Release Date: March 26, 2009
Kennesaw State University presents regional premiere of play based on Flannery O'Connor's work
For media inquiries: Cheryl Anderson Brown, Director of Public Relations,
770-499-3417 or cbrown@kennesaw.edu
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KENNESAW, Ga.—Flannery O’Connor’s work will come to life in the Georgia premiere of “Everything that Rises Must Converge” in the Howard Logan Stillwell Theater at Kennesaw State University, April 14 through April 19. Adapted by Karin Coonrod and originally staged in New York, this adaptation includes both the title story and “A View of the Woods.”
“Flannery O’Connor is one of the stars of southern literature,” says KSU Associate Professor of Theatre and Performance Studies Karen Robinson, who directs the production. “She is a brilliant writer, so this production is an opportunity to experience the richness and humor—the multiple layers and textures—of her writing.”
O’Connor’s writing typically combines elements of faith, humor and violence, and her works are considered to have been heavily influenced by her life in Milledgeville, in central Georgia.
“O’Connor is a master craftsperson when it comes to putting words together to tell a story clearly and powerfully,” says Robinson, who has been ranked as one of the top directors in Atlanta. “She is a really insightful observer of human behavior. Her stories capture the realistic details of life in Georgia, but they also have a universal appeal.”
The cast features nine KSU students who perform multiple roles. Those students are Rachel DeJulio, Ryan Everett, Terry Guest, Jorden Henderson, Jenn Mack, Patricia Maduakor, Jessica McPhail, Jim Wallace and Mary Wolfson.
A companion website for the production provides background information and resource materials as well cast member insights. It can be accessed by clicking the “Everything That Rises” link at www.kennesaw.edu/theatre.
Performances are at 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $15. For tickets and information, call the box office at 770-423-6650.
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A member of the 35-unit University System of Georgia, Kennesaw State University is a comprehensive, residential institution with a growing student population of more than 21,000 from 142 countries. The third-largest university in Georgia, Kennesaw State offers more than 65 graduate and undergraduate degrees, including new doctorates in education and business.
The KSU College of the Arts is one of only four Georgia institutions to have achieved full national accreditation for all of its arts programs.