By Kate Brown—
Acme Theatre Company, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth-led theatre group run for and by young people, hosted Enemies of All Nations Night on Friday, July 31, 2026, at the Wyatt Pavilion in Davis. Members and prospects of the San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® (DOB) were honored to attend in support of the young performers and their work.
The evening brought together a preshow drag performance by the Davis Drag Club, Acme Theatre Company’s production of The Pirate’s Wife, and a post-show community panel.
An alum of Acme Theatre Company reached out and invited Dykes on Bikes to attend because organizers wanted the young performers to know that the larger queer community was behind them. We were proud to show up in solidarity and help create a welcoming environment where the students could focus on their performance and enjoy their night.
The welcome was immediate. As Prospect Scotia later recalled, the cast came outside to watch as our motorcycles rumbled in, excited and visibly happy that we had shown up. It was a simple but memorable moment that captured the spirit of the invitation; the young performers knew their community was there for them.
For Board member Clara, both the invitation and the opportunity to participate felt especially personal.
“As a former theater kid myself, being invited to show up and support queer and trans youth in a production like this means so much to me,” she said. “As Dykes on Bikes, we know the importance of showing up authentically and taking up space, and hopefully that’s what we’ve inspired those youth to do.”
Enemies of All Nations Night began with thw preshow performance by members of the Davis Drag Club, setting the tone for an evening rooted in joy, self-expression, and defining yourself on your own terms.
The focus of the evening was The Pirate’s Wife, a reimagining of the story of Anne Bonny and Mary Read, two pirates who dressed as men and challenged the gender expectations of the early 1700s. The young cast brought humor, energy, and heart to a story about people finding ways to survive, resist the roles imposed upon them, and fight another day.
Although the story takes place more than three centuries ago, its questions remain familiar. Who gets to define who we are? What happens when we reject the limitations placed upon us? How do we find the courage to live authentically when the world tells us to be someone else?
The evening concluded with a powerful post-show panel featuring two cast members, two members of the Davis Drag Club, and Dykes on Bikes Board member Michelle and Prospect Scotia.
The conversation explored what it means for queer adults to be invited into a story told by teenagers, how drag and theatre challenge expectations, and what has changed, or not changed, in the way LGBTQ+ people show up in public. With trans rights and drag increasingly under attack, the panel returned to the importance of being visible, taking up space, and supporting young people as they discover who they are. The most personal reflections centered on what panelists wished they had heard at that age: You do not have to make yourself smaller. You are not alone. There is a community ready to welcome you.
Prospect Scotia captured the joy of the night: “Seeing a troupe of enthusiastic teenage thespians breathe spirit into a play about a lesbian pirate romance, a transgender cartographer whose egg finally cracks in a splendid red gown, and drunken gay and queer sailors cavorting around the stage and bantering in Victorian English will stick a smile on your face long after the night has vanished. Speaking with this troupe of actors afterward during the panel discussion was a sheer delight. It is heartening to realize there are so many good things happening in the world.”
That message was at the heart of the entire evening.
For fifty years, Dykes on Bikes has understood the power of visible presence. We have shown up on our motorcycles for gay proms, led motorcades for VIPs, and carried pink torches in celebration and protest. Showing up in support of a youth theatre production was a new experience for us, but the purpose was familiar. Our motorcycles may announce our arrival, but our presence can also offer reassurance, create belonging, and remind young people that they have a community standing beside them.
The young people of Acme Theatre Company demonstrated the same boldness that has driven generations of queer artists and activists. They were not simply performing a historical story about gender outlaws. They were using theatre to ask questions, challenge expectations, and imagine a world where people have greater freedom to define themselves.
We were honored to be invited and grateful to Acme Theatre Company, the Davis Drag Club, the cast, organizers, families, and community members who welcomed us. It was moving to watch the young artists take the stage, tell their story, and receive the celebration they deserved.
Acme Theatre Company gives young people the opportunity to lead, create, and tell stories that matter to them. Please consider supporting this nonprofit by attending a future production, volunteering, making a donation, or sharing its work with others. Supporting youth-led theatre helps ensure that young people have the space, encouragement, and freedom to keep creating.
And, if your community needs Dykes on Bikes to show up, reach out to us. Creating affirming spaces, making room, and helping people feel supported is exactly what we do. We just happen to do it on motorcycles.
We’ll be bringing that same spirit of visibility and community to the Oakland Pride Parade on Sunday, August 16, 2026. Listen for the roar of Dykes on Bikes as the Parade kicks off at 10:30 am.
The following weekend, on Saturday, August 22, we’ll be back on the road for our next group ride, led by patch-holder Ann (aka Scooby). The ride will follow part of the Clear Lake shoreline before climbing Cobb Mountain for an early lunch at Cobb Mountain Pizza. From there, we will take the twists and tight turns of Highway 175 into Middletown, ending with a refreshing drink on the back patio at Nobles Saloon. With beautiful lake views, mountain roads, lunch, and good company, we expect it to be a fantastic day to be out on our bikes.
Kate Brown, Ph.D., is the President of San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® Women’s Motorcycle Contingent. https://www.dykesonbikes.org/
Dykes on Bikes® Takes from Two Wheels
Published on August 13, 2026
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