TOM COLE: HI, I'M TOM COLE FOR FOUR CORNERS ON WGTE PUBLIC MEDIA, WHERE WE DISCUSS TOPICS AND ISSUES THAT DISCOVER OUR CONNECTIONS.

IF YOU'RE READY FOR ANOTHER OUTSTANDING SHOW AS WE CONNECT WITH YOU, THE CULTURAL LIFEBLOOD OF OUR COMMUNITY, THE ARTS, IT IS SAID THAT ART HAS THE POWER TO TRANSFORM, TO ILLUMINATE, TO EDUCATE, INSPIRE AND MOTIVATE.

WELL, IT'S TOLEDO'S ART SCENE SURE CHECKS ALL THOSE BOXES.

WE HAVE THE HONOR OF SPEAKING TO SOME INCREDIBLE GUESTS TODAY, INCLUDING CRYSTAL PHELPS FROM THE ARTS COMMISSION, RHONDA SEWELL FROM THE TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART, PAUL CAUSMAN, FROM A BOARD MEMBER OF TOLEDO REP. AND JOAN UHL BROWNE, ONE OF THE LEADERS AND TOP ADMINISTRATORS FOR UNRULY ARTS.

SO LET'S SET THE STAGE.

LET'S SHINE THE SPOTLIGHT ON TOLEDO'S THRIVING ART SCENE RIGHT HERE ON FOUR CORNERS.

(MUSIC) ANNOUNCER: THIS PRESENTATION WAS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY THE MANGO TREE RESTAURANT IN BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

TOM COLE: HI, TOM COLE FOR FOUR CORNERS AND W GT PUBLIC TV.

AND IT'S CERTAINLY AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE FOR ME TO WELCOME IN A VERY TALENTED YOUNG LADY INTO FOUR CORNERS RIGHT NOW, CRYSTAL PHELPS, WHO'S THE COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER AND DIRECTOR FOR AN INCREDIBLE ORGANIZATION CALLED THE TOLEDO ARTS COMMISSION, WHICH I THINK WAS, YOU KNOW, BETTER THAN I DO CRYSTAL, BUT MAYBE ESTABLISHED IN 1959, AND HAS BEEN DOING INCREDIBLE WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY FROM THAT DATE FORWARD.

CRYSTAL, GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE.

YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

IT'S A PLEASURE TO JOIN YOU.

CRYSTAL, IT'S OUR HONOR.

AND I VERY QUICKLY, I JUST WANT TO TOUCH ON YOU, LIKE ALL THE OTHER FOLKS WITH THE PANDEMIC, HAD TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY, CHANGE THE WAY YOU DO BUSINESS, CHANGE THE WAY YOU INTERACT WITH ARTISTS AND IN THE COMMUNITY.

GIVE US A LITTLE FEEL FOR HOW, HOW DIFFICULT THAT WAS.

CRYSTAL PHELPS: YEAH, SO LIKE MANY OTHERS IN OUR AREA 2020 IT WAS JUST A WHIRLWIND, RIGHT?

WE THINGS CHANGE SO FAST.

LUCKILY, OUR ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN NIMBLE ENOUGH TO PIVOT AND BE ABLE TO REALLOCATE THINGS LIKE RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO OUR LOCAL ARTISTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS.

SO IN 2020, ALTHOUGH WE HAD TO JOIN A SLEW OF OTHERS AND ALTERING OUR PLANS AND CANCELING OUR PLANS, WE WERE REALLY LUCKY IN SOME SENSE, IN THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PIVOT OUR PROGRAMMING TO CREATE EXPERIENCES FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THE ARTISTS IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR DISCOVERABLE ART EVENTS, SCAVENGER HUNTS, STYLE EVENTS, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

WE EVEN DEVELOP SOME PUBLIC ART TOURS THAT PEOPLE COULD TAKE ON THEIR OWN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

AND FURTHERMORE, WE WERE ABLE TO SHIFT TO SOME OF OUR FUNDING TO CREATE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES TO ARTISTS AND SMALL ORGANIZATIONS AND THAT WAS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF TOLEDO AND THE LUCAS COUNTY COMMISSIONER.

SO ALTHOUGH IT WAS A CHALLENGING YEAR, WE WERE CERTAINLY ABLE TO RISE TO THE OCCASION AND HELP SUPPORT THE ARTISTS HERE IN NORTHWEST OHIO.

