grant for its preservation from the Texas Legislature. The board credits the efforts of Representative Todd Hunter and Senator Chuy Hinojosa as being instrumental in achieving this remarkable accomplishment for the Ritz.

"We are most appreciative of Rep. Hunter and Sen. Hinojosa's efforts in bringing this opportunity to fruition," Hatch said. "In addition, during Cheryl Voltzmeyer-Rios' tenure as executive director, we have achieved several notable milestones: being placed on the National Register of Historic Places, hiring OTJ Architects to lead the preservation work, and conducting a study through Palmer Westport Group to confirm local capacity to rehabilitate the theatre. Cheryl has been an integral part of these accomplishments, and we are most grateful for all of her hard work."

In the search for a new, permanent executive director, the board is working with the recruitment firm Lee + Associates with the goal of having the theatre's new executive director in place by Oct. 1, 2025.

The Ritz is a 1,300-seat theatre designed by William Scott Dunne that opened in Corpus Christi in December 1929, just before the Great Depression took hold. Shuttered in 1989, it is one of the few remaining atmospheric theatres in Texas. The plan for the Ritz is to be rehabilitated to its original design and together, with a new adjoining building, provide a venue for state-of-the-art performances, along with opportunities for fine arts education serving students, performers and audiences throughout the state of Texas.

About Us: The Ritz Theatre, Inc. is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and transforming the historic Ritz Theatre into a modern, top-tier entertainment and education venue.

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SOURCE The Ritz Theatre