By: Zenab Saeed ~Staff Writer~

Xavier Theatre will present a production of the play “Black Fly Spring” from Dec. 4-7 in the Gallagher Student Center Theatre. The show features four Xavier students in its cast under the direction of Regina Pugh from the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and is the first fully-staged production of the play.

“Everyone involved is very excited about this new play, and this production is considered an important part of the play’s development,” Pugh said.
The play is the work of upand- coming playwright Nick Gandiello, who is New York Citybased.
He received a bachelor’s degree in drama with minors in scriptwriting and psychology from
Ithaca College and a master’s degree in playwriting from The New School for Drama.
Even before its first production at Xavier, “Black Fly Spring” received praise. It was a semifinalist for the Premiere Stages Play Festival at Kean University in New Jersey.
“We are thrilled that the playwright will be joining us this week for our final rehearsals and will
be present at the first three performances. He will participate in an audience talk-back at those
shows,” Pugh said. The play features the story of a young woman named Lana a year after her photojournalist sister Sarah’s death and in the wake of her memorial.
A year after her sister is killed while working as a war photographer, a young woman, Lana,
played by Tatum Hunter, is set to present the photographs at a memorial. When she and her fiancé George, played by Mac Blais, retreat to a lakeside mountain town to reflect and prepare, they find themselves at odds over their secrets, desires and their place in the world. While filled with humor, ‘Black Fly Spring’ explores how we move forward during times of despair.
“The theater space has been converted into a small, intimate setting so seating is limited.

It is a fabulous, up-close and personal way to experience live theatre. The cast of four Xavier students has been working on the play since September and has spent many hours exploring and rehearsing the intricate script,” Pugh said. All shows are at 7:30 p.m. and only $12 for students and faculty. Tickets can be reserved at the box office or online.