UCSB STUDENT DIES DURING REHEARSAL FOR DRAMA PRODUCTION

A student at the University of California, Santa Barbara collapsed and died during a rehearsal for a drama production on campus Thursday night, May 10, 2001.

Gregory Paul D'Amico was rushed to Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital, where he was pronounced dead by emergency room physicians at 10:21 p.m. The cause of death has not yet been determined pending the outcome of an autopsy.

D'Amico, a 20-year-old senior from Walnut Creek, was majoring in dramatic art in the highly selective three-year Bachelor of Fine Arts -- Theatre program. He was scheduled to graduate from UCSB next month and would have turned 21 in August. His parents, Tom and Donna D'Amico, were on the UCSB campus Friday and met with university officials and friends and classmates of their son.

Gregory D'Amico collapsed on stage at the Studio Theater in Snidecor Hall on campus during a dress rehearsal for a student-directed production of three one-act plays.

A candlelight memorial service for D'Amico is to be held tonight (Friday, May 11) at 7 p.m. in the Isla Vista Theater, 960 Embarcadero del Norte, Isla Vista.

UCSB Chancellor Henry T. Yang issued the following statement about the death of Gregory Paul D'Amico:

"Our campus is extremely saddened by the news of Gregory's tragic death. He was an immensely talented and bright student who was to graduate next month. On

learning of his death at about 11:30 last night, my wife, Dilling, and I went to the home of one of Gregory's classmates, Sara White, where about 60 students had gathered, and did what we could to comfort and console them.

"Today we have met on campus with Gregory's parents, as have other UCSB officials and many students and faculty members from the Department of Dramatic Art. We all shared with his parents our great sadness at this loss. UCSB will award Gregory's Bachelor of Arts degree posthumously. On campus today our flag was at half-staff in his memory, and we have arranged for special counseling services to be available to students and others affected by this tragedy. We offer our sincere condolences to his parents, other family members, classmates and friends."