Karen Vuranch weaves together a love of history, a passion for stories and a sense of community.

Her acclaimed performance of her original production, Coal Camp Memories, has been presented nationally and internationally.

Celebrating the history of the West Virginia coal fields, Karen’s storytelling drama has been hailed as a significant memorial to the men and women who labored in the coal fields.

She completed five performance tours of Wales and England including the Dylan Thomas Festival in Swansea, Wales, with Coal Camp Memories.

Using the techniques of dramatizing oral history that she honed in Coal Camp Memories, Karen then collected stories from women on the American homefront in WWII.

She regularly performs in Chautauquas, which are summer performances presented by state Humanities Councils featuring scholar/actors portraying historical characters.

She has participated in troupes from across the country.
Karen also teaches at Concord University, where she has been the Director of the Theatre Department.