"Ward presents the controlled, but deep, emotion of this woman struggling to release the pain
and frustration of an abusive first marriage and to enjoy the almost painfully awkward ardor of her suitor."
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Largely autobiographical, La Vagabonde recalls Colette's own years as a dance-hall performer in
turn-of-the-century Paris, where she takes the listener backstage and into the demimonde of Rene Nr,
an aging dancer, mime, and failed writer. Successfully evoking the excitementthe sounds, smells, tastes,
textures, and colors of the Parisian dance-hallRene describes her romance with her admirer, Maxime, and
the downward slide of a young Piaf-type singer named Jadin.

The story follows the struggles of a woman who must choose between freedom and love. The story is told in a
sultry, passionate, and intelligent voice. La Vagabonde contains all that is best in Colette: wisdom, vitality,
and her astute observations on art, pleasure, and love.

Johanna Ward (also known as Kate Reading) is an award-winning narrator and actor. She is a company member at Woolly Mammoth Theatre and has appeared on many other stages. She and her husband, actor-narrator Michael Kramer (Nick Bernard), live with their two children in the Washington, D.C. area.