By Michael McClure  ·  Starring Tony Torn  ·  Directed by Dan Safer
Presenter Inquiries Full Video — Audience View Full Video — Archive View
About the show

"Spider Rabbit" is a play by poet and Obie award winning playwright Michael McClure. Written in 1971, it is an "absurdist anti war gargoyle cartoon" that feels increasingly relevant 50+ years later. It is a radical, expressionistic, surreal journey that feels like an episode of Pee Wee's Playhouse turning into a poignant tragedy turning into a howl against brutality. This new production, by Dan Safer and Tony Torn, features sound design and music by Christian Frederickson (Rachel's), original music by Jared Michael Nickerson & V. Jeffrey Smith (Burnt Sugar the Arkestra), and expressionistic lighting by Jay Ryan.

About the Creators

Called “loud, inspired and more than a little deranged” by The New York Times, Dan Safer and Tony Torn co-created the wildly acclaimed "Ubu Sings Ubu". Between the two of them, they have worked with Reza Abdoh, Richard Foreman, Mabou Mines, Pigface, Genesis P-Orridge, Anohni's Blacklips Performance Kult, made choreography for the Queen of Thailand's birthday party and the Salzburg Festival, gogo danced at Squeezebox and Jackie 60, performed on Broadway, at BAM, and Théâtre National de Chaillot in Paris, among all sorts of other people, places, and things. Tony was in the remake of "Stepford Wives" and Dan has over 50 tattoos.

Spider Rabbit production photo
Spider Rabbit production photo
Spider Rabbit production photo
Spider Rabbit production photo
Spider Rabbit production photo
Spider Rabbit production photo
Spider Rabbit production photo
Spider Rabbit production photo
Spider Rabbit production photo
Spider Rabbit production photo
Spider Rabbit production photo
Spider Rabbit production photo
Spider Rabbit production photo
Spider Rabbit production photo
"[Tony Torn is] sublime... a pitch perfect production... [Dan Safer is] a deft choreographer of chaos."
Jennifer Krasinski  ·  vvvide.com
"Tony Torn & Dan Safer's refreshingly brilliant avant-garde hit Spider Rabbit."
Sara Farrington  ·  Theater Is Hard
"Torn is a pervasive performer not only in his storied, varied work, but because of his seemingly inherent ability to jump from and between emotional states without ever losing sight of his character. Torn does not turn anything on or off for the sake of the performance. He simply traverses, using the text as his guide."
Tess Walsh  ·  Culturebot
"...Captivating... [a] dance between happiness and distortion... you don't often get to see this type of theater, and we all need theater to challenge us to be better people."
David Walters  ·  Front Row Center
"Dan Safer is a master of craft."
Brendan McCall  ·  Culturebot
"Tony Torn kills it. But when does he not kill it?"
Tawk of New Yawk
Creative team
Michael McClure
Writer
Tony Torn
Performer / Video / Costume / Producer
Dan Safer
Director / Set / Costume / Props / Producer
Christian Frederickson
Sound Design / Original Music
Jared Michael Nickerson
Original Music
V. Jeffrey Smith
Original Music
Jay Ryan
Lights / Set / Special FX
Lee Ann Brown
A Vision
Gerald Torn
Props
Joseph Lark-Riley
Props / Special FX
Maggie Moore
Props / Production Manager MIT
Aeon Andreas
Vision Make Up Design
Lars Eidinger
Narration Voice Over
Tom Fitzpatrick
Beast Sounds
Anne Nonnemacher
Soprano
Production specs
Running time
55 minutes
Cast
1 performer
Premiere
La MaMa ETC, New York, 2026
Space
Flexible
Technical rider
Available on request
Full video
Audience View ↗ Two Camera ↗ Password available on request
Presenter inquiries
safer@witnessrelocation.org
New York, NY