Our Story

The long story

Many walked into our Kendall studio and were surprised at what they found: inside a plain warehouse was a simple black box theater that we called The Gathering Place, occupied by scattered tables and chairs that are predictably in a different array every time one enters. The lobby held a small Resource Center for sharing and selling educational materials and handcrafts, self-serve snacks, and info about Talents Unleashed.

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The theater held a small stage backed by a faux brick wall to allow for entrance to the stage from both sides, a real piano (of course) and a moveable “fireplace.” 

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Some visitors never knew that through the big black door was a staircase filled with pictures from TU History and a doorway to a practice area. There we had a “poor man’s dance floor” and mirrored walls, two practice/lesson rooms (with more real pianos) and a small office with four workstations stuffed into it.

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How did this happen? How long were you there? Why have I never heard of this place? Are you Miami’s best-kept secret?

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Sometimes God makes us uncomfortable so we have to move! And so we did. As much as we loved our theater, the costs were too uncomfortable and so we moved south. In place of the theater we were blessed with a bright open space with a view of a tropical garden, complete with a lamppost and abundant South Florida wildlife. We still had the piano and the fireplace, of course - and even TWO bathrooms!  

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GOING FURTHER BACK, all the way to the beginning.

As a homeschool mom of four kids, and a degree in music education, Debbie wanted her kids to have an “ensemble experience.” So she asked a few families in her North Dade area to join her in putting something together with all of their kids. They met in a church, the kids voted on a name and “Vessels of Gold” was born. A patriotic theme was chosen, and a week later was 9/11/2001.  It was a simple beginning and included kids as young as 7. They all learned together, the other moms found a few skits on the internet, and they shared their work with a couple of nursing homes.

 

Some of the families got together again the next year, and some new ones joined, and they did it again, and again. Each year they found rehearsal space, met once per week, and worked to find places that would allow them to perform. Some who heard them asked to join the following year, so they continued to roll along. As Debbie’s kids graduated, it became more apparent that this group had taken a life of its own and was no longer just a homeschool project for her family.

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The marriage upheaval is literally a part of the story, as Debbie needed to bring in more income and was invited to teach at PACE homeschool enrichment down in Kendall (south Miami-Dade). As a result, some of those families wanted to join the Vessels project. Back and forth they trekked now with families scattered across the county, still meeting in churches or larger homes. When Debbie married a businessman who asked to see her website, she didn’t have a good answer. Uh, nope - no idea how to do that!  And then Vessels of Gold stepped into the 21st century. Incorporated? Nooo, don’t know how to do that either. But what about that dream of getting off the road and having a real place to meet? Debbie looked at the name and decided that “Gold” could be “Growth Opportunities for Learning and Development.” Although it was organized to be a non-profit, it would be years before another person would step in to help with what had finally become a simplified process to be officially recognized as a 501(c)3.

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Debbie’s parents had reached the stage where they needed more help, and more and more Vessels of G.O.L.D. participants were in South Dade. So they made the big move to Kendall, into a home with room enough for her parents and rehearsal space. Hosting a large group for rehearsals every week is a mixed blessing and Debbie and Onnie continued the search for independent space. 

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South Kendall Community Church asked Vessels of GOLD (now 11 years old) to do a series of summer camps in 2013. This first-ever experience utilized the talents and experience of the performers with a few alums and was apparently enough of a success that many of the young campers wanted to continue in the fall. SKCC allowed them to use the facility the entire school year and “Chrysos” (“gold” in Greek) was born. Some of the graduating Vessels members wanted to do something more with musical theater, so almost simultaneously “Aureus” (“gold” in Latin) was started. As Aureus rehearsed at Debbie’s house, one of the “Vessels dads” negotiated their move into a warehouse space in Kendall.  Talents Unleashed was organized to allow room for expansion into other types of businesses they might want to offer.

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Onnie worked downstairs while Aureus and Vessels rehearsed upstairs, stripping out the leftovers from the previous tenant and prepping for many work days over the months to come. Debbie can still list the names of so many who contributed. With very few exceptions, she can tell you a story about each piece of furniture, the building and rebuilding of the stage - in stages, and who redesigned the bathroom!

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As the space developed, so did more groups and activities, the website, events, social media and more. Pre-COVID, the studio was hosting 10 groups, some (like Chrysos and Nuggets of GOLD) with two rehearsal options. MerryGOLDs for the youngest, Nuggets of GOLD (x2), Chrysos (x2), Vessels Vault, Vessels of GOLD, Acts of GOLD, GOLD Miners, GOLD in Motion, Aureus, and Memories of GOLD.  They were also hosting summer camps, Open Mic Nights, teen dances and other community events and seminars.  They also had begun an annual Christmas Bazaar held in the parking lot, and a Winter Wonderland inside. A small business COVID loan got them through the first summer, and a big fundraiser push got them through the 2021 year of recovery.  

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The TU community never regained the pre-COVID numbers and activities. but continued sharing arts experiences that bring glory to our creative God. Debbie’s own experience shopping for solid activities for her grandson made her realize how expensive quality family-oriented activities can be. She put out a “declaration” that TU would not be raising any rates in the upcoming 2022-23 season. Then at the end of summer camps this year (including a musical about the story of Gideon), just as Aureus was beginning their performance season, the studio received notice that rent would go up $1,000 per month beginning in November.  After much prayer, consultations, and encouragement, the decision was made to press forward. 

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In the aftermath of Ian, the planned Facebook fundraiser was canceled.  The Lord saw fit for the work at the Talents Unleashed studio to continue through the 2022-2023 season. 

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At the beginning of the summer of 2023, the decision was made to close the current studio location and move to a home even further south (the Redlands) that would not only house the "opportunities to learn and develop" that our community had come to depend on, but to also house our founder Debra Arce-Carr and her husband Onnie.  This new place was dubbed, "TU Casa!"

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Onnie passed on to his reward a month after the move, but Debbie continued the work of rebuilding and restructuring at TU Casa.  But, remember, the Lord sometimes makes us uncomfortable so we will move!  Debbie's cancer diagnosis shortly after Onnie's passing continued to slow things down.  The one-year history of TU Casa included a long-awaited development of creative physical art projects and blessed glimpses of supportive, prayerful and creative community.

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At this writing, as we enter 2026, we are in the winter.  More thoughts about this season will soon be found in the blog.  Debbie and co-director Emily have separately been led to North Carolina.  As Emily grows and develops her own family, Debbie is working on the grandchildren and...waiting. Memories of GOLD, and now Coro de Oro, continue to work in South Florida. There are years of photos and videos that need to be processed and shared back to those who worked with us.  What else?  We don't know! The heart is open to hear the direction.  Growth Opportunities abound to Learn and Develop!  What are you doing to develop your gifts?