TOM COLE: CRYSTAL I HEARD AN INTERESTING QUOTE ONE TIME FROM BRIAN INO ABOUT ART HE SAID WHAT'S WHAT'S WHAT'S POSSIBLE IN ART BECOMES THINKABLE IN LIFE.

AND YOU KNOW, THERE ARE NO, THERE'S NEVER GOING TO BE A VIABLE COMMUNITY.

YOU KNOW, WITHOUT ART, I MEAN, ART IS IT IS AT THE HEART AND CENTER OF EVERYTHING THAT A COMMUNITY DOES.

SO IT'S SO VITAL, WHAT THE TOLEDO ART COMMISSION IS DOING IN OUR COMMUNITY, PROVIDING THESE VENUES FOR CREATIVITY, PROVIDING PLACES FOR ARTISTS TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES.

A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE CAN'T EXPRESS THEMSELVES IN IN WORDS, SO THEY CAN'T PUT IT ON PAPER.

BUT THEY CAN DO IT WITH ART.

AND ART SPEAKS TO SO MANY PEOPLE.

SO YOU KNOW, WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF AND ALL THE ARTISTS DO IN OUR COMMUNITY.

CAN YOU GIVE US GOING FORWARD CRYSTAL, I KNOW THINGS ARE OPENING UP NOW.

WE'RE NOT WEARING MASKS.

WE'RE BOTH VACCINATED.

THINGS ARE GOOD.

WHAT'S UP AND COMING FOR THE TOLEDO ARTS COMMISSION THAT WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT?

CRYSTAL PHELPS: OH, MY GOSH, SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS.

SO WE ARE SLOWLY OPENING BACK UP, OBVIOUSLY BEING VERY MINDFUL OF THE COMFORT LEVELS AND SAFETY OF OUR STAFF, OUR ARTISTS OUR PERFORMERS AND THE COMMUNITY.

BUT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO OPENING UP AND HAVING SOME LARGER EVENTS WITH THE PUBLIC COMING UP THIS SUMMER.

SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE GOING ON RANGE FROM PUBLIC ART OPPORTUNITIES, LIKE OUR SIGNALBOX WRAPS AND MURALS TO OUR ACCELERATOR GRANT PROGRAMS THAT CAN HELP ARTISTS TO SORT OF GET A PUSH IN THE NEXT PROJECT IN THEIR STUDIO, AND THEN FROM THE EVENTS LANE, WE CHANGE THE FORMAT OF OUR POPULAR THIRD THURSDAY ART LOOP PROGRAMMING TO CONDENSE OUR SCHEDULE FOR THIS YEAR, SO THAT WE CAN BE FLEXIBLE.

BUT OUR SUMMER SPECTACULAR EVENT WILL BE COMING BACK IN JULY.

I WILL BE ABLE TO SHARE SOME DETAILS ABOUT THAT LATER THIS MONTH.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE MOMENTUM FESTIVAL MAKING A RETURN THIS YEAR.

LAST YEAR, THE PROGRAM WAS A FIVE WEEK SORT OF SELF GUIDED DISCOVERY PROGRAM.

BUT THIS YEAR, WE ARE THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO A THREE DAY IN PERSON EVENT WHERE WE'LL HAVE MUSICIANS, DANCERS AND ARTISTS MARKET, THERE'S GOING TO BE A FRIDAY NIGHT DANCE PARTY, THERE'S GOING TO BE AN ANIMATION FESTIVAL.

WE ARE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT PROGRAM IN SEPTEMBER AND THAT'LL BE AFTER A GREAT SUMMER OF OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT THE REGION HAS ON DECK THIS YEAR.

TOM COLE: CRYSTAL I SEE SO MANY INCREDIBLE MURALS IN OUR COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, THE SIDES OF THE THE OLD BRICK BUILDINGS IN I MEAN, INCREDIBLE ART.

ARE YOU INVOLVED IN THAT?

CRYSTAL PHELPS: SO THE ARTS COMMISSION DOES HAVE A SUITE OF MURALS THAT WE HAVE SORT OF LAUNCHED A CALL FOR.

SO LAST YEAR DURING THE MOMENTUM FESTIVAL, THERE WERE THREE NEW MURALS INSTALLED ALONG WATER STREET THAT'S DOWN BY PROMENADE PARK THIS YEAR ARE IN PUBLIC PLACES TEAM AND THE MOMENTUM FESTIVAL ARE WORKING ON A SUITE OF FIVE NEW MURALS THAT WILL BE THEY BEGIN PAINTING THOSE IN AUGUST.

