"In The Spirit of Friendship: John Adams & Mercy Otis Warren" theatrical performance

Step back in time and converse with two of history’s most influential writers of the Revolution, John Adams and Mercy Otis Warren! This program will introduce visitors to Mercy Otis Warren and John Adams, where together, they will tell the story of how their friendship developed, grew, fractured, and was ultimately repaired through their correspondence.

After the performance, there will be opportunities for audience members to ask questions, promoting a deeper understanding of the material covered in the presentation. 

ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE: A special focus will be placed on the printing of Mercy’s history of the American Revolution, after which Mercy and John’s friendship became increasingly fragile due to the pair’s disagreements about how the newly formed United States should be governed. 

ABOUT THE PERFORMERS: 

Michele Gabrielson is a public school educator who is also an historical interpreter specializing in 18th century printing, chocolate, and Mercy Otis Warren. She serves on committees with Minute Man National Historic Park and serves as a founding member of the Board of Directors for the Mercy Otis Warren Society. Michele is also the founder of an interactive mobile educational program, “The Revolutionary Classroom,” for which she was awarded a 2024 Rising Star Award for Public Programming by the Massachusetts History Alliance. Michele was named a finalist for the 2024 Massachusetts History Teacher of the Year. She was awarded the Massachusetts Daughters of the American Revolution’s Outstanding History Teacher of the Year Award for 2025 and the 2025 winner of the Fred Graham Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Massachusetts Society of Cincinnati.

Michael LePage has been a professional Historical Interpreter since 1992. Lepage has researched and taken on several iconic historical personas including: John Adams, Paul Revere, Dr. Joseph Warren, and Peter Oliver. Lepage has performed at a variety of venues including the Adams National Historical Park, the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum, Minute Man National Historical Park, The Paul Revere House, the Boston Tea Party Museum, and Boston’s Old South Meeting House and the Old State House. In addition to his performances and appearances, Michael has participated in the Calling History Podcast- in which historical characters are interviewed in an unscripted phone conversation with historian Tony Dean.