Historical Drama with The Boston Sisters

The Boston Sisters talk with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Stacy Schiff —co-executive producer of the 2024 Apple TV series FRANKLIN (starring Academy Award-winner Michael Douglas as Benjamin Franklin) inspired by Schiff’s award-winning book A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America . We get into the real Franklin: the improvised diplomacy that the Continental Congress never...

Episode 92 is the 5th podcast in the "Revolution to Rights: America at 250" series,  which turns to the American Revolution and its impact on gender roles and political agency. This podcast spotlights the 2008 HBO miniseries JOHN ADAMS , which won 13 Emmy Awards and stars Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney as John and Abigail Adams.  Historians Cassandra Good (author, Founding Friendships ),...

In this Bonus VIDEO! episode of "Historical Drama with the Boston Sisters," Michon and Taquiena discuss their 2026 book picks for summer reading and beyond including: *Carole Boston Weatherford's " Kin: Rooted in Hope ," a multi-generational narrative in verse about her family's history (See Episode 91); *Marjorie J. Spruill’s " Divided We Stand " (FX/Hulu MRS...

Along with our announcement of the 2026 book picks for the annual “ From Page to Screen " podcast, we invited one of the authors, Carole Boston Weatherford , award-winning children's book author to join us for a conversation about writing history for young readers. Carole's written 90 books (and counting) for children and youth about Americans who broke barriers and advanced freedom m...

Episode 90 is part 2/2 of a conversation about the real history in the 2020n FX series MRS. AMERICA "and the story of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) with historian Marjorie J. Spruill. Part 2 explores the rise of Phyllis Schlafly 's anti-ERA campaign, which gained traction by appealing to religious conservatives. Spruill highlights key figures like Bella Abzug , Glory Steinem, Shirley C...

In episode 89 explores the history of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and the key people fighting for its ratification and demise as seen in the series MRS. AMERICA . with Marjorie J. Spruill. Marjorie’s 2017 book “ Divided We Stand: The Battle Over Women’s Rights and Family Values That Polarized American Politics ” was a key resource for this 2020 FX series. MRS. AMERICA tells the story of the m...

The Boston Sisters talk about the PBS MASTERPIECE series THE FORSYTES , a prequel to and reimagining of John Galsworthy's "The Forsyte Saga,” with Sharon D. Johnson , script consultant for MASTERPIECE including THE FORSYTES series. The conversation explores themes of art versus commerce, family dynamics, and societal expectations in the conflict between pragmatism and passion, particularl...

The Boston Sisters talk with Geri Gallas , founder & owner (daughter), and Irene Zweig , invaluable assistant (mom) of Open Book Chocolates , a woman-owned, daughter-mother, bean-to-bar chocolate operation inspired by classical literature. like Alexandre Dumas's "The Count of Monte Cristo," and Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables." This bonus podcast is a combination food...

Is THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO a story of revenge or justice? Is Edmond Dantes’s revenge on his enemies justified? What makes this revenge story bittersweet? In episode 87, The Boston Sisters ask these questions about a new adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’s classic epic, THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO in a conversation with Norman Allen , senior minister of the First Parish of Portland, ME and an award-win...

In episode 86,  Revolution to Rights: America at 250  moves from the Civil War to Civil Rights spotlighting the 2014 film  SELMA  directed by Ava DuVernay and a conversation with Unitarian Universalist minister  Rev. Dr. Gordon D. Gibson  who answered the call along with fellow clergy to join the movement for voting rights and justice in 1965. Selma, Alabama became the battleground for voting righ...

In Episode 85 The Boston Sisters explore the 1989 film GLORY with Frank Smith , founder and executive director of the African American Civil War Memorial Museum . Smith shares the history of the museum, established to honor over 200,000 African American soldiers of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) who fought for freedom during the American Civil War (1861 - 1865). GLORY , the powerful 1989...

In Ep. 84 we talk with historian Anthony Cohen about the Underground Railroad and its legendary conductor Harriet Tubman as seen in the 2019 film HARRIET .  Anthony Cohen personally retraced the  journey of the Underground Railroad and self-emancipation by foot, rail, and boat from Maryland to Canada in 1996.  His walk got the attention of Oprah Winfrey who asked him to prepare her for her role in...

In Episode 83, The Boston Sisters talk about the 2012 film LINCOLN (directed by Steven Spielberg) with The Honorable Sharon Pratt , former Mayor of Washington, DC , and Founding Director of the Institute of Politics Policy and History on the campus of the University of the District of Columbia . The conversation with Mayor Pratt focuses on Abraham Lincoln's leadership, the moral complexities of th...

