PIRATES! To Make Its World Premiere At Theatre Rhinoceros In December
John Fisher’s new drama will begin previews December 4 in San Francisco’s Castro district.
Theatre Rhinoceros will present Pirates!, a new drama written and directed by John Fisher, running December 4–13, 2025. The production will begin performances with previews on December 4 and 5, followed by opening night on December 6. Fisher’s play will explore the story of husbands Danny and Dennis, who will find their relationship tested after being abducted while sailing near East Africa.
The drama places its protagonists in a hostage crisis where hiding their queerness becomes a matter of survival, as their captors’ leverage threatens to turn one man against the other. Fisher noted that the piece introduces gay characters into a setting seldom portrayed through a queer lens, building a story shaped by power, fear, and emotional endurance. Theatre Rhinoceros, founded in 1977 and recognized as the nation’s longest-running LGBTQ+ theatre, continues its mission to develop new works centered on diverse experiences within the queer community.
The cast will feature Fisher alongside Rudy Guerrero, John-Thomas Hanson, Daria Hepps, and Ma’Sherrod Swinson. Pirates! is supported in part by contributions from honorary producers John-Thomas Hanson, Anna Mimran, Amy and Derek Morgenstern, and Henry Rosenthal.
TICKETING INFORMATION
Performances will run December 4–13, 2025 at Theatre Rhinoceros, 4229 18th Street in San Francisco, with general seating beginning 20 minutes before curtain. Tickets are $25, with $12.50 pricing available for students, seniors, and veterans. Tickets will be available through Theatre Rhinoceros’ website.
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