The Index of Forbidden Books (2023)

THE INDEX OF FORBIDDEN BOOKS: A COLLECTION OF SHORT SOLO PERFORMANCES (AND OTHER DANGEROUS TRUTHS)

Produced by Coin & Ghost
Co-Presented by Highways Performance Space
Directed by Carly DW Bones

April 28th-30th
Highways Performance Space // 1651 18th St, Santa Monica, CA 90404

There are some stories they don’t want you to tell.
People they’re hoping you’ll forget about.
Ideas that, if expressed, could disrupt the power of (insert dominant culture here).

For as long as there have been books, there have been men in power trying to dictate which books are safe to share. From the Library at Alexandria to 15th century Rome to modern-day Florida, censorship of the written word has always been a primary tool in attempts to control the masses. And in our own experience, we’ve often found that the books these would-be autocrats are afraid of are EXACTLY the ones we should be reading.

Welcome to “The Index of Forbidden Books,” a solo-performance festival powered by Coin & Ghost.

Named after the Vatican’s original banned book list (1557-1966), “The Index” began with a simple prompt: what topics feel too dangerous to talk about, even in today’s society? What parts of you have you been socialized to hide? What is off-limits?

We’re working with eight remarkable artists from across disciplines — theatre, dance, visual art, spoken word, stand-up, and more — to create original 5-10 minute solo-performances around our festival theme. The result will be a one-of-a-kind theatrical experience, performed April 28th-30th at Highways Performance Space.

Knowledge is power. Read banned books.