←Recommendations of yo ho.

I was lucky enough to do sound design for this show's Chicago premiere, and it's such a fantastic script. It's so rare that I hear someone else articulate their experience of transness and I go, "wait, you feel that way too?" but that happens again and again for me with these characters. An ultimately uplifting reminder that we have always been here and always will be. Plus lots of opportunities to get silly with it.

If you've been waiting for a camp, swashbuckling, and queer AF epic to Jolly your Roger, prepare to be boarded. SMJ's play is about to blow you away. yo ho. is hot. It is fun. It has opportunities for your fight choreographer to have the time of their life. Amidst all these, it is deeply human, rooted in nuanced exploration of gender, dysphoria, and questioning, while also being a “criminal” on the high seas. I’ll never play Marco Polo again without thinking of this. Somebody do this show.

The community of National Committee readers for the 47th Bay Area Playwrights Festival advanced yo ho. as a Semi-Finalist at Playwrights Foundation. We found this script to be an electric, funny romp, built around a core of highly compelling characters. We hope this play is considered for further development and investigation, and finds dedicated collaborators in this play’s journey towards production.

Absolute chaos. As queer and blunt as a brick thrown at a cop. I cannot stop thinking about the audience experience, bearing witness to this play: the intimate moments that are shown, the vulnerability asked of the actors, the huge swings the staging would require. An unforgettable read.

I adore this play! So much humor, so fun. I've been looking for a play that addresses the trans experience in a way that isn't trauma-informed and this historical rollercoaster was exactly what I was looking for. Highly recommend.

An uber-theatrical delight that is epic in scope in both form and content; that explores, explodes, and refracts history; and that resonates outside of its historical context in the way is explores gender identity, gender performance, and sexuality. It also begins hilarious and has a surprisingly and seriously touching coda of a final scene. A feast, no doubt, for actors, designers, and directors alike.

This play takes you on a thrilling, sexy, swashbuckling wild ride! (on a ship of course) Through a reimagined "what could have happened" between Anne Bonny and Mary Read, SMJ deliciously and poignantly explores how deep and fulfilling relationships can be when we are able to truly celebrate our authentic selves and allow ourselves to be loved for it.

If you're looking to fuel your pirate-themed gender euphoria, look no further than this love story. SMJ expertly combines humor with unflinching honesty — and infuses surrealism into this history — leaving you with the feeling you've gained something you didn't know you were missing.

So entertaining, funny, and heartfelt. I love the anachronisms.

Having tackled this pair myself, it was refreshing to read the likes of Anne and Mary come to life in the words of another playwright. I've quickly become a fan of SMJ .'s work - their wit and charm is on full display as this script is packed to the brim with it. If you ever wondered if historically based theatre can be fun, look no further, yo ho (a pirate play about anne bonny & mary read) will give you a definitive answer to that. This is one that will stay with me.