Between Zombies and VJs, Nick Smith does it all.

Nick Smith may be recovering from a broken hand, but he’s not letting that stop his acting career. The 22-year old Dartmouthian has been travelling back and forth between Toronto, where he lives most of the year, and back home to Nova Scotia where he is taking a well-deserved break.

At such a young age, Smith has already achieved success in his field. While many fledgling actors move to larger cities, only to find themselves out of work, Smith has shown himself to be a talented and innovative performer, whether in his stand-up routine, appearing in film, or his many appearances on Much Music.

Smith started acting professionally at the age of 17, when he was approached by the popular television series “Street Cents”.

“I got a call from a casting director asking me to come to the CBC for an audition. I ended up filming over a dozen commercial parodies for them over the course of two years.”

Comedy has always been an integral part of Smith’s life. While others turn to acting for the fame and money it offers, performing for an audience is something Smith simply has to do.

“The high I get from making people laugh is a high I couldn’t possibly buy with money. That was when I said to myself, ‘Whatever I have to do to get this feeling everyday, I’ll do it.’ And that was it, there was no turning back from there… it meant too much to me.”

Smith has channelled his love of performing into many diverse projects. He has recently returned to Canada from the United States, where he toured in a children’s comedy show. One of his favourite projects thus far has been performing in the soon-to-be-released zombie flick Awakening. “I grew up watching cheesy bizarre horror movies,” said Smith,“ So to be a part of one will always be a career highlight.”

David J. Francis, director of Awakening, the long awaited sequel to 2003's Zombie Night, remembers his time working with Smith fondly. “He has more character than most of us have in a hangnail. No matter what I had planned for a given scene, Nick had numerous options for us to play with, the difficulty with it was choosing through the laughter.”

Much Music viewers are familiar with Smith‘s sense of humour. His VJ Search audition and hosting of Much Takeover were the source of much laughter and awe at his physical brand of humour. After viewing his stand-up routine one spectator described Smith as being “amazingly tall and rubber limbed... it is almost alarming how far he can pull his taffyish features out of alignment.”

While he enjoys the fast life in Toronto, Smith always enjoys coming back to his Dartmouth home. “You don’t really realize how beautiful Nova Scotia is until you leave it. The attitude of the people is one of the things you notice the most; the vibe in the Maritimes is very positive.”

As for what the future holds for him, Smith is hopeful.

“It looks like I might be down in Los Angeles in October filming a part in a film. I’ve got a few exciting projects that I’m talking to people about right now, and God willing they’ll work out. I’ve been real lucky so far, and I’m hoping that luck only grows.”

Dartmouth Crossing and PR Students: A perfect match.

Today communications and developer representatives from Dartmouth Crossing, a retail initiative that will see stores opened in 2007, visited Mount Saint Vincent University to give an hour-and-a-half presentation to third-year public relations students.

This event was orchestrated by Amy Thurlow, who teaches this group of students in an Advanced Management class. Students are currently working on multi-stakeholder communications plans which will target different groups impacted by the Dartmouth Crossing Development.

The presentation highlighted many different areas of interest, including future tenants, working with regulators, creating excitement about the project, and the many environmental concerns that surround the initiative. Students were shown a very green portrait of what Dartmouth Crossing will be.

Despite protests by local environment groups, many of whom are concerned with the welfare of Shubie Park, many efforts to preserve and improve the site's existing environment were shown. The massive shopping complex will come complete with many trees, a pond, a brook, and a walking path which connects the Shubie trails to Burnside.

I will be talking with the public relations representative for Bristol Groups within the next few days to talk about the importance of creating relationships with the community, and in particular, students.

The B.O.X. Rocks Cole Harbour

COLE HARBOUR, Nova Scotia -- If you think you hear the sounds of a rock concert coming from 1216 Cole Harbour Road, don’t be confused -- it is! You’re listening to the neighbourhood teenagers showcasing their talents at the B.O.X. (Building On eXcellence), a youth drop-in centre run by the HRM.

Lee Moore, Civic Events and Festivals Assistant, has been with the B.O.X. since 2001. Four years ago several local youth approached him, asking whether their band could perform at the centre. "I thought it would be something new and agreed. Working with a youth from the community, Andrew Wiseman, we put together the first Band Night."

Their first concert attracted 50 youth, and a lot of positive feedback. Band Nights were made into a monthly event, supported by the B.O.X.'s growing popularity. "As time went on, the number of youth who attended each show grew to approximately 130, [our capacity]," explained Moore. "These shows have continued, [with] attendance numbers staying around 100 youth per show. I also ended up hiring on Andrew Wiseman as our Sound Tech/Band Bookings guy."

Typically four to five bands play per evening, with shows running from 7 pm to 10 pm. While the genres bands bring to the stage are diverse, Moore says they've been seeing a lot of punk acts, lately. The cover charge is $4, and shows are restricted to high school aged youth.

Although it hosts rock concerts, the B.O.X. contributes to a safe environment for teenagers, as Band Nights are fully staffed by HRM employees and security personnel. It's also an integral part in any young musician's life: the first show. As Moore said, "This gives [musicians] a launching point for their careers."

While Band Nights are still continuing monthly at the B.O.X., Moore and Wiseman are trying to bring the shows to a new level. New lighting and sound equipment have been purchased to intensify the on-stage experience. A new program has been started, called Coffee House. This program gives acoustic performers a chance to jam. Think Bob Dylan, or Nirvana unplugged. Admission for a Coffee House afternoon is only $2.

Whether you're looking to headbang, or spend a mellow afternoon strumming, the B.O.X. offers teenagers awesome shows right in their own community. Put on your best Iron Maiden or Ramones shirt and take a walk down the road; music you'll love is closer to home than you think.

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You can be a part of a B.O.X. band night by contacting Lee Moore at moorel@halifax.ca or 490-4711. The next Coffee House afternoon is to going to be from 1 to 3:30 pm, on July 22nd.