Dan Seavey: Confessions Of A Great Lakes Pirate

Great Lakes pirate tales come alive—music, myth & storytelling in an immersive one-man show by tall ship captain Tom Kastle.
About this Event

Sail straight into one of the wildest true stories ever to come out of the Great Lakes. Dan Seavey: Confessions of a Great Lakes Pirate is a gripping, funny, and deeply human one-man theatrical experience performed by Tom Kastle—a Chicago-born singer-songwriter, tall ship captain, and master maritime storyteller who has spent decades traveling the world collecting songs and stories, including more than 30 years sailing the Great Lakes.

This isn’t just a play—it’s a full-on voyage. Over the course of an immersive, hour-plus performance, audiences meet Dan Seavey, the most notorious pirate in Great Lakes history, and encounter the larger-than-life figures who shaped his story. You’ll chase gold in the Yukon, be pursued by a revenue cutter, “drink with the dead,” and hear tales of sailors, bootleggers, and rough-edged characters from both sea and shore. Along the way, Kastle brings the room into the experience, even teaching traditional maritime songs, occasionally accompanied by his concertina. Seavey emerges as a dashing but flawed antihero—a man who’s done terrible things, yet somehow leaves you rooting for him by the end.

Kastle doesn’t just tell this story—he’s lived a life that makes it ring true. A tall ship captain, international touring musician, and actor across stage, film, and voiceover, his connection to Great Lakes history runs as deep as Superior itself. His work has also been featured on Wisconsin Public Radio, further cementing his reputation as a compelling and authentic voice in maritime storytelling. This show is perfectly suited for the White Lilac experience: minimal in staging but rich in imagination, built on presence, attention, and connection between artist and audience. It’s not something happening in front of you—it’s something you’re part of.

“What do you say about a guy who can command a tall ship and all her crew, whose songs can make an Irishman cry tears of pure Tullamore Dew?” — Bryan Bowers

If you’re drawn to true stories with grit and myth, intimate theater, maritime lore, or simply a night out that feels completely different from anything else, this is your ticket.