On the night of February 27, 2025, 23 students took to the stage for the opening performance of the 2025 Repertory Theatre Term (aka Rep Term). The 2025 season marked the 20th Rep Term season at Knox College, featuring the productions She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen and Antigone from Sophocles, adapted by Jean Anouilh and translated by Jeremy Sams.

Rep Term, produced every three years by the Knox Department of Theatre, is the only undergraduate theatre program in the United States that embeds the academic study of theatre within the experience of forming a repertory company. Over a 10-week term, the company produces two fully staged productions.

“Rep Term was challenging, while being really, really fun. It's something I went into Knox knowing I was going to do. It's kind of the main reason I decided to go to Knox,” said student participant Kamana’okekai Lattig ’25.

Every Rep Term’s success is based on intensive collaboration between faculty and students. Students spend an entire academic term planning, preparing, and performing two shows. They take on all responsibilities related to producing the shows, including acting, constructing sets, designing costumes, and managing publicity. Not surprisingly, Rep Term students follow a schedule that's challenging but not unexpected in the field of professional theatre. At crunch time, it's seven days a week of rehearsal and preparing the set. They'll give 10 performances, five of each show, over the course of two weeks.

“It's kind of everything that I ever wanted in a theater experience,” added Lattig. “I was able to do both of the things that I'm really passionate about, which is stage management and the administrative side of things, as well as theater research.” Lattig was cast as Eurydice in Antigone and was also the assistant director and stage manager for She Kills Monsters. 

When asked about the students’ success in this year’s Rep Term, Smith V. Brand Distinguished Professor of Theatre Liz Carlin Metz shared, “The students were so consistently engaged and supportive of one another. They were great at advocating for themselves, and for one another.” 

Carlin Metz directed She Kills Monsters in her 10th season of Rep Term. “The play celebrates nerdiness and geeks. It’s a play about self-discovery and about overcoming your barriers,” she said. She is not the only faculty member to celebrate multiple Rep Terms. The 2025 Rep Term marks 11 immersive terms for Professor of Theatre Craig Choma ’93—10 as a faculty member, one as a Knox student. Associate Professor of English and Theatre and Writer-in-Residence Sherwood Kiraly ’07 participated in the very first Rep Term in 1970 as a student, officially receiving his degree in 2007. To thank Kiraly for his long Rep Term history, the company dedicated their 20th season to him. 

In true Knox fashion, Rep Term is not only meant for theatre majors. This term, there were students who also majored in biology, creative writing, history, music, and a wide array of minors. 

“Rep Term isn't just theater majors. It's students from across the disciplines. For instance, we had a student who is an English literature major and hasn't been involved in theater at all until she took a design and technology class. For Rep Term, she helped design the Antigone set. She plans to be involved in a lot more theatre now,” said Carlin Metz.

Tara Rose ’25, who worked as an assistant stage manager, lead electrician, and deck lead for She Kills Monsters, took on Rep Term as a history major minoring in theatre and social service. “As someone who didn't expect to do theatre, coming into Rep Term was probably one of the most enjoyable experiences that I've had in the theatre department,” said Rose.

After all the hard work of the term, the season ends with a final company wrap up meeting. “It is a time to celebrate and do shoutouts to one another, and it brings tears and laughter,” said Carlin Metz. “The value is both practical and transformational, but also it is intangible and ephemeral. At the same time, I think it's permanent. It's beautiful.”