Lilly and the Pirates
March 24 - May 3, 2026
Lilly and the Pirates
Book by John Maclay and Will Eno
Lyrics by John Maclay and Brett Ryback
Music by Brett Ryback
Based on the book by Phyllis Root
A fun and funny swashbuckling adventure and a love letter to books, access to books, and libraries.
Lilly is a ten-year-old worrywart. To keep her concerns at bay, she diligently and fervently lists them in a worry book. Her globe-trotting scientist-parents don’t worry about anything. When they learn of a rare sighting of the frangipani fruit fly, they set sail for the fabled Shipwreck Islands. Since water is her greatest fear, Lilly stays behind with her eccentric, librarian great-uncle. Then news comes that the scientists are shipwrecked, and Lilly must overcome her fear of the sea, find the hidden island, and outsmart a bunch of treasure-hungry pirates to save her parents.
Approx. Length: 60 Minutes
Find classroom resources and curriculum extensions at coterie.edublogs.org.
Throughout the run of the show, there are several special performances:
- Opening Night: March 27 at 7 pm
- American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreted Performance: April 11 at 1:30 pm
- Sensory Friendly Performances for neurodiverse audiences featuring technical adjustments, sensory supports, house lights on and flexible audience expectations: April 17 at 10 am and April 18 at 1:30 pm
- Audio Described Performances with verbal commentary to assist patrons who are visually impaired: April 23 at 10 am and April 25 at 1:30 pm
“… Michelle’s play … mixes the historical retelling with a present-day fictional element that helps us reflect on the relationship between past and present …”
“… We loved learning about Tom Bass through this production and his importance, not only to Kansas City, but to the horse world …”
– KCParent
Lilly and the Pirates Copyright © 2010 by Phillis Root
Published by Astra Young Readers, an imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers, a division of
Astra Publishing House, New York, USA. All Rights Reserved.
By special arrangement with Gurman Agency LLC.
Original production designs and illustrations by the Kansas City Art Institute Illustration Department’s student staffed agency, MICRO. Lilly and the Pirates design by Lynn Hopkins.
