a four questions Rick Sperling chats with Platinum. He certainly deserves a round of applause for enhanc- WHAT BOOK, CD OR OTHER MEDIA DO YOU LONG TO SHARE? ing the lives of countless Metro Detroit students. RICK SPERUNG founded the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit I recently finished the book The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything by Ken Robinson. It's a powerful argument for something we see constantly with the young artists at Mosaic, that finding something you're passionate about can make all of the other pieces of your life come together. in 1992 with a small loan and the dream of showcas- ing the talents of the region's young people. Today, the theater has thousands of supporters (including President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, who recently made a $10,000 personal contribution to Mosaic), more than 20 staff members and about 500 school-aged participants. "It's a mys- tery how the Obamas' gift came to be," Sperling explained. "The Mosaic singers performed before one of the president's campaign stops in Detroit in 2008, but he wasn't there to personally see them. The check just arrived in the mail. We're very grateful." Sperling, 43, is an award-winning actor, director and playwright. A gradu- ate of Oberlin College, he once worked with the Tony Award-winning San Francisco Mime Troupe. Sperling's brother, Gene, was a national economic adviser to former President Bill Clinton. But, Rick Sperling is most star-struck by the talented 12- to 18-year-olds he serves. "We provide youth development through the arts," Sperling said. "We empower young people to maximize their potential; 95 percent of our IF YOU COULD HAVE BRUNCH WITH ONE BIBLICAL OR HISTORICAL JEWISH FIGURE, WHO WOULD IT BE? I'd love to have brunch with Albert Einstein. His statements about the importance of creativity and the way he saw a direct link between science and the arts are fascinating to me. participants go on to college." The theater is currently raising funds with the hope of renovating and moving into the former Channel 56 building in Detroit's New Center area. (Mosaic recently won $62,000 through the Chase Community Giving Facebook challenge.) Sperling and his wife, Valeria Montes, live in Detroit with their daughter, Ana Maria, 13. Here, we ask Rick Sperling our version of the Four Questions. — Robin Schwartz WHAT IMPORTANT LIFE LESSONS HAVE YOU RECENTLY LEARNED? Like many organizations, Mosaic was hit hard by the recession; and for the first time in our history, we had to cut programs and serve Remodel your bathroom the fast and easy way! fewer young people than the year before. This was a real blow because every year since we started in 1992, we had increased funding and expanded to serve more youth. I was working harder than ever, yet the external results were flat. I really took it personally. Once I real- ized that there were external things I could not change, I focused internally. I focused on my personal values and what kind of leader I wanted to be. This helped me achieve some peace of mind at the time and continues to help me maintain a more grounded outlook. WHAT WOULD PEOPLE BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I'm not musically trained. People hear the breathtaking sounds of the Mosaic Singers and they assume I'm a music guy. Actually, I'm a trained actor and director, but I've always had a love for music. So, I hired people who had the right musical skills. Eventually, it was one of Mosaic's alumni, Kenneth Anderson, who developed the Mosaic Singers into a concert choir and brought the group to international prominence. OM/ Fits directly over existing tubs and showers. SAVE UP TO with the purchase of a complete bath or shower system. With coupon • Expires 3/31/10 Transforms your entire bathroom, incluging floors, to walls, to vanities, to shower and bath liners. Fits over your old bathtub or shower for no-mess installation. Installs in as little as one day. Mold and mildew resistant. Limited lifetime warranty. Please call to schedule a free in home presentation or visit granitetransformations.com/BATH to learn more. - 31205 Grand River Ave. • Farmington Hills 248-427-0200 • fax: 248-223-0803 2061 East Maple Road • Troy 248-680-9100 • fax: 248-680-9199 P 1 8 • MARCH 2010 • IN platinum ORANITE ANSPORMATIONS For }gtchent.; !?.58.atti5 gelding/ 041/1/ cS il,fre& E6teautte, Z atteiv wedding favors bridal shower favors hospitality bags guest baskets wedding 8c shower invitations attendant gifts personalized ribbon escort cards gift card boxes programs vintage bridal All items are custom made using your colors and theme Visit us online at: . Bride.c0111 WWW.StyhII or at 28834 Woodward Avenue s Royal Oak. Call 248-547-9094 %hung. \*Avar tor 461,4 4tAv