“Coal Camp Memories,” a one-act play written and performed by Karen Vuranch, will be presented Thursday, April 7 at 7 p.m. in the J. Frank Marsh Library at Concord University. This event is available at no charge to the Concord community and the general public. Vuranch, a CU instructor in Speech and Theatre, wrote the play based on oral history she collected from people who lived in the coal camps of West Virginia. The play chronicles the story of Hallie Marie Jones, a woman from a West Virginia coal camp. Hallie Marie’s story is a composite of many people who lived during coal camp days. During the course of the performance, Vuranch ages in front of the audience and grows from an exuberant ten-year-old, to a demure teenager, to a young wife, to an old woman wise with years. During the scene changes, Tim and Maggie Mainland will play traditional Appalachian music. The Mainlands both teach in the Music Department at Concord. Vuranch has been honored by many organizations including the Tamarack Artisan Fellowship for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts in 2009 and the Corridor L Tourism Commission’s Robert C. Byrd Community Service Award in April 2005. Other honors include the McWhorter Achievement Award from the West Virginia Storytelling Guild; Performing Artist of the Year for Tamarack; The Spirit of West Virginia Award from the state tourism office and the Celebrate Women Award from the West Virginia Women’s Commission.

For additional information about the performance contact Connie Shumate at cshumate@concord.edu or 304-384-5371