AND WE'LL BE UNVEILING THOSE TO HAVE THIS BIG SUITE OF ABOUT EIGHT TO 10 MURALS THIS FALL WITH THE FESTIVAL SO THERE ARE SOME NEW MURALS ON THE WAY.

TOM COLE: CRYSTAL, WHAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF AND THE ENTIRE ARTS COMMISSION IS DOING IN OUR COMMUNITY IS SO INCREDIBLY VALUABLE.

IT WAS AN HONOR TO HAVE YOU HERE ON FOUR CORNERS TODAY AND WGTE PUBLIC TV.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

HI, IT'S CERTAINLY MY HONOR TO WELCOME IN ON FOUR CORNERS WGTE PUBLIC TV.

YOU KNOW, IT'S SO GREAT TO HAVE THE HONOR TO DO THESE SHOWS.

BUT WHAT'S A REAL HONOR IS WHEN YOU CAN BRING IN SOMEONE THAT YOU CONSIDER A DEAR DEAR FRIEND AND MY NEXT GUEST IS EXACTLY THAT THE MULTITALENTED SUPERSTAR RHONDA SEWELL AND RHONDA EVERYONE KNOWS THE INCREDIBLE WORK YOU DID FOR OUR TOLEDO PUBLIC LIBRARIES.

IT WAS REMARKABLE RESUME YOU PUT FORTH THERE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO THE SAME THING AT OUR ART MUSEUM.

AND I'M NOT GONNA MESS UP YOUR TITLE, BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN INTERESTING TITLE.

SO RHONDA, TELL US YOUR NEW TITLE.

AT THE TOLEDO ART MUSEUM.

RHONDA SEWELL: HI, TOM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JUST HAVING ME.

WE'VE BEEN FRIENDS FOR SO LONG.

AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.

I'M SO HONORED TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY AS YOUR GUEST.

AND YES, I AM A LITTLE BIASED, TOM.

BUT I THINK I HAVE ONE OF THE COOLEST TITLES IN THE CITY.

SO I AM THE NEW AND FIRST EVER DIRECTOR OF BELONGING AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR THE TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART.

TOM COLE: WELL, IT'S A GREAT YEAR, RIGHT?

IT IS A GREAT RATHER ESOTERIC TITLE.

VERY, VERY DIFFERENT.

VERY NEAT.

AND YOU WILL FULFILL THAT 100% YOU KNOW, RHONDA, OUR ART MUSEUM AND I'M TELLING YOU YOU ALREADY KNOW ALL THIS BUT YOU KNOW FOUNDED IN 1901 BY EDWARD AND FLORENCE LIBBY, 30,000 PIECES OF ART WORLD CLASS, YOU AND I WERE TALKING IN THE GREENROOM BEFOREHAND.

IT'S A REMARKABLE ART MUSEUM.

CAN YOU KIND OF GIVE US SOME OF YOUR FIRST IMPRESSIONS.

SO MAYBE SOME PEOPLE THAT AREN'T AS FAMILIAR WITH THE ART MUSEUM?

AND I KNOW YOU'RE DOING A REACH OUT TO GET MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE MUSEUM, THINGS THAT HAVE IMPRESSED YOU, YOU KNOW, FROM THAT STANDPOINT?

RHONDA SEWELL: YES, THAT'S SUCH AN EXCELLENT QUESTION THAT YOU HAVE.

THERE IS SO MUCH TO BE SAID ABOUT THE TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART.

SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING, ESPECIALLY IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, ARE REALLY LOOKING AT OUTREACH.

SO WE'RE NOT AS CONCERNED AS MAYBE WE ONCE WERE OF PEOPLE COMING IN THROUGH OUR DOORS, OF COURSE, WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME AND SEE THE ART.

BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT MANY COMMUNITIES ARE MARGINALIZED OR HAVE NEVER BEEN INVITED INTO THE MUSEUM.

SO WE'RE DOING A LOT OF OUTREACH ACTUALLY GOING OUT WITHIN THE TWO MILE RADIUS.

THAT'S OUR REAL FOCUS RIGHT NOW.

