Immerse Yourself in this timely new theatrical examination of censorship and book banning

November 7 - December 21 at Bated Breath Theater
Bated Breath Theatre Company (Voyeur, Chasing Andy Warhol, Beneath the Gavel) will present the World Premiere of DIRTY BOOKS, an immersive look at censorship and book banning. Written and directed by Mara Lieberman (one of Time Out's "50 Amazing People Changing the World"), previews begin November 7 as the inaugural production at the new Bated Breath Theater near Union Square in Manhattan. Opening is set for November 14.
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.
DIRTY BOOKS stars Marisa Moureau, Alexis Pratt, Melina Rabin, Sammy Rivas and Grayson Willenbacher with understudies Emily Cummings, Caroline DeFazio, Billie Eric Robinson and Camilo Zuqui. The production team includes Jacob P.S Lemmenes (technical director), Yung-Hung Sung (lighting), Junran "Charlotte" Shi (set), Lauren DeLeon (intimacy coordinator), Delaney Jordan (stage manager) and Victoria Blas (assistant stage manager).
DIRTY BOOKS runs November 7 - December 21, Thursday - Saturday at 7pm and Sunday at 3pm with an additional performance Monday, Nov. 10 at 7pm. Bated Breath Theater is located at 39 W 14th Street #301, New York, NY 10011. Tickets are $66.25, available at www.dirtybooksplay.com.
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Mara Lieberman has been the Executive Artistic Director of Bated Breath Theatre Company since 2012, serving as director and lead writer for all of the company’s productions. Her credits include the award-winning, pandemic-era hit Voyeur: The Windows of Toulouse-Lautrec, Chasing Andy Warhol, Unmaking Toulouse-Lautrec, Beneath the Gavel, the award-winning Freedom: In 3 Acts, The Pride of Christopher Street (co-written with Jamie Roach), and Wild Things. For Voyeur, she was honored with “Best Director” by Broadway World’s 2021 Off-Broadway Awards, and Time Out named her a “Future Maker” in 50 Amazing People Changing the World. www.maralieberman.com.
Bated Breath Theatre Company creates immersive, participatory theatre that wakes up the body, resurrects sleeping histories, and electrifies non-traditional theatre spaces. At the height of the pandemic, Bated Breath premiered Voyeur: The Windows of Toulouse-Lautrec, inspired by their site-specific hit, Unmaking Toulouse-Lautrec. It went on to become the longest-running pandemic-friendly theatrical experience in NYC. Voyeur was awarded the 2021 BroadwayWorld, Off-Broadway Awards for Best Play, Best New Production, and named Mara Lieberman, Best Director. Its success spawned the long-running hit Chasing Andy Warhol. The Company premiered its interactive art auction play Beneath the Gavel Off-Broadway at 59E59 Theatres in 2017 and has performed the play on a recurring basis at Feinstein's/54 Below. They've performed their award-winning Freedom: In 3 Acts as part of the New Haven Festival of Arts and Ideas and at the New England Museum Association Annual Conference. Bated Breath's short play, The Pride of Christopher Street, was part of the UP CLOSE Festival at the New Ohio Theatre.