Curtain Speech | Updated 06/30/26

Hey everyone.

Before we get started I’d like to read this short pre show announcement.

Earlier this year the white house decided to carelessly slash arts funding for nonprofits. Planet Ant was on the list. Now our budget is short $50,000. $50,000 is a lot for us.

Over the years we have become adept at cutting corners. We use scrap wood to build, we repair things that most people would throw out and we make concessions with time, money and supplies that most workplaces would find unimaginable. Our staff regularly goes above and beyond their small part time pay. Our unpaid volunteers have been doing amazing work.

Planet Ant has been here on Caniff for over 30 years. 30 years of creativity in Detroit all thanks to people like you.

If this place means something to you, if you’ve ever been moved by a work here, if you’ve ever met a friend here, if you’ve ever laughed along with a room full of strangers, if you’ve ever listened to someone read a long announcement from a piece of paper (hey), if you’ve ever thought that having an arts destination in Metro-Detroit is a good idea. We need your help.

Our fight is just getting started. We’re fighting back against those that want to erase us. We refuse to disappear or to sit down and shut up while money slated for arts funding is used in other countries to destroy or to line the pockets of grifters.

With your help we can continue to give Detroit 3 stages, original comedy, world premier plays, classes, mentorship, support and a place run by Detroiters for Detroiters.

Scan this QR code to get started.

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Holds up donation link printed on a piece of paper.

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Scan this page with your phone to get our donation link along with more information. By the way. This page cost us 4 cents to print.

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Balls up the page and throws it into the audience

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Now it’s a souvenir.
Fight back against stupidity. Fight back against fear. Take a class, see a show, volunteer, or donate directly. We love you.

Enjoy the show!