AND LOOKING AT WHAT COMMUNITIES ARE DOING AND WHAT OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ARE DOING THAT MAYBE WE CAN PARTNER WITH THEM TO EXPAND PEOPLE'S KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ART, ART ACTIVITIES, ART HISTORY, ART EDUCATION, AND THEN EVENTUALLY WE HOPE TO GET THEM TO CROSS THE THRESHOLD.

COME INSIDE AND SEE THE SPLENDOR AND THE WONDER THAT WE HAVE RIGHT IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY.

TOM COLE: RHONDA, THAT'S SO WELL SAID THE TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART IS SO OUTSTANDING.

I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE THE PERFECT PERSON.

I THINK THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE RESERVATIONS ABOUT THEIR I DON'T WANT TO USE THE WORD AFRAID.

BUT THEY WOULD GIVE YOU THE WHY DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND ART, I DON'T KNOW MUCH ART HISTORY, THEY'RE MAYBE A LITTLE INTIMIDATED OF WELL, WHAT AM I?

WHAT AM I GOING TO LOOK AT?

WHAT SHOULD I BE LOOKING FOR?

HOW DO I ENJOY THE TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART, AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE THE PERFECT PERSON TO DISPEL ANY OF THOSE THINGS.

AND SAY IT'S OPEN TO EVERYONE.

AND ART, AS WE BOTH KNOW, IS INTERPRETATION.

WHAT YOU KNOW WHAT MYSTIFIES ONE PERSON, MAYBE NOT AS MUCH FOR THE OTHER, AND THEN VICE VERSA AGAIN, SO YOU'LL BE THE PERFECT PERSON TO KIND OF BREAK DOWN SOME OF THOSE BARRIERS OF ART COMMUNICATION, I WILL CALL IT IN OUR COMMUNITY, RHONDA SEWELL: I REALLY APPRECIATE THOSE KIND WORDS TOM.

AND THAT LEADS TO REALLY WHAT MY TITLE IS ALL ABOUT BELONGING.

IF YOU ASK CITY PLANNERS, THEY MAY HAVE ONE INTERPRETATION OF WHAT BELONGING MEANS.

IF YOU ASK ACADEMICS, OR THOSE IN ACADEMIA, THEY MAY HAVE ANOTHER IDEA OF WHAT BELONGING MEANS.

BUT FOR ART ORGANIZATIONS, LIKE MUSEUMS, ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND ESPECIALLY OUR MUSEUM, BELONGING IS REALLY THE NOTION OF WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME AS THEY ARE, WE DON'T WANT YOU TO HAVE AN EXTENSIVE ART HISTORY, EDUCATION, JUST TO BE ABLE TO COME THROUGH OUR DOORS.

WE ARE A FREE, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, WE'RE PUBLICLY WE'RE PRIVATELY RATHER ENDOWED, AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE COMFORTABLE.

NOW, WE WILL ALL ADMIT EVEN INTERNALLY, OUR LEADERSHIP, OUR STAFF, WE ALL ADMIT THAT THE MUSEUM CAN BE SOMEWHAT INTIMIDATING.

IT IS A HUGE BUILDING.

IT'S ONE OF THE CROWN JEWELS OF OUR CITY.

AND SO IT CAN BE ALL THOSE STAIRS, STAIRS LEADING UP TO THE MUSEUM.

IT'S A GRAND, GRAND GRAND CAMPUS THAT WE HAVE.

BUT PART OF OUR REAL MISSION AND ESPECIALLY IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN IS ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS REPRESENTATION IN OUR ART COLLECTION.

SO THAT MEANS THAT YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY WITH THE ART.

TRADITIONALLY, ART MUSEUMS HAVE REALLY FOCUSED ON EUROPEAN ART.

BUT WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CURATORIAL STAFF IS REALLY HIGHLIGHTING ASIAN ART AND AFRICAN ART AND INDIGENOUS ART AND ART THAT REALLY REFLECTS OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY POPULATION.

OUR COMMUNITY IS MADE UP OF SUCH A RICH TEXTURE OF SO MANY PEOPLE.

AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING OUR JOB AS A MUSEUM TO REFLECT THAT IN OUR ART COLLECTION.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING TO TRY TO OPERATIONALIZE A CULTURE OF BELONGING IN OUR MUSEUM AND IN OUR CITY.

TOM COLE: RHONDA SEWELL SUPERSTAR, YOU HAVE AN OPEN DOOR AT FOUR CORNERS WGTE PUBLIC TV WHENEVER YOU WANT.

