Nancy B. Loitz
Professor EMERITA
School of Theatre Arts
Illinois Wesleyan University
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 Minnesota-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. Since rejoining the IWU faculty in 2009, Nancy has directed The Bald Soprano, Tartuffe, A Shayna Maidel, Hay Fever, The Shape of Things, Stop Kiss, The Lesson, Mary Jane, and workshop productions of the new plays Blown Youth and 27 Signs.
Professor Loitz is one of only about a dozen certified Master Teachers of the Alba Method worldwide. She studied extensively with neurophysiologist Susana Bloch, the originator of this powerful tool. In 1997, Nancy was one of the first two American acting teachers to be certified to train others to use the technique. She has taught the method in an academic setting at IWU, Augustana College, University of North Carolina-Asheville, SUNY Fredonia, San Antonio College, and Northern Arizona University. She has also introduced it to theatre professionals, coaches, lawyers, healthcare professionals, and business executives through intensive seminars throughout the United States, and in the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Canada, Brussels and Italy.
Nancy served as Co-President of the Alba Method Association from 2016-2021. AMA is the international organization dedicated to the development of teaching and certification standards for teachers of the Alba Method. To learn more about the Alba Method Association, visit: www.albamethod.com
Nancy retired from the IWU in 2024 and is now dedicating her time to teaching the Alba Method and to training the next generation of Alba teachers.