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A14 PEOPLE / ARTS
Tuesday 20 sepTember 2022

Book ban efforts surging in 2022, library association says

By HILLEL ITALIE Conservative attacks
AP National Writer against schools and librar-
NEW YORK (AP) — The ies have proliferated na-
wave of attempted book tionwide over the past
banning and restrictions two years, and librarians
continues to intensify, the themselves have been ha-
American Library Associa- rassed and even driven
tion reported Friday. Num- out of their jobs. A middle
bers for 2022 already ap- school librarian in Denham
proach last year’s totals, Springs, Louisiana, has filed
which were the highest in a legal complaint against
decades. “I’ve never seen a Facebook page which
anything like this,” says labeled her a “criminal and
Deborah Caldwell-Stone, a pedophile.” Voters in a
director of the ALA’s Office western Michigan commu-
for Intellectual Freedom. nity, Jamestown Township,
“It’s both the number of backed drastic cuts in the
challenges and the kinds of local library over objections
challenges. It used to be a to “Gender Queer” and
parent had learned about other LGBTQ books.
a given book and had an Audrey Wilson-Young-
issue with it. Now we see blood, who in June quit her
campaigns where organi- job as a library media spe-
zations are compiling lists of Amanda Darrow, director of youth, family and education programs at the Utah Pride Center, cialist in the Keller Indepen-
poses with books that have been the subject of complaints from parents in Salt Lake City on
books, without necessarily Dec. 16, 2021. dent School District in Texas,
reading or even looking at Associated Press laments what she calls the
them.” The ALA has docu- sociation believes. Friday’s in April, the most targeted Jones says, adding that “erosion of the credibility
mented 681 challenges to announcement is timed to books have included Maia books about racism such and competency” in how
books through the first eight Banned Books Week, which Kobabe’s graphic mem- as Angie Thomas’ novel her profession is viewed.
months of this year, involv- begins Sunday and will oir about sexual identity, “The Hate U Give” also At the Boundary County Li-
ing 1,651 different titles. In be promoted around the “Gender Queer,” and Jon- are frequently challenged. brary in Bonners Ferry, Ida-
all of 2021, the ALA listed country through table dis- athan Evison’s “Lawn Boy,” Banned Books Weeks is ho, library director Kimber
729 challenges, directed plays, posters, bookmarks a coming-of-age novel nar- overseen by a coalition of Glidden resigned recently
at 1,579 books. Because and stickers and through rated by a young gay man. writing and free speech or- after months of harassment
the ALA relies on media readings, essay contests “We’re seeing that trend ganizations, including the that included the shouting
accounts and reports from and other events highlight- continue in 2022, the criti- National Coalition Against of Biblical passages refer-
libraries, the actual num- ing contested works. Ac- cism of books with LGBTQ Censorship, the Authors ring to divine punishment q
ber of challenges is likely cording to a report issued subject matter,” Caldwell- Guild and PEN America.
far higher, the library as-

‘The Phantom of the Opera’ to close on Broadway next year

By MARK KENNEDY large cast and orchestra. Andrew’s ‘Cats’ proudly performances in 1997. have rebounded well, but
AP Entertainment Writer Box office grosses have declared for decades Broadway took a pound- other shows have strug-
NEW YORK (AP) — “The fluctuated since the show ‘Now and Forever.’ Yet ing during the pandemic, gled. Breaking even usually
Phantom of the Opera” reopened after the pan- ‘Phantom’ has surpassed with all theaters closed requires a steady stream
— Broadway’s longest-run- demic — going as high as that show’s extraordinary for more than 18 months. of tourists, especially for
ning show — is scheduled over $1 million a week but Broadway run. But all shows Some of the most popular “Phantom” and visitors to
to close in February 2023, also dropping to around do finally close,” producer shows “Hamilton,” “The the city haven’t returned to

the biggest victim yet of $850,000. Last week, it hit Cameron Mackintosh said Lion King” and “Wicked” pre-pandemic levels.q
the post-pandemic soften- $867,997 and producers in a statement.
ing in theater attendance may have seen the writing The first production opened
in New York. on the wall. in London in 1986 and since
The musical a fixture on Based on a novel by Gas- then the show has been
Broadway since 1988, ton Leroux, “Phantom” tells seen by more than 145 mil-
weathering recessions, the story of a deformed lion people in 183 cities and
war and cultural shifts will composer who haunts the performed in 17 languages
play its final performance Paris Opera House and over 70,000 performances.
on Broadway on Feb. 18, a falls madly in love with an On Broadway alone, the
spokesperson told The As- innocent young soprano, musical has played more
sociated Press on Friday. Christine. Andrew Lloyd than 13,500 performances
The closing will come less Webber’s lavish songs in- to 19 million people at The
than a month after its 35th clude “Masquerade,” “An- Majestic Theatre.
anniversary. It will con- gel of Music,” “All I Ask of The closing of “Phantom”
clude with an eye-popping You” and “The Music of the would mean the longest
13,925 performances. Night.” running show crown would
It is a costly musical to sus- “As a producer you dream go to “Chicago,” which A poster advertising “The Phantom of the Opera,” is displayed
tain, with elaborate sets that a show will run forever. started in 1996. “The Lion on the shuttered Majestic Theatre in New York, March 12, 2020.
and costumes as well as a Indeed, my production of King” is next, having begun Associated Press