“Books & Roses” is the story of Montserrat, a foundling left in a Catalonian chapel at the feet of the Virgin de Montserrat. Her only possessions are a key hanging on a golden chain around her neck, and a note. Cared for by the monks of the order, she grows up and finds work in a laundry, where she encounters Señora Lucy, a painter who also wears a key. Montse eventually discovers that she and Lucy are linked, when she finds the lock that fits her key. Her reaction is bittersweet: "She'd carried the key to this place for so long and now that she was there she didn't know where she was."

"Books & Roses" is from Oyeyemi's short story collection, What Is Not Yours is Not Yours (described as "flawless" by NPR).

WORD for WORDcast is Word for Word Theater Company's podcast. We specialize in bringing works of literature to the stage, using every word of a text in a dynamic, evocative style that preserves the original beauty of the prose or poetry. 

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Credits:
Script Creation and Directed by Michael French

Cast:
Rotimi Agbabiaka* - Sra. Gaeta, Isidoro Salazar, Ensemble
Sofia Ahmad* ** - Safiye, Ensemble
Leontyne Mbele-Mbong* - Aurelie, Ensemble
Brian Rivera* ** - Monk, Gambler, Ensemble
Jeunée Simon* - Montse, Ensemble
Megan Trout - Lucy, Ensemble

Kelley Ho (Production Assistant)
Teddy Hulsker (Sounds Design)
Lindsay Jenkins (Dramaturgy)
Krys Swan (Line Producer)

*Member, AEA
**Member, SAG/AFTRA

"Books and Roses" from WHAT IS NOT YOURS IS NOT YOURS by Helen Oyeyemi.

Copyright © 2016 by Helen Oyeyemi, used by permission of The Wylie Agency, LLC.

After the story in Part 3 - A conversation with podcast host JoAnne Winter, Co-Artistic Director Susan Harloe, and Production Manager Colm McNally about the evolution of our podcast series and where we'll go from here. Plus thoughts shared by our fans!