CWRU helps pave the road to success from small-town Texas to the bright lights of New York City
Raised in a tiny Texas Panhandle town of just 363 people, Elizabeth A. Davis (GRS ’06, theatre) grew up surrounded by family, farmland and music. “We are agrarian to the core, and I got this unique blend of plowing and singing,” she said, describing a childhood shaped equally by hard work and creativity. With a fiddle in her hand by age 3 and stories swirling all around her, she learned early that discipline and imagination could coexist—and even strengthen one another.
That foundation would eventually lead her to Case Western Reserve University, where the College of Arts and Sciences helped make a professional life in the arts not only possible, but sustainable.
After completing her bachelor’s degree in theater, Davis was recruited to Case Western Reserve’s MFA acting program by the late—and beloved—Ron Wilson. She calls that opportunity transformative. The program’s full funding, living stipend, New York City showcase and connection to professional work (and an equity card) through Cleveland Play House provided her the foundation she needed to succeed: rigorous training, real-world experience and a viable path into one of the world’s most competitive creative industries.
“Without exaggeration or not being trite in any way,” she said, “I would not have a career in New York if it weren’t for Case Western Reserve.”
That career has since flourished across stage and screen. Davis earned a 2012 Tony Award nomination for best featured actress in a musical for her performance in the Broadway adaptation of Once, and today she continues to write, perform, compose and produce.
She currently co-stars with Academy Award nominee Michael O’Keefe in A Break in the Rain, a feature film that marks a new chapter in a career long defined by musical storytelling. Don Scardino, a two-time Emmy Award-winning producer and director, wove together several creative threads—including songs written by Davis—to tell the story of a down-on-her-luck singer and her journey to find healing.
Though her work now spans several mediums, Davis sees a direct throughline back to her education at Case Western Reserve.
“Because of my time in Cleveland, I am a classically trained actor with an MFA in classical acting,” she said. “Therefore, I base everything out of that pedagogy.”
Whether she is acting, writing music, producing or developing new scripts, she returns to the same center: an actor’s discipline, shaped and honed at Case Western Reserve.
She also speaks with deep gratitude about the ongoing donor support that sustains that kind of education for others—including the indefatigable Roe Green, whom she sees occasionally in New York.
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For students without family money or industry connections, she said, the value of a fully funded program cannot be overstated. Just as important was the environment the program created—one she described as both ambitious and protective, a place where artists could grow, experiment and “fail safely.”
That combination of access, mentorship and belief continues to ripple outward through alumni like Davis, whose work now reaches audiences far beyond the classroom. Her story is a powerful reminder of what philanthropic support makes possible. It goes beyond ‘just’ a career, unlocking lives full of depth, resilience and creativity.
At Case Western Reserve, investment in the arts does more than train performers. It helps artists like Elizabeth A. Davis find their voice—and carry it into the world.
“I’m just a small-town girl from Texas who had zero connections in New York City and zero money,” Davis said. “This opportunity single-handedly changed my life.”