RHONDA, YOU MADE MY DAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US ON FOUR CORNERS.

RHONDA SEWELL: THANK YOU, TOM.

TOM COLE: IT CERTAINLY ANOTHER HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO WELCOME IN A GREAT GUEST ON ON FOUR CORNERS WGTE PUBLIC TV, MR. PAUL CAUSMAN, WHO IS ON THE BOARD OF THE TOLEDO REP WHO IS THE TOLEDO REP IT'S SO IMPORTANT OUR COMMUNITY PAUL, WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.

I DID A LITTLE STUDY ON IT.

I STILL HAVE SOME UNFINISHED TRANSCRIPTS.

SO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG HERE BUT I THINK THE REP STARTED 1933 AND AND I SAW YOU KNOW PART OF THE THE NOMENCLATURE THE REP IS TO WE'RE HERE TO ENTERTAIN AND TO EDUCATE AND YOU DO THAT SO VERY WELL.

AND LAST THING I'LL LEAVE YOU AND I'LL LEAD YOU INTO SOMETHING PAUL, DAVID SOUL THE ACTOR, YOU KNOW, DAVID SOUL.

MATTER OF FACT, HE WAS IN ONE OF THE GREAT HORROR FILMS EVER MADE CALLED SALEM'S LOT STARSKY AND HUTCH.

BUT THEY ASKED HIM ABOUT HE HAD DONE LOCAL THEATER, AND THEY ASKED HIM ABOUT LOCAL THEATER AND I THOUGHT HE HAD A GREAT QUOTE HE SAID, HE SAID LOCAL THEATER IN A COMMUNITY.

HE SAID EVERY COMMUNITY SHOULD HAVE A GOOD LOCAL CHURCH SHOULD HAVE A PRETTY GOOD LOCAL FOOTBALL TEAM, A NICE LOCAL PUB, AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE LOCAL THEATER, AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS A PRETTY GOOD QUOTE AND LEAD IN THE TOLEDO REP. IS GREAT AND KIND OF GIVE US A FEEL FOR HOW YOU COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, PAUL, AND WHAT'S COMING UP FOR THE TOLEDO REP. PAUL CAUSMAN: RIGHT.

WELL, I COULDN'T AGREE MORE, I THINK A GOOD PUB, BUT A GOOD THEATER.

ABSOLUTELY.

NOT NECESSARILY IN THAT ORDER.

BUT YEAH, DEFINITELY.

ABSOLUTELY.

WELL, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THE, THE, THE PANDEMIC WAS INTERESTING FOR EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IF WE WERE, YOU KNOW, SUDDENLY, YOU KNOW, TECHNOLOGY HAS COME INTO OUR LIVES.

AND WHAT THAT WAS ZOOM IN THE TOLEDO REP WASN'T ANY DIFFERENT.

AND, INITIALLY, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO THEATER, WHEN YOU CAN'T HAVE PEOPLE TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, IN THEATERS LIVE, YOU'VE GOT AN AUDIENCE, YOU'VE GOT ACTORS AND WHATNOT.

SO IT BECAME AN ISSUE.

AND WITH THAT, WE QUICKLY HAD TO KIND OF PIVOT ON AND BE CREATIVE AND FIGURE THINGS OUT.

AND WHILE ONE WOULD THINK THAT THE TOLEDO REP ACTUALLY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN DOING ANYTHING, DURING THE LAST YEAR, WE ACTUALLY DID ABOUT EIGHT PRODUCTIONS, AND WHICH IS KIND OF AMAZING.

AND THE LANDSCAPE OF THE PANDEMIC CHANGED ROUTE, ACCORDING TO HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND CDC AND WHATNOT, ABOUT WHO WAS ALLOWED IN AND WHO WASN'T, OF COURSE, AND SO AND SO THE THEATER CHANGED AS WELL, INITIALLY, STARTING WITH 15% IN THE AUDIENCE, BUT THROUGH THIS, AND THE, THROUGH THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY, WE WERE ABLE TO START LIVE STREAMING, AND LIVE STREAMING.

THIS IS MUCH MORE IN YOUR TERRITORY.

THIS IS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE DON'T TYPICALLY DO THINGS OVER, YOU KNOW, A LIVE STREAMING INTO, INTO PEOPLE'S LIVING ROOMS, ON THEIR TELEVISION SETS, AND WHATNOT.

