Donald Smith

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

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"DO what you dream...and DO it well! DreamOn!"

Born and raised in South Philadelphia, Donald was educated in the Public and Parochial school systems.  Though an avid reader as a child, movies and television were an inspiring escape.  His favorite movies were The Wiz, The Color Purple and Boyz N Tha Hood and it was these movies and the music of The Wiz that inspired him to pursue a career in entertainment and the performing arts.  Donald’s family kept his mind focused on more positive aspects of life such as summer arts programs, vocal and piano lessons, and gymnastics.  As he got older he dreamed of becoming a writer, producing, and directing his own movies and plays.  He began to dream of creating his own entertainment production company and sought out to do so after high school graduation.  After being accepted into Temple University’s Journalism department, Donald quickly changed his major to Film and then Theater, after writing his first screenplay and making some home movies for family members.  Acting Credits: LMS Productions Sankofa 2002, Philadelphia Young Playwrights and “Young Young” Playwrights Festivals, HarMageddo Entertainment’s If It Aint Got That Swing TOUR, Marget Productions Rewind, and the Temple Theaters productions of Playboy of the West Indies, Ragtime The Musical, and a stirring performance as Levee in August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, a role created for and made famous by one of his favorite actors and directors, Charles S. Dutton.  Other theater credits include the Spruce Hill Community Center’s 2006 Stage Readings.  Film credits include the independent film, Mission’s Purpose and M. Knight Shyamalan’s The Happening.  Donald has also completed the Freedom Theatre Adult Performing Arts Training Program. Donald is a graduate of the Temple University’s School of Communications and Theater with a minor in African American Studies. Throughout his career he has learned the importance of the performing arts in the youth population and has developed a stronger sense of pride and concern for the African American community.   He has worked as a Casting Director for Mission Films and has held positions at several local theaters in the Philadelphia area including New Freedom Theatre, Merriam Theatre, Wilma Theatre, Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre, Walnut Street Theatre and Forrest Theatre.  Directing Credits: Javon Johnson’s Homebound, Two One Acts in Temple University’s 2007 New Voices Festival, Ntozake Shange’s For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf, Keith Antar Mason’s For Black Boys Who Have Considered Homicide When The Streets Were Too Much, Casey Kurtti’s Catholic School Girls, Alice Childress’s Mojo: A Black Love Story, and Black Harlem: A Tribute to the Renaissance which he also wrote.  He has acted as Assistant Director for Euripides’ Medea, Aint Nobody Gonna Turn Me Around, a civil rights musical written by Dr. Ardencie Hall-Karambe, and Osiris: Redux, an original play written by James Ijames. Donald has also participated in Merriam Theater’s “Theater in Schools” Program where he assisted high school students in developing original scripts for theatrical production.  He is the former Executive Director for the Kaleidoscope Community Arts Collective.  He is a recipient of the 2006 Gladys Gordon Memorial Award for Theater Excellence and the 2006 1st Place Winner of the Temple University Research Forums Academic Research and Papers Competition.  He is also a contributing writer for Rags ‘N’ Riches Magazine and creator of its weekly soap opera style serial SOUL.  Donald is also a marketing consultant, blogger, screenwriter and event producer.  He has served as the Drama Instructor at Thomas Edison High School and is venturing into music video directing, artist development as well as working on his first novel.

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