As part of the Duke Initiatives in Theology and the Arts Distinguished Lecture series, Karin Coonrod will give a presentation on March 4 entitled "Hound Dog on a Scent: Flannery O'Connor's Words in the Theater Space." This lecture will explore the theological and artistic implications of adapting O'Connor's stories for a more "embodied" medium such as theater. 

In 1998, Coonrod began working on an adaptation of three stories from O'Connor's Everything That Rises Must Converge which culminated in a sold-out Off-Broadway production in 2001. In April of 2014, Coonrod directed a production of O'Connor's short story, "Everything Rises Must Converge" which toured Washington, D.C., Atlanta, New Brunswick, and New York City.

Coonrod is an internationally-recognized theater artist whose work has been lauded by The New York Times as "prodigiously inventive." She is also a member of the faculty at the Yale School of Drama, where she is a lecturer in directing. Coonrod has directed numerous productions at the American Repertory Theatre, the New York Shakespeare Festival/Public Theater, New York University, and the New York Theatre Workshop. 

The lecture begins at 5:30pm on March 4 in 0014 Westbrook and will be followed by a brief question and answer session. After the session, there will be a reception with light refreshments.