Elizabeth Carlin Metz Named to Smith V. Brand Endowed Chair

Knox College faculty member Elizabeth Carlin Metz has been appointed to an endowed professorship, the Smith V. Brand Endowed Chair in Theatre Arts, in recognition of her distinguished teaching, professional creativity, and service to the College.

Knox President Teresa Amott made the appointment, acting on the recommendation of the Faculty Personnel Committee and the Dean of the College.

A member of the Knox faculty since 1995, Metz earned a bachelor's degree in theatre from Roger Williams University and an M.F.A. in acting from Temple University. Before arriving at Knox, she taught on the graduate school faculties of the University of Washington, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, and the University of California at Davis, where she directed the graduate programs in acting and directing.

She received Knox's highest award for teaching, the Philip Green Wright-Lombard College Prize for Distinguished Teaching, in 2005.

Her teaching interests include acting, directing, voice for the actor, contemporary dramatic literature and performance, feminist theatre, Shakespeare, devised performance, and physical theatre. She also has co-directed London Arts Alive: Empire Imploded, a Knox program that combines classroom learning with travel to immerse students in London's contemporary arts scene.

Metz has directed and served as voice coach for professional theatres across the United States and in the United Kingdom. She co-founded and is the artistic director of the award-winning Vitalist Theatre in Chicago, where she was the recipient of an After Dark Award for excellence in directing.

The Smith V. Brand Endowed Chair in Theatre Arts was established earlier this year by the late Alexander P. Misheff, in memory of his life partner Smith V. Brand '60.

Brand, a native of Avon, Illinois, majored in English literature and in speech and theatre arts while at Knox. He earned a master's degree in theatre from Northwestern University.

He taught for 33 years at South Suburban College in South Holland, Illinois, serving as chair of its Speech and Theatre Department and teaching courses in theatre, speech, and American Studies.

Through an estate gift, he established the Smith Brand Endowed Scholarship for Knox students pursuing studies in speech and theatre arts.