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David Fair: This is 89 one WEMU. And we bring to you today a major announcement from the world of arts and culture in Washtenaw County. I'm David Fair, and while I was aware this was coming sooner rather than later, today is the day it becomes official. You see, 42 years ago, Russell B. Collins was a recent graduate from the University of Michigan, and he applied for a big job. The volunteer board of the Michigan Theater decided to take a chance on the young man, in hopes of having him advance efforts to restore the historic facility to its former glory. It's more than fair to say that move has paid off handsomely, and the Michigan Theater Foundation has expanded and has become Marquee Arts to the benefit of the entire community. Today, the organization has formally announced that Russ Collins will retire in December of this year. That will also bring an end to my 30-year partnership with on WEMU's Cinema Chat. So, it's a time for reflection, for expressed appreciation and gratitude, all with a sense of excitement for what the future will hold. Russ Collins, congratulations on all fronts!
Russ Collins: Well, thank you very much! It's humbling and a little bit scary to think about a big future change, but exciting as well.
David Fair: 42 years is a huge chunk of your life. Who were you 42 years ago? And how have you changed because of your involvement in the arts community in Washtenaw County over those four decades?
Russ Collins: Well, a big change, I think is, in terms of gratitude. You realize that, you that you study and you have an interest in, and you want to move forward. But there's a lot of luck involved in anything that you do, I think, I think athletes would say that's true. For every great athlete, and we're in the middle of the Olympics, there's injury and illness that can affect you and thwart your desires. And so, I feel extremely lucky and extremely grateful for the opportunity that I've had with this job and working with all of the people and being able to stay in a community that I love. I grew up in Ann Arbor. I love Washtenaw County. And I feel like that that really was a a huge change factor in my life was growing up in this part of the world. The rest of my cousins live in southwest Missouri and grew up there. And it's a different place. And they've had very successful lives. But, being in an academic community and being and in the upper Midwest really suited me well. And I feel extremely grateful for the opportunity to have worked at the Michigan Theater, the State Theatre, and then also that the board allowed me to explore projects like Cinetopia, the film festival that we do, and the Art House Convergence, which was a national organization, or is a national organization, that we've subsequently spun off to encourage community based, mission driven cinemas and communities of all sizes, all over the country, all over North America, Canada, Mexico and the United States. So, that was exciting, too.
David Fair: I know what the community has meant in advancing the mission of the Michigan and the State Theatre and all that has come as a result of what was the Michigan Theater Foundation and now Marquee Arts. But what has the community meant to you?
Russ Collins: Well, what the community has meant to me is the individuals that I've gotten to work with on the board and on the staff of the Michigan Theater. Eastern Michigan University professor Henry Aldridge played a key role in making sure that the Michigan Theater wasn't turned into a food court.
David Fair: And that was a plan.
Russ Collins: That was the plan. I wasn't involved with that at all. But he and John Briggs, who was the head of the stagehand union, worked very hard to manage it. And then, there was a key philanthropist, Margaret Towsley, and the then-mayor, Lou Belcher, all got involved with saving the Michigan Theater. Again, I didn't have anything to do with that. So, in a sense, I lucked out at a time when the community saw a need for the facility. And I was able to come in at a time to craft it in a way that allowed it to grow and grow in the community and grow in its artistic mission and grow in its, historic preservation dynamic, which was subsequently very useful as we looked to do a similar thing with the State Theatre.
David Fair: Now, for those of you who know Russ as I do, he is quite humble about his accomplishments and his recognitions. But I want to take a moment to just note a few. And it is worthwhile to note that Russ has been named professional theater program fellow of the University of Michigan, Arts Administration fellow of the National Endowment for the Arts. This man was knighted by the Republic of Italy for the promotion of Italian film culture in the USA. He, again, mentioned the Art House Convergence. He was given the Founder's Award because he founded the Art House Convergence. And Creative Washtenaw bestowed its Lifetime Achievement Medal on Russ back in 2023. And it just goes to show that what a visionary can do to take what was a singular historic theater and turn it into an umbrella of organizations and businesses and make a difference in the community. You said "mission driven." And what will be the mission of Marquee Arts moving forward?
