New York, NY

Dirty Books

An immersive look at censorship in America through the lens of 1960's pulp fiction.

Dirty Books Immersive Event - Main Image
Dirty Books Immersive Event - Image 2

DIRTY BOOKS is an immersive performance that plunges audiences into the heated battles over anti-obscenity laws and censorship in America. Inspired by the true stories of erotic fiction writers of the 1960’s and using actual Supreme Court transcripts, DIRTY BOOKS reveals the ingenuity and resilience of artists who thrived in the shadows of America's anti-obscenity laws working in the soft-core adult publishing industry. Inside an intimate world of secret bookstores, banned novels, and underground desire, the audience collaborates with the company to compose an erotic story. Each night, the story is created live in the room and published online after each show. Bated Breath Theatre Company (Voyeur, Chasing Andy Warhol, Beneath the Gavel) premieres this immersive look at censorship and book banning written and directed by Mara Lieberman (one of Time Out's "50 Amazing People Changing the World").

Audience Role

Audiences collaborate to write an erotic short story.

Ages: 18 +

The play presents erotic words and suggested sexual situations.

Content Advisories

A few expletives
Discussions of sex/intimacy
LGBT+ themes
Sexism/misogyny
Sexual content
Strong language

Interaction Advisories

Moderate (familial) contact

Mobility Advisories

Event is wheelchair accessible
Extended standing
Wheelchair accessible

About Spin Cycle

Theatrical PR, production and marketing.