DICK AND JANE MILLER,
LONGTIME FRIENDS OF BROADWAY ROSE

Dick and Jane Miller visited Broadway Rose shortly after the theatre was founded in 1992, and after attending their first performance, they were captivated. “We were hooked, absolutely hooked! I don’t think we’ve missed a single show,” said Jane.

Dick and Jane have been married for 33 years. They met on a climb at Mt. Rainier National Park as part of the Mazamas climbing club. Dick, an avid hiker, had been a part of the club for a number of years, while Jane had just finished basic climb school class. “That’s always the best way to meet somebody – do something you enjoy,” said Jane. Dick was working in Guatemala at the time and just visiting for the summer, but, after meeting Jane, he ended up returning to Portland for good just two months later. They would continue to hike together during their courtship and after they were married, exploring many of the mountains within the Pacific Northwest region, with Dick himself summitting Mount Hood a colossal 152 times! Dick and Jane now live on a beautiful three acre lot on Cooper Mountain, presided over by their pet alpaca Fito.

As a part of the Broadway Rose family from the beginning, Dick and Jane Miller have seen the theatre through a number of changes – from that first performance at the Deb Fennell Auditorium to a small but growing audience to becoming an established theatre and a respected member of Oregon’s musical theatre scene. Dick and Jane decided to support Broadway Rose not long after they started attending productions.

“The reason that we have given some financial support to Broadway Rose is because of the quality – of the casting, the presentation, the sets, the costumes, and the actors,” Dick explained. Jane added, “We’re so impressed with their money management, during the hard times – during Covid!” Dick agreed. “To be able to go ahead with the building expansion project because they had saved up over a million dollars. That’s impressive.”

Dick and Jane have given their time, funds, and efforts to a number of nonprofits over the years. In 1974 Dick volunteered his time as a civil engineer in Honduras after Hurricane Fifi, and in 1976 he was asked to work with the emergency committee in Guatemala after the massive earthquake there. All told, Dick lived and worked in Latin America for 20 years, and after observing different socioeconomic systems, he developed an appreciation for the value of both an accessible public education and a free press. Many of the nonprofits that the Millers have aided have been chosen with the goal of supporting educational needs. In addition, Dick founded Adopt a School International in 1983, a nonprofit with the goal of providing Guatemalan primary schools in the Cuchumatanes Mountains of northern Guatemala with basic supplies, textbooks, and starter libraries. Adopt a School International ended up sharing supplies with 127 schools. The Millers currently support Quechua Benefit and the Oregon Humane Society, as well as the nonprofit alumni association from Dick’s old school, Stevenson High School.

“We’ve given to quite a few different nonprofits over the years. Almost immediately when you donate to the Broadway Rose, you get a confirmation, and a ‘thank you’ – a handwritten one, and that’s impressive,” said Dick. “It’s unique,” Jane exclaimed. “That’s a lot of notes to write, in the late hours!” Dick continued, “There has also been several times after we’ve given a donation, when we’ll get a call from a board member, thanking us.”

When asked what prompts such generous giving, not only to the Broadway Rose, but to a number of other nonprofits throughout the years, the Millers responded with a principle they live by: “It’s so much better to give with a warm hand than a cold one,” Dick explained. “You can put it in your will if you want, but it’s a lot more fun to see the results of it, and see it grow and do well.”

We at Broadway Rose are so appreciative of the Millers’ generous support. We have enjoyed getting know this amazing couple throughout their time at Broadway Rose, and we are so very honored that Dick and Jane have now been attending our productions for over 30 years. Thank you, again, Dick and Jane – we look forward to seeing you both in the lobby soon!