For obvious reasons I am remaining anon.
Is there any recourse in community theater for unfair treatment?
The Issue:
We were hired to direct a show for a community theater. The artistic director does not like us, but the Board of Trustees voted to hire us anyway. Normally directors receive assistance from the board for publicity, prop storage, etc. -- all our calls to the Artistic Director went unreturned. We had scheduled our callbacks 4 months ahead of time, only to be told 5 days before that he would be using the theater and then had rented it out to another group in the evening. During the run of the show, lights went out and the CD player stopped working to which we were told basically "too bad." We made a verbal complaint to a member of the board and were rewarded with the Artistic Director showing up before the next show and literally yelling at us in front of cast and crew for negative attitudes.
For our part, the show went off well, cast had a great time, the show sold more tickets than any of their other 5 shows, we turned in a balanced budget, cleaned the theater, etc. Another member of the board sent us a thank you letter for a job well done and several others called us with compliments. We were paid our stipend which our contract stated would be paid only upon fulfillment of ALL duties in a satisfactory manner.
Then, after several months of not receiving our reimbursements and them not paying a vendor, we wrote a letter. The response was a letter from the artistic director that we had gone over budget, stolen things, etc. We have witnesses and documentation that this was not the case. The artistic director also told these things to a director who had asked us to assist with another show. We were dismissed from the show without reason. Also, when the unpaid vendor sent the theater another copy of her bill, she received a letter in return stating that we had spent the money that was to go to her and in fact damaged theater property, not fulfilled our obligations, etc. (All of these claims we can PROVE are false.) And finally, we have been told by another music director and assistant director that we have worked with that statements were made to them about us not fulfilling contracts, etc. It is the artistic director who has been making these false statements. However, the letter sent is signed by him FOR the Executive Board of the Theater.
The Questions:
1 - There are many nice people on this board, and they do provide a service for the community so our desire is not to jeopardize the whole group. But, other than a lawsuit, what can we do to stop what is quickly becoming character defamation and slander that has already cost us 2 directing jobs.
2 - Although there are nice people on this board, several of them know about the situation and have apologized for the Artistic Director, stating he is upset as his wife recently died, but have done nothing about the sitution. Do we now address the issue as one that the entire board is responsible for?
3 - If we go before the board and ask for a resolution, other than the obvious payment of monies due us and our vendor, what should be ask for that would restore our reputations? Letters to all involved?
Thanks for the help.

I concur with Mike...and take the time (and relatively small outflow) to consult with an experienced civil attorney regarding slander.  Very difficult to prove, however the note from the one Board member and the payment of the stipend (since it was contingent on not trashing the house and doing everything in your contract) may be the starting point for the suit.

Resolve ASAP, try to insulate the theater from harm, and get those bills (including your attorney fees) paid by the AD.

 

Well obviously the theatre group has not completed their contract with you! As there are still an outstanding payment owed, in the way of a reimbursement.  Assuming you incurred the expense in good faith  on their behalf, forming part of the accepted authorised budget &/or final wash up of the production accounts. Therefore that may be deemed as in breach of the contract as either written, implied &/or verbally agreed, in order to fulfil all contractual obligations.
As far as satisfying the Vendor, so long as you did not give any form of personnel guarantee as liability of payment for their services. The Onus is on the board to pay up! Basically the Vendor cannot & should not be made to suffer the liability for any loss allegedly created by others -  no matter what excuse the Board may deem appropriate.
If the Board refused to pay the theatres Electricity Supply bill, using the same limp excuse, it would soon be switched off & put completely in the dark.
The fist thing you should do is allow all the rubbish, wash past you, accept it for what ?IT? is - Garbage! With any legal action you win, loose or draw- you will still be counted as the Baddie! Because this AD is obviously Termite?n you, as you may have bruised or stepped on her delicate ego. Even if you secure an apology written or otherwise, IT is not going to be completely resolved. The ?Chinese Whisper? campaign of the AD?s, will still be out there spreading  like a cancer. Nothing you can do will stop IT!
Allow time for the AD to be  kicked off her perch! - Like water finds it?s own level, it will happen eventually!.
In the mean time carry on as before & don?t worry! Use IT as a negative & add your positive to create a workable circuit. Remember you can have as many positives as you like but IT won?t work without at least one negative.  {Power/current actually flows from negative to positive(- to +)  - not as in the conventional theory (+ to -)}

Chookas Anon.