Transcendental Theatre Troupe to present SMITH, about a Hornell man killed while serving, at Nazareth College

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Lance Corporal Zachary D. Smith, the subject of Nazareth College student Glo Gambino's play, SMITH

ROCHESTER, NY (03/06/2013)(readMedia)-- Transcendental Theatre Troupe will present SMITH, an original play by Nazareth College Department of Theatre Arts major Glo Gambino this spring. The show runs March 22, 2013 at 9 p.m.; March 23 and 24, 2013 at 6 p.m.; and March 29 and 30, 2013 at 8:30 p.m. the Masters Family Community Theater (room A13), located in the lower level of the Nazareth College Arts Center.

"We are very proud of the work that Glo has done," says Lindsay Reading Korth, Nazareth College Department of Theatre Arts chair. "Her leadership among her peers is such that she commands respect and inspires them in their own paths to find ways as artists to make a difference in the world. I look forward to the completion of this important project."

SMITH tells the true story of Lance Corporal Zachary D. Smith, an infectiously positive young man who followed his dreams of becoming a United States Marine. Four days into his first mission and six months into his marriage, he was killed in Afghanistan – changing his hometown of Hornell, New York forever. Directly derived from a series of interviews conducted with Smith's family, friends, and neighbors, SMITH explores the effects of war on a community as well as on the individual.

Director and playwright Glo Gambino has spent a great deal of the last year taking this play from its beginning stages to the full-length work it has become. "Watching SMITH evolve over the past year has been the most rewarding experience in my educational career," says Gambino, who was advised by Nazareth College Department of Theatre Arts Assistant Professor, Dr. Matt Ames.

The development of SMITH has been a collaborative process in which the cast has been actively involved in the piece's transformation. It is this opportunity for collaboration and sharing in the artistic experience that attracted Gambino to theater originally. She says, "Workshopping a piece so close to my heart with the very talented students in the Nazareth College theatre program has been the most invigorating of experiences."

The SMITH cast consists of Nazareth College students Matt Combs, Bre Melino, Elizabeth Dorsey, Nicole Cupo, Kayleigh Yancey, Samantha Jo Buckman, Shaun O'Dea, and Ged Owen. The production team is made of Nazareth College students as Glo Gambino (director/writer), Kayla Perconti (assistant director), Joshua Lau (stage manager), Allie Tabor (assistant stage manager), Drew Alexander (set designer), Francis Grunfeld (lighting designer), Elizabeth Gilley (lighting designer), Lesley Mack (props designer), Gustave Rogers (dramaturg), Rachel Viccaro (reservation manager), and Samantha Jo Buckman (poster designer).

Tickets

Performances of SMITH are free and open to the public; however seating reservations are recommended and can be made at nazSMITHtickets@gmail.com.

Donations for the Wounded Warrior Project will be accepted at the door.

About Nazareth College

Nazareth is a coeducational, independent college on a suburban campus just outside Rochester, N.Y. The College challenges students to rise to their potential with a liberal arts and sciences foundation, professional programs, experiential learning, and an innovative curriculum that addresses the current and emerging needs of the world - ranging from economics to physical therapy to environmental science. With more than 40 undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs, a vibrant arts center and a variety of athletics, clubs and organizations, Nazareth prepares students to be successful professionals and engaged citizens. For more information, visit naz.edu.

About the Nazareth College Department of Theatre Arts

The Department of Theatre Arts at teaches theatre in a liberal arts context developing a student's skills in critical thinking, analysis, reasoning and communication. The program hones students' talents and prepares them for a life in the arts. The Department of Theatre Arts' play season has often been listed among the top 10 nationally by The Princeton Review. This year features productions including Mad Forest, Ordinary Days, Plaza Suite, and The Threepenny Opera. Like every year, all the roles, scenery, costumes, and lighting will be designed and built by department faculty and students. For more information, visit naz.edu/theatre-arts.

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