Babes With Blades Theatre Company to Premiere SMJ’s "YO HO." in Chicago

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Playwright SMJ's pirate tale, directed by JD Caudill, runs at The Edge Theater Off Broadway on W. Catalpa Ave.

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Babes With Blades Theatre Company's (BWBTC) 2026 season opens with a world premiere, yo ho., by playwright SMJ, directed by JD Caudill and fight choreography by Carly “CB” Cason, July 19 - August 29 at The Edge Theater Off Broadway, 1133 W. Catalpa Ave.

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yo ho. charts the journey of Anne Bonny and Mary Read , two pirates aboard a campy, sexually charged ship facing immediate threat from the crown. Equal parts historical fantasy and introspective sexual and gender exploration, this play is a deeply emotional reimaging and reminder of queer history.

“This hilarious and saucy comedy is perfect for the summer," states Artistic Director Hayley Rice . “In many ways yo ho. is exactly the kind of show you would expect from BWBTC: swashbuckling swordfights between moments of illuminating the lost stories of marginalized identities. This script is also fresh, exciting and perhaps a little steamier than Babes' offerings of the past.”

The ensemble cast of ten, in alphabetical order, features Stef Brundage (Calico Jack); Sierra Buffum ( Mary Read ); William Delforge (Chad/James); Schnaude Dorizan (Vanessa U/S); Stephanie Fongheiser (Anne Bonny U/S); Cris King (Calico Jack U/S); Rachel Sleek Bañuelos (Anne Bonny); Makenna Van Raalte ( Mary Read U/S); Jacob Watson (he/they, Chad/James U/S) and Brittani Yawn (Vanessa).

The production team includes BWBTC ensemble members Line Bower (technical director); Jennifer Mohr ( Costume Designer ); Payton Shearn (production assistant) and Laura J. Wiley (lighting designer) as well as Carly “CB” Cason (fight choreographer); JD Caudill (director); Kat Coyl (assistant director); Amy C. Gilman (scenic designer); Rose Hamill (production manager); Alex Kingsley (sound designer); Meme Matteson (assistant fight choreographer); Grace Mealey (stage manager); Alyssa Vera Ramos (intimacy designer) and SMJ (playwright).

The running time is approximately two hours (including intermission). Preview performances are Sunday, July 19 at 3 p.m., Thursday, July 23 and Friday, July 24 at 8 p.m. with the press opening Saturday, July 25 at 8 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays – Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. The open caption performances are Saturday, Aug. 15 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Aug.16 at 3 p.m. and Thursday, Aug. 20 and Friday, Aug. 21 at 8 p.m.. The sensory friendly performances are Sunday, Aug. 2 and Sunday, Aug. 9 at 3 p.m. and with the fully masked audience performances, Sunday, Aug. 9 and Aug. 16 at 3 p.m. Streaming dates for yo ho. will be announced at a future date. Tickets are $28 for students and seniors, $35 for general admission and are on sale now at BabesWithBlades.org.

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/chicago/article/YO-HO-to-Make-World-Premiere-at-Babes-With-Blades-Theatre-Company-in-Chicago-20260527)._