School of Theatre Arts

Acting & Directing

Nancy earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Minnesota, where she received the Kendrick Wilson Directing Award for her thesis production of Lu Ann Hampton Laverty Oberlander.  After receiving her degree she taught for three years at the University of Minneota-Duluth and directed two productions annually at the Minnesota Repertory Theatre. 

Nancy joined the faculty of Illinois Wesleyan University in 1986 as the coordinator of the Music Theatre program. During her years in this role, she directed productions from a variety of genres including Aaron Copeland’s opera The Tender Land and the operettas Most Happy Fella and Candide. Her non-musical productions ranged from Arthur Kopit’s Wings to Euripides’ Medea to David Mamet’s Bobby Gould in Hell. Nancy was appointed Director of the School of Theatre Arts in 1999 and served in this capacity for seven years before taking a leave of absence to assume a term as the Associate Dean of the College at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. From 2006-2009, Nancy administered Augustana’s general education program, new student orientation and first year programming. Since rejoining the IWU faculty in 2009, Nancy has directed The Bald Soprano, Tartuffe, A Shayna Maidel, Hay Fever and The Shape of Things. 

Professor Loitz is one of only a handful of certified Master Teachers of the Alba Method. She studied extensively with neurophysiologist Susana Bloch, the originator of this powerful tool. Alba Method practitioners can skillfully manipulate physical manifestations of human emotion to trigger and control genuine subjective responses which can then be applied to an actor’s work. Dr. Bloch’s work originated in Chile (where Nancy received her first training) and Denmark. In 1997, Nancy was one of the first two American acting teachers to be certified to train others to use the technique. She remains one of only about a dozen certified Master Teachers worldwide. She has taught the method in an academic setting at IWU, Augustana College and the University of Asheville. She has also introduced it to professional actors through intensive seminars throughout the United States and in Canada, Switzerland and Italy.

Visit Professor Loitz' professional website.

Education

M.F.A. University of Minnesota

Additional Training

Master Teacher, Alba Method