Living Arts New Executive Director: Laura Scales

After being remote for the past 18 months, we had our first in-person staff meeting with our new Executive Director. We met in my (Alaina Clarke, Communication Manager) backyard so we could be outdoors and be physically distanced from each other. Following our staff meeting, with bubble tea in hand, Laura and I grabbed a comfy seat in my backyard to chat and get to know each other a little bit better!

Alaina: “Okay, I’ll start with a couple of softball questions to get us going! What is the last tv show you binged and loved?”

Laura: I love Veronica Mars, Battlestar Galactica, and Psych. I rewatch them at least once a year. 

A: Yes!! I just watch Veronica Mars for the first time this year. It was so good. Next! Podcasts, audiobooks, or physical books? What are your go-to’s?

L: I LOVE reading. I will read anything I can get my hands on. When I can’t read a physical book, I will tune into an audiobook. Currently, I am reading Magnus Chase Series by Rick Riorden, Bridgerton Collection by Julia Quinn, and The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky. 

A: That’s so wonderful! I have a massive stack of books I’m working through and can always make my day better! What is one thing that can instantly make your day better?

L: Going for a walk outside. I love being outdoors and if I need to clear my head, going for a walk with my son (and dog) always does the trick. 

A: What is one thing we’d all be surprised to learn about you? 

L: My brother is a rock star. My brother, Phillip-Michael Scales is a singer/songwriter who just signed with a record company in France!

A: That’s amazing and congrats to him! So, tell us about yourself, what is your story?

L: I grew up in Metro-Detroit, West Bloomfield to be specific. Both of my parents were business owners in Detroit, so my younger brother and I spent our weekends with my Aunt and Grandmother in Highland Park. I went to the Roeper School and from there headed to The Theatre School at DePaul University (formerly the Goodman School of Drama.) I studied Stage and Production Management and went on to intern at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and apprentice at Steppenwolf Theatre Company. I then joined the team at Emerald City Theatre as their Production Manager for four years before moving onto the University of Chicago. At U of C, I severed as their production manager and taught the stage and production-management students. I also assisted in building the Logan Center for the Arts and the performing arts programming within its walls. Eight years later I moved to Michigan and became a Spartan (Go Green!). At Michigan State, I sat on the board for the Department of Theatre and Arts & Cultural Management. I was thrilled to work with the College of Arts & Letters and Chair the Inclusive Practices Committee.

A: With your strong background in theatre, this is somewhat of an industry shift, right? What was the reason you decided to shift towards this position? 

L: This position is a bit of an industry shift for me. I fell in love with theatre when I was very young and this is the first time in 25+ years I haven’t been gearing up for a stage production. 

I started as an actor and when I was 11 years old my brother and I were in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with Donny Osmond at the Masonic Temple. It was there I was introduced to Stage Management and I fell head over heels in love with being the person who helped organize the show. Fortunately, my middle/upper school had a very strong theatre program and a phenomenal Director who encouraged me every step of the way.

As a Production Manager, I was in charge of everything you see and don't see on a production. I soon realized my part of my job was teaching and mentoring, that's when I began working in higher education. The pandemic made me re-examine several things, specifically how I was reinvesting my skills and knowledge. The moment I read the job description for this position I knew it was everything I was looking for. Every facet of Living Arts means so much to me. The ability to support Detroit artists and foster a passion for the arts in young people is a dream come true. 

A: Living Arts has a long history in the SW Detroit community, how do you hope to build on that history and what new ideas are you excited to share? 

L: I am excited to get to know Southwest better. It is such an intrinsic part of Living Arts, I can’t wait to find ways to deepen our relationship and commitment to our community. We are so proud to be partners in the FREC and I am grateful that they host the line share of our Out of School programming. I am hoping that we can find more ways to expand our programming within Southwest (I won’t lie, I am also excited to try every restaurant).

A: Can you tell us a little bit about your family and what your favorite way to spend time with them is? 

Laura and her son, Dax, traveling in Paris, France.

L: My family loves to read, learn, and travel. At any given time one of us is curled up reading, and I love that about us. My husband and I love tea, and during the pandemic, we had a lot of family tea parties. This is a tradition that I hope will continue. We love going to museums, art galleries, zoos, and historical sites. We’ve been fortunate to have visited museums all over the country and overseas. We are so thrilled to be close to the DIA, Greenfield Village, Meadowbrook, and the other amazing institutions in the area.

A: Wow, I love this! I have so many other questions, but we only have time for one more. Before I ask, I want to say that we are SO thrilled to have you as our leader and are looking forward to all that you’ll bring to Living Arts. It’s going to be really exciting to incorporate all your big plans and we can’t wait to see how they unfold! 

Last question time! How would your 10-year old self react to what you do now?

L: 10-year-old Laura would be thrilled. I get to spend my day talking about art classes and finding ways to further support amazing teaching artists.