control bay.
By Elizabeth Ferszt
Contributing Writer
Protestors braved the freezing temperatures with hand-made signs to show their support
for Steve Tucker, former executive director of the Michigan Theater of Jackson, Sunday, Feb. 8,
from 5:30-6:30 p.m., as the theater was hosting a free Super Bowl watch party.
Protestor Amy Mills stated she was “in support of Steve Tucker still working at the
theater.”
Protestor Elaine Kulhawik said she was also there “in support of Steve. We are all
volunteers here… pretty upset about what the Board did. No accountability.”
“We want Steve to be reinstated or treated respectfully,” if he wishes to retire, said
Kulhawik. “We want an apology, and whatever Steve wants to happen.”
Inside the theater, Tucker’s son, Steven J. Tucker, who is now listed as volunteer
coordinator of the theater, was working at the concession stand. He stated that his dad “is OK.”
Another volunteer and supporter of Tucker, Miss Lotus, stated that “Steve is the structure
and face of the company.” They indicated that they may “approach the Board” to further raise
their concerns. For example, “in regard to Paul, they have devalued his technical expertise. If
Paul (Kofflin) walks the theater will be dark. Steve was his mentor.”
Kofflin was busy at the sound and light boards, running the audio and live feed for the
pre-game show, featuring the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots, from Levi’s
Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
“It’s not the same without Steve,” said Kofflin. “The theater is bigger than any one person,
we have to continue to work forward for all he has done,” he added.
When asked about the timing of the firing of Tucker and canceling the musical, “Jesus
Christ Superstar,” Kofflin stated, “the first thing they [the board] cut was live theater.”
He added that MTJ made over $26,000 in box office sales and concessions over the
eight performances of “Jesus Christ Super Star” in April 2005.
Tucker worked for the theater for about 14 years. Kofflin for about 7 years. The two have
led the MTJ though the capital giving campaign including a short closure to install new
performance-enhancing equipment and other improvements.
When asked about the board of directors, Kofflin stated, “They’re not coming to any
events. They’re hiding.” He added that there is supposed to be an annual meeting Feb. 18 at 6
p.m. “Their (non-profit corporation) bylaws require a meeting before March 15,” said Kofflin.
There were no board members at the Super Bowl event, including Nan Whitmore, interim
executive director. About 50 people in audience attended.
Kofflin agreed that “the lights will go out” on the theater because he is one of only a few
who have mastered all the lighting and technical systems of the theater after the capital funding
upgrade. No board members have that technical training.
The MTJ Board of Directors issued a statement about Tucker’s termination Feb. 2.
According to them, Tucker told the board in October 2025 that he was going to retire in March 2026. The board instead asked him to retire in December 2025, but still get paid through March
14, and then stay on as funding lead. They said when Tucker did not divest his directorship Dec.
31, 2025, they fired him Jan. 22.
But Tucker paints a very different picture of what happened between him and the board,
stating emphatically that he never intended to retire or resign: “It was never my intent to retire
from my role as Executive Director at this time,” Tucker wrote in a Feb. 6 statement.
“I never submitted a formal, written resignation or notice of my retirement,” he added.
Tucker stated that he was shocked when he received a letter abruptly terminating his
employment, “demanding that I leave the Theater by the end of the day (Jan. 22) and not
return.”
