Dozens of United Ways across Michigan,
including Plymouth Community United
Way, began a statewide effort recently to
encourage people to get involved in their
communities.
Marie Morrow, president of Plymouth
Community UnitedWay, said, “A donation to
the Plymouth Community United Way pro-
vides a unique opportunity to support all
segments of our community who are under-
served in the areas of education, basic
needs andhealthand stability.”
Michael Larson, president and chief
executive officer of the Michigan
Association of United Ways (MAUW), said
the unified effort allows United Ways of all
sizes to spotlight their local impact
statewide.
“While each United Way tackles the
needs in the local community, together we
improve life for all people acrossMichigan,”
said Larson. “When we share our ideas and
successes, we grow together and transform
our communities inmeaningful ways.”
Participating United Ways will share
their stories through advertising, news
media and social media. A common online
website, letsliveunited.org, includes a video
and links to the local United Ways taking
part.
“While the effort is statewide, funds
raised locally will stay local,” Morrow said.
“We're focused on impacting local lives and
sharing that story acrossMichigan.”
According to Larson, the unified effort
was prompted by a dialogue four years ago
between MAUW, Capital Area United Way,
United Way of the Battle Creek and
Kalamazoo Region, United Way of Jackson
County, and United Way of Southwest
Michigan. The effort adds no additional cost
to participating United Ways and will help
increase visibility for smaller United Ways
that may not have resources for extensive
marketing, Larsen said.
“United Way connects and mobilizes all
sectors in a community to create lasting
change that produces healthy, educated and
financially stable individuals and families,”
Larson added. “The unified kickoff is about
telling that story and inviting people to get
involved.”
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September 27, 2018
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United Way joins effort to urge community involvement
Enter stage right
Theater classes now ‘onstage’ in PARC
Those hoping for a career in
theater or music can now get
some expert guidance and train-
ing in downtown Plymouth with
the move of Arts Detroit into the
Plymouth Arts and Recreation
Complex.
Adriane Galea, executive
director of Arts Detroit, a non-
profit private music studio she
founded in 2005, knows a lot
about theater careers and apply-
ing to college theater and music
programs. Arts Detroit has since
been brought under the umbrel-
la of Center Stage Sutdios, a
501c(3) non-profit corporation.
“It's a really intense process
and it's confusing to navigate,”
said Galea, who also manages
the First Equity Theater
Downriver, a professional com-
pany for adult actors.
She said she is excited to be
expanding from the current
Allen Park facility into an office
at the Plymouth Arts &
Recreation Complex (PARC),
with classes to start in Plymouth
this October, taught by profes-
sional artists from Detroit and
NewYorkCity.
“I have been looking at the
Plymouth-Northville area for
quite some time,” said Galea,
who grew up in Allen Park and
calls Dearborn home. “It's very
central to a lot of the areas that
seem to have an appreciation
forwhat we do.”
She identifies herself prima-
rily as a college coach for those
pursing theater and music
careers
Galea earned a bachelor's
degree in history (“which is sur-
prisingly relevant to theater”) as
well as a master's in education,
both from the University of
Michigan. She got involved in
community theater, then profes-
sional theater, and taught.
“All the kids I taught were in
theater,” said Galea, who now
does voice teaching, administra-
tive work for Arts Detroit
) and more.
She hires professional actors
who like young people as
instructors, noting their bache-
lor of fine arts degrees with
someM.F.A. holders.
“You can make a living act-
ing,” said Galea. “In fact, you
probably won't land on
Broadway and you'll still be suc-
cessful.
“New York City is not for
everyone,” she said, noting not
all film actors have to be Los
Angeles-based. “There definitely
are no small parts. Every single
person matters in the cast,” as
do those behind the scenes, she
added.
“Those are the people who
really make things happen and
actors are smart to learn those
roles,” Galea said of behind-the-
scenes production folks.
More information is available
by email at
or by calling the Arts Detroit
Plymouth office at (734) 926-3020.
Plymouth offerings will start
with age 3 and the “Enchanted
Theater” using fairy tales as
well as “Broadway Babies” with
movement, stage etiquette and
singing fun songs.
The Arts Detroit college
coaching is focused on high
school juniors and seniors, with
additional musical theater and
acting for other teens. Galea said
she is starting a theater educa-
tion program for youth with
autism and Asberger's syn-
drome.
She has traveled and spoken
to students at college theater
and music programs as well as
the Royal Conservatoire of
Scotland. She didn't start out
with such plans; in her early 30s
now, Galea trained while
younger in voice andpiano.
“You couldn't have dragged
me on stage when I was
younger,” she said of later teach-
ingmusical theater. She said she
would like to go on for her Ph.D.
and for now is focused on Arts
Detroit “Toddlers Through
Teens” offerings.
Adult offerings are planned
for PARC in Plymouth too,
including screen and commer-
cial acting, as well as recording
for YouTube on a phone. She's
also excited about an adult
improv-typeworkshop on tap.
Arts Detroit will be in No. 206
on the second floor at PARC, and
Galea and her team hope to
grow in Plymouth while main-
tainingAllenPark.
“We're just going to start sim-
ple and grow from there,” Galea
said. She takes teens to New
York City each year, working last
year with the cast of “Hamilton”
on Broadway and with
Broadway director Mark
Schneider, who's directed “Miss
Saigon” and others.
“I'm really excited. It's been
on my radar for a long time,”
Galea said of Plymouth. She's
aware of a Nov. 6 PARC millage
vote, calling the downtown
Plymouth building “a really
valuable asset for the communi-
ty in the long term. So I'm hope-
ful it will pass.”
“We're thrilled to have anoth-
er high-quality performing arts
organization at PARC. We're just
excited to be the hub, the focal
point of Western Wayne County
now,” said Gail Grieger, execu-
tive director of PARC.
Julie Brown
Staff Writer
Adriane Galea, executive director of Arts Detroit, is eager to share
theater arts training at the Plymouth Arts and Recreation Complex.