BUT THROUGH A VERY GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE TOLEDO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, THEIR COVID-19 RESILIENCY FUND, WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO PURCHASE EQUIPMENT TO DO LIVE STREAMING, THIS IS THREE CAMERAS AT REMOTE CONTROL, THEY MOVE, THEY FOCUS, THESE ZOOM, AND WHATNOT, AS WELL AS THE SWITCHER AND ALL THE DIFFERENT EQUIPMENT INVOLVED.

I WON'T GO INTO ALL OF IT, BUT ALL THAT DIFFERENT EQUIPMENT.

AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO START SHOWING OUR PRODUCTIONS THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THE, THIS LIVE STREAMING EQUIPMENT INTO PEOPLE'S HOMES.

SO IF YOU FELT COMFORTABLE COMING OUT TO THE THEATER, ONCE YOU WERE PERMITTED, THEN THAT WAS POSSIBLE, OR IF NOT, WELL, THEN YOU COULD WATCH IT FROM THE COMFORT AND SAFETY OF YOUR OWN LIVING ROOM.

SO THAT WAS A GREAT THING.

AND WE ALSO DID SOME PRODUCTIONS WITH OTHER THEATRE COMPANIES, THE VILLAGE PLAYERS, WHICH OF COURSE IS, YOU KNOW, A WELL KNOWN COMMUNITY THEATRE COMPANY HERE IN TOLEDO, THEY DID A PERFORMANCE BACK IN THE FALL USING THE REP STAGE AND ACTORS COLLABORATIVE OF TOLEDO ALSO DID A PERFORMANCE THERE AND ALSO COLLABORATED ON SOME SHOWS WITH THE REP.

SO IN FACT, WE KEPT BUSY.

WHO KNEW?

TOM COLE: PAUL, THAT'S A THAT'S A GREAT EXPLANATION.

AND I WANT TO ASK YOU, PAUL, I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU CAME OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, AND YOU WERE ABLE TO SOMEWHAT FUNCTION DURING THE PANDEMIC.

AND THAT'S A CREDIT TO YOU, AND ALL THE FOLKS GREAT FOLKS AT THE TOLEDO REP, BECAUSE I KNOW IT WASN'T EASY TO DO, I DEFINITELY GET THAT.

I'VE DONE A GOOD BIT OF LIVE TV IN MY CAREER.

AND THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT LIVE TV, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A THERE'S AN ENERGY SYNERGY.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THINK I ALWAYS SAY THE GOOD THING ABOUT LIVE TV IS IT'S LIVE, AND THERE'S AN ENERGY TO IT.

THE BAD THING ABOUT LIVE TV IS THAT IT'S LIVE, AND WHATEVER, WHATEVER GOES WRONG, PEOPLE SEE AND MAYBE THAT'S THE ATTRACTION, I DON'T KNOW.

BUT WHAT I'M GETTING TO PAUL, IS, IS THEATER THE SAME WAY?

I MEAN, DO PEOPLE HAVE THAT SAME?

YOU KNOW, THEY COME TO SEE IT?

AND AND, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN?

IS IT ALL GONNA GO SMOOTH?

DOES IT ALL WORK?

ARE THEY GONNA SEE SOME MISTAKES?

IS THAT PART OF THE ATTRACTION TO TO THE THEATER?

PAUL CAUSMAN: WELL, IF IT ALL WENT SMOOTH, I SUPPOSE IT WOULDN'T BE ANY FUN.

THOUGH I READ THE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS EVERY, YOU KNOW, TALK TO ANYBODY WHO'S BEEN IN LIVE THEATER FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME, THEY'VE ALWAYS GOT FUN STORIES ABOUT THINGS THAT HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, SERENDIPITOUSLY BACKSTAGE OR WHATNOT.

BUT, YEAH, IT'S MY FAVORITE WAY TO WORK.

IT REALLY IS.

AND BECAUSE AS AN ACTOR, IT'S, IT'S IT'S TREMENDOUS TO BE WORKING WITH AN AUDIENCE RIGHT THERE LIVE THE SAME WAY THAT I'M TALKING TO YOU RIGHT NOW.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE TALK BACK AND FORTH TO ONE ANOTHER, THE AUDIENCE REACTS TO CERTAIN THINGS.

