October 16 – November 16

Promotional image for the world premiere of THE PIRATE BALLAD OF BONNY & READ (Fall 2025) at the American Shakespeare Center. Ginna Hoben, in a red and gray pirate costume, holds crossed cutlasses beneath bold white show title text. Photo by Alaina Shefelton.

“There’ll be singin’, an’ cussin’, an’ swashin’ yer buckle ’til yer timbers shiver and yer eye needs a patch!”

[from the creators of the 50/50 Shakespeare Project: Vanessa Morosco & Peter Simon Hilton], The Pirate Ballad of Bonny & Read

A teenager wanders through a maritime museum, dodging her college application, when two pirate statues suddenly come to life. Anne Bonny and Mary Read crash through the fourth wall – sharp-tongued, sword-wielding, and tired of being silent – and pull her into their untold tale of sea battles, bold disguises and the price of living free.

The Pirate Ballad of Bonny & Read is an overtly theatrical, sea-shanty-fueled world premiere about rewriting the rules, claiming your voice, and choosing your own way forward.

Written by the creators of the 50/50 Shakespeare Project: Vanessa Morosco & Peter Simon Hilton. Based on an idea by Peter Simon Hilton and Aidan O’Reilly, with Spanish translation by Sara Linares.