By Joyce Kryszak
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-931347.mp3
Buffalo, NY – When the Twin Tiers Theatre Festival folded in Olean this summer, many people who had pinned their hopes on having professional theatre there were broken-hearted. That disappointment soon turned to shame as news of the financial mismanagement came out.
A new board is in place now trying to overcome the PR nightmare and remount the festival. But were there warning signs? In the last part of a WBFO investigative report, Joyce Kryszak takes a look at the track record of festival founder Rohit Kapoor.
The fledgling theatre festival certainly had all the right ingredients. Professional actors. Great plays. And virtually an entire community supporting the venture with time, talent - and money. So, how did things go so terribly wrong? 32 year-old Rohit Kapoor said he made mistakes.
"Financial management has not been my forte, as we know. And we're moving to correct that know," said Kapoor. "I put my signature on a lot of things that sometimes I shouldn't I think."
But this isn't the first time Kapoor has bounced checks and mismanaged money. Former Buffalo theatre colleague Cindy Darling said that, sadly, she has seen it all before.
"He has that sort of grandiose, let's put on a show. This is theatre. We can do anything. It's a big dream," said Darling.
Darling said Kapoor's dream turned into her nightmare. About ten years ago, Darling loaned Kapoor her credit card to make some limited purchases to start a new theatre company in Buffalo. Darling said she was stunned when she got her bill with about $4,000 worth of charges. She was even more stunned when Kapoor left town without repaying her.
But it wouldn't be the last time Kapoor would vanish or one of his business ventures would go sour.
In the early 2000's the Tralfalmadore was a legendary jazz club in Buffalo that attracted the world's top jazz musicians. Then Kapoor took over. Among others, Kapoor hired Joe Romanowski. He owns Indigo Productions, a nationally known multi-media production company based in Buffalo. Romanowski said Kapoor wrote him and many other people several bad checks before the club went bankrupt. He said Kapoor still owes him more than $20,000.
"I was told by his family these checks were going to be good. Don't worry, it'll all work out. A lot of promises. A lot, a lot , a lot of promises," said Romanowski. "We took it to the lawyers and chased him down and got no where. And then he kind of vanished."
Kapoor landed in New York City, working for other theatres. WBFO contacted one of the most respected ones to ask about its experiences with Kapoor. A manager at Stella Adler Studios said Kapoor was let go. For legal reasons, she would not say why. But when asked if Kapoor's performance was satisfactory, she said,"absolutely not."
Kapoor acknowledged he had severance arrangements with both BAM and Stella Adler. But Kapoor said he still maintains good contacts with many of his past colleagues. Kapoor said he is the victim of personal attacks by angry Olean festival employees.
"I think it's sensationalism. I really don't appreciate it," said Kapoor. "I'd like to answer these questions for you as honestly as I can, but it seems that, you know, you guys pick out these three or four instances and ignore the rest of someone's track record, especially in New York, which has been leaps and bounds of positivity."
There are many who do still support him. Many professionals in the community volunteered to be on the new board. And there continue to be big donors.
One of them is part-time Olean resident Jim Kinley. He owns the Kinley Corporation, a national real estate development company. Kinley held an event to raise money to pay back the festival's debt. And he helped establish the newly appointed board of directors. Kinley still believes the festival can succeed.
"They just amazed me with the first show they put on here. I thought I was on Broadway. They're just terrific," said Kinley. "But they needed to be more organized and, you know, this is their first year. I don't think they were prepared for the success they had for one thing."
Members of the new board said it will apply for not-for-profit status - and hire an accountant. Last week, volunteers staged a fundraising production that raised more money to go toward the debt. Other productions also are planned. Then producers and the board plan to remount the summer festival next year - if that debt can be paid off.
And, if that happens, the Cattaruagus County Arts Council said it too will continue to support the festival. The not-for-profit agency served as an umbrella for the festival. Arts Council Executive Director Anne Conroy-Baiter is hopeful.
"It still has the potential to be an arts and cultural draw for the Southern Tier. And I believe with the board of directors that's been assembled, that that board could steer this festival back in the right direction," said Conroy-Baiter.
That board of directors does not include Kapoor. He also, reportedly, will no longer be in charge of finances. But Kapoor will continue as artistic director. And as one board member put it, the festival is still Kapoor's baby.