Russ Collins: Well, there's new adventures and there's new opportunities to explore. Cinetopia is something that we started, but it still needs to grow. And I think that that will happen under the direction of whoever the new executive director CEO is. And Nick Alderink, who's done a terrific job--
David Fair: As the program director.
Russ Collins: Absolutely! And that vision thing is something that, if you had talked to me in 1982 when I started...
David Fair: It was a little blurry.
Russ Collins: Well, I didn't know that that was a gift that I had. And so, that was a really interesting thing to discover over the years that being able to see a picture that other people didn't see as clearly as I did and then having it turn out all right was a real gift. And I'm grateful for that. And it was a skill that I didn't know that I had when I started the job, but it was a nice gift to discover. I still wish I was a better singer and musician in general, but that's not going to happen.
David Fair: We'll take you for your word that we're glad we don't know. This is 89 one WEMU, and we're talking with Russ Collins, the CEO and executive director of Marquee Arts and co-host of WEMU's Cinema Chat. The announcement of his pending retirement formally came today and becomes effective this December. And, Russ, as we talk about this, I know the search is underway, and it's expected that the new executive director and CEO of Marquee Arts will be named sometime this fall.
Russ Collins: That's correct--sometime in September or October, maybe early November. The board of the Marquee Arts--the Michigan Theater Foundation--has a search committee, and they've engaged a professional human relations--HR--company to run that campaign--very, very competent, the Andrews group. And so, we'll look forward to that progress. That is a board thing. I'm not involved with that in that way.
David Fair: But a decision is forthcoming.
Russ Collins: Absolutely, absolutely. And we'll look forward to that new person, that new energy, that new vision that can push the organization forward. With COVID and the changes in the arts environment all the way around, it's going to take a new vision and new energy to continue the the success of the organization. And I'm sure that will happen with the support of the community, which has been so spectacular over the last 40-some odd years.
David Fair: Well, for those of you who are curious, Russ has been my partner on Cinema Chat at WEMU for over 30 years now, and Cinema Chat will continue. When Russ is away, you've heard a different voice, Nick Alderink. And Nick is going to take over on a full-time basis, and I'm excited for that. Too.
Russ Collins: Yeah! Nick does a great job. He was a little nervous to get in front of audiences, and audiences on the radio to begin with. But, boy he has really done a terrific job. And he's a good example of that new vision, that new perspective and a new generation that can bring its particular work and effort forward.
David Fair: I want to talk a little bit about something more personal. A lot of things come from a professional life, and one of the things that came from your professional life was meeting your wife.
Russ Collins: Absolutely!
David Fair: Of over 30 years now.
Russ Collins: Yup.
David Fair: Deb Polich, the president and CEO of Creative Washtenaw will be retiring as well. And you two are going to get to do some world travel and spend some really important family time.
Russ Collins: Absolutely! We now have eight grandchildren that range in age between under one and 11 years old. And we have a tremendously good time with them. And they all live in Washtenaw County. So, that's very, very exciting to know that our children--our three children--and their spouses and the eight grandchildren live in the area. And it's such an important time now between the time they're born and their time they're 12, 11, 13, in terms of hands-on interaction with Grandpa and Grandma, who we call Baca and Bumpa. And so, that's very exciting. And taking them on trips and going on trips ourselves and then just having folks come over for the weekend. Next weekend, we've got a couple of the grandkids that we're looking after, and we're very much looking forward to that!
David Fair: Well, once again, on behalf of a grateful community, thank you for over four decades of service. Not quite done yet. You'll be there at least through December.
Russ Collins: That's five more months!
David Fair: You'll still be in the community. So, we'll see you around. But thank you for all of the work! Thank you for the difference you've made! And thank you for including all of us in your mission-driven Michigan Theater operations!
Russ Collins: Well, it's an honor and a pleasure! And it's been so great to work with you on Cinema Chat. We've got a few more months of that. And I can't overstate the gratitude that I feel to this community, to the board, to the staff that have been there with me at the Michigan Theater!
David Fair: That is Russ Collins, the retiring CEO and executive director of Marquee Arts. I'm David Fair, and this is your community NPR station 89 one WEMU FM, Ypsilanti.
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