Harlem Queen | Podcast on Podbay

Harlem Queen

Yhane Washington Smith

Harlem Queen is an award-winning Black historical fiction audio drama based on the true story of Madame Stephanie St. Clair, the bold, brilliant "Numbers Queen" who built a Harlem empire during the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. Written, produced, and directed by Yhane Washington Smith, an A'Leila Bundles Scholar at Columbia University, this five-season series brings Madame St. Clair's world to vivid life through original music, meticulous sound design, and a full cast of characters. Jazzy, glamorous, and unflinching about what it meant to be a Black woman in America in the 1920s. As featured on ABC's primetime documentary The Story of Soaps. History this rich deserves to be heard. You can follow on Instagram: @Yhane.Writes, our web site: YhaneWashingtonSmith.com, email: [email protected]. or our newsletter: https://harlemqueen.substack.com/ Thank you for listening!

S5 EP3 - Policy Banking 101

Anita breaks down policy banking to Michelle. The episode features: Isabelle Kerby-McGowan Nina Smith Marie-Francoise Theodore Gabrielle Adkins Sound Designed by Collin Thomas Original Theme Music created by Jason Moran Produced, written, directed and edited by Yhane Washington Smith Thank you to The Puffin Foundation for their support of this project. This is our final season of "Harlem Queen" the audio drama. What happens next? A play? A movie? A spinoff? Read all about it in my newsletter harlemqueen.substack.com Check out my other shows: *The Courtship of Mona Mae *1972 - The Chisholm Trail and the Davis Trial * Dancers on the Shore Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 11, 2025

17 min

S5 Ep4 - Final Series Episode

In this final episode of the series, Stephanie makes her return and even convinces Anita not to give up her territory. Dutch Schultz is finally shot dead. Michelle comes to a conclusion, which sets us up for our spin-off series, "Crown Beauty". This episodes features: Gabrielle Adkins Isabelle Kerby-McGowan Nina Smith Ian Bell Jimmy Mehiel Denese Longsworth Karen Chmielnicki Sound designed by Colin Thomas Original theme music by Jason Moran Produced, written and directed by Yhane Washington Smith Thank you to The Puffin Foundation for their support of this project. What's next for "Harlem Queen" read my short and sweet newsletter and find out: https://harlemqueen.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 9, 2025

19 min

S5 EP2 - The Great Escape

Stephanie makes her great escape from prison. This episode features: Marie - Francoise Theodore Gabrielle Adkins Journey Brown-Saintel Luke Slattery Thank you: Emilio Smith Tom Smith Collin Thomas Sound designed by Collin Thomas Produced, written and directed by Yhane Washington Smith Thank you to The Puffin Foundation for their support of this project. We are taking "Harlem Queen" to the stage! Join us on our journey! subscribe to: https://substack.com/@harlemqueen? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 16, 2025

14 min

S5 EP1 - The Queens of Harlem

This is our first episode of our last season! While Stephanie is recuperating in France with Josephine Baker, we meet the other Queens of Harlem; Anita Howell, Rita, Polly Adler and even Stephanie's daughter, Michelle. This episode features: Isabelle Kerby-McGowan as Anita Howell Denese Longsworth as Rita Munoz Karen Chmielnicki as Polly Adler Nina Smith as Michelle Mondesir Sound Designed by Collin Thomas "Harlem Queen" is produced, written and directed by Yhane Washington Smith Thank you to The Puffin Foundation for their support of this project. We are taking "Harlem Queen" to the stage! Join us on our journey! subscribe to: https://substack.com/@harlemqueen? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 17, 2025

15 min

Season Five Trailer

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Sep 12, 2025

2 min

Yhane talks with Jana Naomi Smith creator of "Red for Revolution".

I am so glad to share with you my conversation with Jana Naomi Smith creator of Red for Revolution. Jana and I discuss providing a platform for "undertold" stories. I could ALWAYS use your help to make these incredible stories. Become a patron at: https://www.patreon.com/c/harlemqueen Thank you! Keep in touch by subscribing to my newsletter! https://harlemqueen.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 4, 2025

39 min

We're All Ancestors in Training. Yhane talks with Nichole Hill of "Our Ancestors Were Messy".

I am so glad to share with you my conversation with Nichole Hill of The Our Ancestors Were Messy podcast. Nichole and I talk about the history and value of Black newspapers and how we use them to make our shows. I had no idea there were so many! I could ALWAYS use your help to make these incredible stories. Become a patron at: https://www.patreon.com/c/harlemqueen Thank you! Keep in touch by subscribing to my newsletter! https://harlemqueen.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 26, 2025

40 min

Part 2 of William Sutphin (Booker and Olivia) and Yhane have a sit down.

Part two of the talk. Yhane has a sit down with William Sutphin creator of the "Booker and Olivia" audio drama. Yhane and William discuss creating Black historical fiction. William breaks down crafting his favorite scene. You can follow William on Instagram @audio_auteur. I could ALWAYS use your help to make these incredible stories. Become a patron at: https://www.patreon.com/c/harlemqueen Thank you! Keep in touch by subscribing to my newsletter! https://harlemqueen.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 19, 2025

36 min

William Sutphin (Booker and Olivia) and Yhane have a sit down.

Yhane has a sit down with William Sutphin creator of the "Booker and Olivia" audio drama. Yhane and William discuss creating Black historical fiction. You can follow William on Instagram @audio_auteur. I could ALWAYS use your help to make these incredible stories. Become a patron at: https://www.patreon.com/c/harlemqueen Thank you! Keep in touch by subscribing to my newsletter! https://harlemqueen.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 12, 2025

22 min

We Have Main Character Energy. Yhane talks with Dominic Lawson of Black is America.

Yhane talks with Dominic Lawson of the "Black is America" Podcast. Yhane and Dominic talk about 'standing in the gap' - making sure that we learn and share our stories. I could ALWAYS use your help to make these incredible stories. Become a patron at: https://www.patreon.com/c/harlemqueen Thank you! Keep in touch by subscribing to my newsletter! https://harlemqueen.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 5, 2025

30 min