AND I KNOW, USUALLY WITHIN A FEW MINUTES, I KNOW WHERE THIS AUDIENCE IS GOING AND THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT THEY YOU KNOW, THAT THEY'RE REALLY FINDING RELEVANT OR REALLY TUNING INTO IN A PARTICULAR SCRIPT THAT WE'RE ON.

AND OF COURSE, IT SHAPES THE ACTORS, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY'RE PERFORMING AND WHATNOT.

IT'S A GREAT KIND OF GIVE AND TAKE THAT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WHERE ELSE COULD YOU GET THAT?

TOM COLE: I REALLY WANT TO COMMEND YOU, YOUR STAFF AND ALL THE FOLKS IN THE TOLEDO REP BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN OUR COMMUNITY SINCE 1933 IS MADE A DIFFERENCE.

AND YOU'VE YOU'VE HELPED PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE ARTS.

YOU'VE GIVEN THEM ENTERTAINMENT, AND YOU'VE ENRICHED THEIR LIVES.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, PAUL CAUSMAN FOR BEING WITH US ON FOUR CORNERS.

IT'S A REAL HONOR FOR ME TO WELCOME IN RIGHT NOW ON FOUR CORNERS, A DEAR, DEAR FRIEND, JOAN UHL BROWNE, WHO HAPPENS TO BE THE INNOVATOR AND CREATOR ALONG WITH LAURIE SCHOEN OF UNRULY ARTS.

AND THE TOP ADMINISTRATOR, JOANIE, WELCOME INTO FOUR CORNERS.

JOAN UHL BROWNE: THANK YOU, TOM.

TOM COLE: YEAH, AND ALSO KIND OF A LITTLE SIDEBAR.

IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY TOMORROW.

SO I WANT TO SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.

YOU LOOK 35.

AND THAT'S ALL GOOD.

SO I HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL, A WONDERFUL BIRTHDAY.

JOANIE, IT'S AN HONOR TO HAVE YOU HERE.

AND I WISH THAT MAYBE WE COULD START OFF OURSELVES ALL ART WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THAT PREVIOUSLY, IN THE GREENROOM.

IT'S ALL ART TODAY IN FOUR CORNERS.

BUT IT WOULD BE NICE IF MAYBE YOU COULD GIVE FOLKS A LITTLE BIT OF AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT UNRULY ARTS IS, I KNOW I'VE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH YOUR INCREDIBLE ORGANIZATION.

BUT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW, LET'S GIVE HIM A LITTLE THUMBNAILS VERSION OF WHAT IT IS, JOAN UHL BROWNE: OKAY?

UNRULY ARTS IS A NONPROFIT, ART STUDIO AND GALLERY, THAT FOCUSES OR AT THE HEART FOCUSES AROUND ARTISTS WITH DISABILITIES, IT COULD BE A PHYSICAL DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY.

IT'S VERY INCLUSIVE, AND, BUT IT IS A SPACE THAT WE REALLY CELEBRATE AND ENCOURAGE ARTISTS WITH VARIOUS DISABILITIES TO COME AND CREATE AND SELL AND, AND INTERACT WITH THE COMMUNITY.

TOM COLE: YOU KNOW, JOAN, I HAVE ONE OF YOUR ARTISTS PICTURES HANGING OVER MY DESK AT WORK.

I'M JUST WAS SO AMAZED WITH THE, THE THE TALENT, THE ENERGY, THE SYNERGY THAT THE ARTISTS PUT INTO THEIR CREATIONS.

HOW DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL WHEN YOU KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW YOU AND LAURIE SCHOEN KIND OF ARE THE PEOPLE THAT MADE THIS HAPPEN.

AND YOU'RE ENRICHING ARTISTS LIVES OF ALL AGES WITH DISABILITIES?

JOAN UHL BROWNE: WELL, I THINK LAURIE WOULD ANSWER THE SAME AS, AS I'M GOING TO, THEY REALLY ENRICH OUR LIVES.

IT'S A IT'S A HAPPY PLACE.

IT'S THE ARTISTS IN THEIR FAMILIES LOVE COMING THERE GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

IT'S A SAFE SPOT.

IT'S JUST A FUN PLACE TO BE.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO BE A PART OF IT, WHICH IS FUN.

TOM COLE: JOANIE, YOU'VE BEEN ON THE LEADING EDGE OF SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS IN OUR TOLEDO COMMUNITY.

