We haven't heard much from Vic Stevens since the curtain came down on his audition to be Richland supervisor last year. Perhaps he is just avoiding the paparazzi after being spotlighted as the leading man behind the demise of the Main Street Theater.
That doesn't just come from me. It is based on the written conclusions of Bucks County Judge Robert J. Mellon, who had the best seat in the house. And Judge Mellon authored some very critical reviews of Stevens, and Vic's co-stars, Barry Cohen, Lynn Kraft, and Rick Curry.
The Main Street Theater has exited stage left, a victim of arrogance, clashing personal agendas, and ego. Very sad. It didn't have to happen. Local theater in other towns provides great entertainment at affordable prices, and is a year-round source of community pride. Why did it bomb in Quakertown?
Prologue: The facts of the convoluted drama that dimmed the lights for good are more complex than an Agatha Christie mystery. There are enough characters to fill a Les Miserables casting call, including Stevens, who claimed (falsely, it turns out) to be the rightful theater president. But the Playbill synopsis is that MST was owned by a New York accountant, Don Robinson, who sank a box-office load of his cash into our local non-profit theater, and eventually gave up after two rival groups fought, and sued, over who was the legal Board of Directors. MST abruptly closed soon after.
Act One: Robinson was so disgusted that he finally offered to just give the building, worth perhaps $500,000, to the rightful Board (whoever that turned out to be), if they just repaid him the $225,000 he had loaned to the business for renovations. This didn't satisfy Stevens, who, for a time, had actually quit MST years earlier when he and wife Lois were not allowed to see the shows for free!
Act Two: In 2004, Stevens filed lawsuits against Robinson, and the other Board, seeking to have his group declared the rightful owners, and, of course, for several hundred thousand dollars in damages. Follow the Greenback Road. Hissss. Boooo.
Act Three: The suit was thrown out in 2005. Standing ovation! But Stevens wanted an encore, and appealed. Last week Judge Mellon gonged him again , in a nine-page ruling that leaves no doubt how His Honor feels about the performance, and Stevens (starring in the role of "Plaintiff"). Some of the highlights, edited for space, show how nonsensical the whole suit really was:
"The litigation was apparently filed by Victor Stevens, who is the alleged President. Plaintiff admitted in the pleadings that the board never authorized this litigation."
"Plaintiff improperly filed the action."
"Plaintiff apparently has no idea of what exactly to complain about."
"This is in direct contravention of (PA Rules of Civil Procedure)."
"The preliminary objections were granted because the litigation was commenced without the proper authorization by the directors."
An action is requested for the alleged improper removal of board members Barry Cohen, Lynn Kraft, and Rick Curry. These individuals do not seem to be named as plaintiffs, yet Stevens requests declaratory relief on behalf of these individuals."
"Defendants Robinson and (Patricia) Sheetz did not receive a copy of the amended complaint (from Stevens) until a full month after the amended complaint had already been filed."
"Plaintiff, with complete disregard for procedure, filed a second amended complaint beyond the time period required."
"It is puzzling how Plaintiff appeared in front of the Court and argued against dismissal of the amended complaint, yet in his Statement of Matters Complained Of, he claims complete ignorance."
"Plaintiff's points of appeal are vague and incomprehensible. The reasoning behind the Court's order was Plaintiff's uncanny ability to disregard the PA Rules of Procedure."
"How Plaintiff can honestly claim that he has no idea of the basis of the court's order is a mystery."
Grand finale: Stevens' case has now been thrown out twice. MST is dead, the building sold. There is nothing left to fight over. But, incredibly, Robinson says there may be an extended run: "My lawyer says it's crazy but (an appeal) is their right no matter how hopeless their case. Early on, Barry Cohen called me up and said it would be cheaper for me to give the building to him than pay the lawyers fees he was gonna make me pay by keeping me in court forever ."
If Stevens does appeal, what could possibly be his motive? To try to ruin the man who worked so hard, and invested so much, to bring theater to this community? If it actually is his intent to crush Robinson with legal fees, the joke is on Vic. Last year, at about the same time Stevens was being crushed by Craig Staats in the Richland election, Robinson won a million dollars in the New York City lottery!
Epilogue: Vic Stevens is also involved in another local lawsuit. He is suing Staats for allegedly defaming him in campaign ads. One of the statements in the ads is "Stevens knows litigation. He sued the Main Street Theater to try to force them to put him on the Board of Directors. He lost." Exactly what Judge Mellon wrote.
And Staats was right on when he told The Morning Call way back on March 8, 2005, "I'd hate to see what happened at the Main Street Theatre happen in Richland". You can bet that Staats' attorneys will be quoting Judge Mellon more often than a Broadway director's script on the first day of rehearsal.