In episode 82, The Boston Sisters discuss the Hallmark Channel’s adaptation of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility featuring a multiracial cast. Vanessa Riley , the historical and cultural consulting producer, shares her journey into Austen's works and her role in ensuring historical accuracy and cultural sensitivity. Riley also discusses her novels Queen of Exiles and Island Queen , which...

In episode 81, the Boston Sisters (Michon and Taquiena) explore how costumes bring iconic characters to life in 3 adaptations of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice with Alden O’Brien , costume historian and costume and textile curator for the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum in Washington DC . The 3 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE adaptations featured: 1995 (BBC/Arts & Entertainment) series 20...

Explore the fascinating elements of style in Regency and Federal era clothing, inspirations, and the fashion clues that bring Jane Austen’s characters to life with Alden O’Brien, costume historian and curator of costumes and textiles for the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) Museum in Washington, DC . Episode 80 is part 1 of a 3-podcast mini-series, JANE AUSTEN ADAPTED , commemorating the...

November 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the Nuremberg Trials in Germany at the end of World War II. In episode 79 Michon and Taquiena Boston aka The Boston Sisters talk with award-winning journalist and author Jack El-Hai about the James Vanderbilt film NUREMBERG based on El-Hai's thought-provoking book, "The Nazi and the Psychiatrist . " Jack El-Hai’s book and the film explore the psychologic...

In episode 78, The Boston Sisters discuss the film adaptations of plays by award-winning playwright August Wilson (1945 - 2005) and their significance in understanding American history with Dr. Sandra G. Shannon , a leading authority on Wilson's work, as well as founder and President Emerita of the August Wilson Society. Three of Wilson plays were adapted into feature films: FENCES , MA RAINEY...

In episode 77 of "Historical Drama with The Boston Sisters®," Michon and Taquiena Boston discuss the Apple TV+ series " CHIEF OF WAR " with co-creator (with Jason Momoa), writer, and co-executive producer Thomas Pa'a Sibbett . The series, set between 1782 and 1810, tells the story, based on true events, of Hawai'i's unification from an indigenous perspective, featur...

Susanne Simpson , Executive Producer and Head of Scripted Content for MASTERPIECE , the Emmy Award winning PBS drama series, returns to "Historical Drama with The Boston Sisters" for the 5th season preview of MASTERPIECE and MYSTERY! — a podcast annual event since the launch in 2021. In episode 76 Susanne previews new MYSTERY! series coming in the fall 2025 (MAIGRET and THE GOLD), and ne...

The 5th season premiere!  In Episode 75 we go behind-the-scenes with DOWNTON ABBEY costume designer Anna [Mary Scott] Robbins who reflects on her journey designing costumes for two DOWNTON ABBEY series and the three feature films including the recent and final chapter DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE . In this conversation, Anna highlights the importance of creating costumes that reflect the charac...

Episode 74 features a conversation with Keith W. Stokes , Rhode Island State Historian Laureate, and Theresa “Soni” Guzman Stokes , Executive Director for the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society (advisors for Season 3 of THE GILDED AGE ) about Newport and Rhode Island’s African heritage history. In THE GILDED AGE ’s 3rd season, the HBO series created by Julian Fellowes ( DOWNTON ABBEY ), audiences...

We wrap up Historical Drama with The Boston Sisters ®'s 4th season with THE GILDED AGE , the Emmy® nominated HBO Original drama series, from creator Julian Fellowes ( DOWNTON ABBEY ).  Season 3 of THE GILDED AGE introduces a new family: The Kirklands of Newport, RI. We wanted to know more about Newport’s Black history, heritage and community in the 1880s. Preview Episode 74 -- our conversation...

Episode 73 is the 2025 Page to Screen podcast where The Boston Sisters talk about 5 books related to historical drama series and films for summer reading. This year we highlight stories or provide a deeper dive into the films and series featured in the 4th podcast season (2024 - 2025). The authors of three 2025 summer reads were guests on the podcast.* ​ The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen* (2015...

In Episode 72, we talk with filmmaker Darren Haruo Rae about NISEI (2023). NISEI , written and directed by Rae, is the first historical drama short film featured on the podcast. The film shines a light on an all-Japanese-American troop of soldiers who fought in World War II for a country imprisoning them and their families in internment camps because of their ancestry. The film is inspired by Rae’...