YOUR WORK WITH AUTISM, YOUR WORK WITH FOLKS WITH DISABILITIES, VISA V UNRULY ARTS, HELPING OR PUSHING THE IDEA OF MAKING TOLEDO THE THE FRIENDLIEST CITY FOR DISABILITIES, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES?

WHAT ARE A FEW THINGS THAT YOU'VE LEARNED ALONG THE WAY?

YOU'VE LEARNED MANY, MANY THINGS, BUT THAT PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND AND WORKING WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES?

WHAT ARE WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT THEY SHOULD BE AWARE OF?

JOAN UHL BROWNE: HMM, THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

EVERYBODY WANTS THE SAME THING.

IT'S THE AT THE END OF IT ALL.

EVERYONE WANTS TO BE SEEN, THEY WANT TO BE HEARD.

THEY WANT TO BE INCLUDED.

SO I THINK IN THAT REGARD, IT'S NO DIFFERENT I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST YOU JUST WANT TO BE A PART OF A COMMUNITY.

YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SEGREGATED EITHER BY A PHYSICAL OR DEVELOPMENTAL REASON.

TOM COLE: YES, THAT'S, THAT'S GREAT FOR PHRASOLOGY.

JOANIE, IT'S A IT'S BEING INCLUSIVE AND AND AND BRINGING YOUR ARMS AROUND PEOPLE AND BRINGING THEM ALL BRING EVERYONE INTO OUR COMMUNITY.

HAVE YOU FELT JOAN THAT UNRULY ARTS HAS HAS BEEN ACCEPTED WELL IN OUR COMMUNITY AND AND HAS BEEN RECEIVED WELL, JOAN UHL BROWNE: THE COMMUNITY IS BEEN A GREAT SUPPORTER OF UNRULY ARTS AS HAS BEEN THE ARTISTIC COMMUNITY, ARTS COMMISSION HAS BEEN VERY WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE, WE'VE BEEN INCLUDED IN IN THEIR EVENTS.

WE HAVE GREAT SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY.

YOU KNOW, WE RELY ON AN AWFUL LOT OF GRANTS AND DONATIONS, AND EVERYONE HAS BEEN TRULY SUPPORTIVE WE HAVE AND THE ARTISTS WE'RE LOCATED IN THE BOTANICAL GARDENS AND THERE'S AN ARTIST'S VILLAGE THERE.

AND SOME OF THE ARTISTS HAVE JUST BEEN LOVELY.

WE HAVE A GLASS BLOWER, NAME IS RANDY THAT NOW REGULARLY BRINGS OUR ARTISTS INTO HIS STUDIO HE HELPS THEM LEARN HOW TO CREATE WITH GLASS AND BLOW GLASS AND, AND OTHER ARTISTS AS WELL HAVE REALLY REACHED OUT AND INCLUDED OUR ARTISTS WITHIN THE ARTISTS VILLAGE WHICH HAS BEEN GREAT.

TOM COLE: JOAN UHL BROWN, CONGRATULATIONS FOR YOU A LIFETIME BODY OF WORK, HELPING THE ART COMMUNITY.

OUR ARTISTS WITH DISABILITIES AND HELPING THEM ASSIMILATE IN HELPING THEM TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR SKILLS AND TALENTS AND TO BE INCLUDED IN OUR GREAT ART COMMUNITY.

YOU AND LAURIE SCHOEN DESERVE SO MANY PLAUDITS FOR THAT AND IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO HAVE YOU ON FOUR CORNERS.

JOANIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

JOAN UHL BROWNE: THANK YOU, TOM.

TOM COLE: TODAY I'VE REALLY BEEN INSPIRED SEEING HOW DESPITE FACING SO MANY CHALLENGES, TOLEDO'S ART SCENE IS PAVING THE WAY FOR OHIO'S CULTURAL COMMUNITY.

MAKE SURE YOU SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ARTISTS.

GO OUT AND ENJOY THE LARGE VARIETY OUR COMMUNITY HAS TO OFFER.

YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED.

I CAN VOUCH FOR THAT.

THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE TODAY.

I'M TOM COLE.

I'D LIKE TO THANK MY GUESTS FOR JOINING ME AND FOR YOU FOR WATCHING.

STAY SAFE, AND JOIN US NEXT TIME WHERE WE CAN ALL CONNECT AT... FOUR CORNERS.

ANNOUNCER: THIS PRESENTATION WAS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY THE MANGO TREE RESTAURANT AND BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU (MUSIC)