Censorship in American Theater

Lysistrata by Aristophanes, a sex-comedy/anti war drama, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, a plot centered on the Salem witch trials banned because it contains “sick words from the mouths of demon possessed people”, and A Streetcar named Desire, banned for its features of rape and descent of a woman into insanity by Tennessee Williams are among some of the most banned plays of all time (http://classiclit.about.com/od/bannedliteratur1/tp/aatp_bannedplay.htm ). But that was in the past, back in the days when liberty and justice was certainly not for all. Society has progressed immensely, specifically in recent years, so how could these problems of artistically beautiful and stunningly insightful works of performance art being banned from the masses still be a problem relevant today?


Today’s theatrical productions are unfortunately still no stranger to censorship. Though society has evolved, new and more evocative plays have been written and produced, and rules changed for the better, instances of censorship are still not uncommon in today’s “evolved” world. Last February, Orange county high school in Newport Beach, CA banned production of the drama department’s selected spring musical RENT. While seemingly understandable at first (the original production is known to include some vulgar language, sex, and heavy drug use), this version of RENT is specifically called RENT: School Edition and much of the objectionable material not suitable for students under 18 has been removed. So what were the grounds for banning the production? There weren’t any; at least not any legitimate ones. Several stories about an anti-gay principle, a simple budget cut, and parent protests floated around for a while. However, when the rumors subsided the fact remained that the play was banned with no reason other than the principle's uncomfortable feelings about the possible effects of the material on students. Student and parent responses to the issue can be seen at the following link: http://www.queerty.com/orange-county-high-school-principal-bans-gay-characters-in-drama-department-20090213/


More recently, in April 2009, George Washington University, a world-renowned highly ranked university with a student body of over 23,000 got itself into a similar predicament. “The Company” theater group, which prides itself on progressive and experimental theater chose to produce the play “Quills” about the last few days in the life of Marquis de Sade, a French aristocrat and pornographic novelist. Aside from a plotline involving pornography, the play contains one scene in which the main character appears nude. The university gave the go-ahead on the play, on the condition that the nudity be cut. The fact that a University, not a high school, with an intolerant principle and few outspoken upper middle class parents, but A NATIONAL UNIVERSITY tried to censor artistic creativity is unthinkable, and frankly confusing as to how this could happen in today’s supposedly progressive and first amendment based society.


Nevertheless, although these setbacks are frustrating for the producer as well as the avid theatergoer who looks forward to cutting edge productions or even just accurate portrayal of the classics, many of today’s shows have escaped censorship and gone on to play to large audiences around the world. In fact, despite the controversy in Orange county high school the first ever RENT: School Edition played to packed houses at Harry S. Truman High School in Levittown, Pennsylvania and has been well received in high schools across the nation ever since.