The cast & creative behind 'Dirty Books'share their favorite banned lit, from Sohn to Salinger

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By Matthew Wexler

Head to the third floor of an average office building on 14th Street, and instead of a start-up or co-working space, you’ll discover a recent addition to New York City’s immersive theater scene. Dirty Books, the latest venture from Bated Breath Theatre Company, welcomes audiences into the world of 1960s soft-core adult publishing.

While it doesn’t have as many theatrical bells and whistles as Masquerade, the multi-floor Phantom of the Opera experience further uptown, Dirty Books does offer a fair share of audience participation. Attendees can expect to draft an alluring turn of phrase on a vintage typewriter, write a note to one of their favorite banned authors, and contribute in real time to the devised work with improvised contributions. And don’t be surprised if you have to answer the phone.

Bated Breath Theatre Company’s “Dirty Books” runs through January 18, 2026.

The production recently extended through January 18, 2026, and now also offers a VIP experience that includes priority seating, a complimentary drink, and a custom piece of merch (which you know we love!).

Bated Breath’s devised theater piece roots its narrative in the groundwork laid by the 1873 Comstock Act, and the uphill cultural battle we’ve faced ever since to preserve diverse voices on the page, stage, and beyond.

1 Minute Critic recently caught up with writer-director Mara Lieberman and some of the Dirty Books cast members to inquire about their banned book recommendations. PEN America maintains a list of banned books to help preserve the First Amendment and freedom of the press. The organization has documented nearly 23,000 book bans in public schools since 2021, which often target racial, sexual, and gender identity.

For tickets, visit dirtybooksplay.com

‘The Man Who Hated Women’ by Amy Sohn

The Man Who Hated Women by Amy Sohn was the book that most deeply impacted me while writing Dirty Books. It’s a gripping, page-turning history of Anthony Comstock and his campaign to “save” America from prurience—a project that ultimately policed women’s bodies, desires, and voices.

Tracing the women he relentlessly targeted and the fight to claim sex as pleasure and self-definition, the book makes clear that Comstock’s moral stamp never faded; it stuck like a fungus, and its spores still shape contemporary attempts to control women’s lives and bodies. Though nonfiction, it crackles with energy, animated by Amy Sohn’s vivid voice, striking historical images, and archival artifacts that make the past feel uncomfortably present. — Mara Lieberman

‘The God of Vengeance’ by Sholem Asch

My censored book is The God of Vengeance by Sholem Asch, a Yiddish play from the early 1900s that included queer themes and a romance between two women. When it was translated and transferred to Broadway, it featured the first lesbian kiss on a Broadway stage. For this, the cast was censored and charged with indecency.

God of Vengeance also inspired a fantastic play, Indecent, by Paula Vogel, which offers an interesting look at the history of the play and Jewish-American theatre at large. — Melina Rabin

‘Brave New World’ by Aldous Huxley

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley was my first “dirty book” that I read in a creative writing class. The opening sequence is etched in my brain forever, as well as the phrase “orgy-porgy.” Not necessarily a book to read around the fire with family during this holiday season, but definitely one I would recommend. — Sophia Carlin

‘The Catcher in the Rye’ by J.D. Salinger

My very basic choice for a favorite censored book would be J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye. I first read it when I was around Holden’s age, and there was always something unspoken about it that resonated with me and that time period in my life.

Seeing Holden try to understand the world around him—and his frustration that maybe the world doesn’t quite understand him, either—should be reassuring to anyone who feels a bit adrift at one point or another. The themes Salinger tackles will always be relevant beyond the book itself, and it’s why it remains such a classic and a personal favorite that’s due for a re-read! — Grayson Willenbacher

‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ by Stephen Chbosky

"Perks of Being a Wallflower" book cover

A recent favorite has been The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky! After seeing it posted on our banned books list in the space, and having seen the movie years prior, I decided to dive into the inner world of our endearing protagonist, Charlie.

This book is a deeply necessary look at the complexities of adolescent life. It is a coming-of-age story that highlights the complicated situations and relationships we may find ourselves in, while shining a light on the plethora of ways we are impacted by the pivotal moments and friends that we experience along the way. Like Charlie, we all want to feel truly seen.

I believe this book could be that beacon of light for many. (I would advise checking the trigger warnings before reading.) — Alexis Pratt