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As public tastes change, so does the nature of popular drama. In the fifth century BCE, Aristophanes' "Lysistrata" attracted censors for its themes of wifely rebellion and sex. From the 15th to the 18th centuries, plays were censored primarily for religious or political reasons. In the 19th century, social and sexual reasons for censorship emerged, and modern moralists have objected to works by such playwrights as Arthur Miller, Eugene O'Neill, and Lillian Hellman. Most recently, plays dealing with topics such as homosexuality and AIDS have garnered unwanted attention from censors. This work outlines the censorship history of 125 classic plays from ancient times to the present. Each entry presents the name(s) under which the play has appeared, the date it was produced and country of original production, a summary of the play, its censorship history, and suggestions for further reading. Among the works covered are: "Angels in America - Millennium Approaches", Tony Kushner, 1991; "Le Barbier de Seville", Pierre Beaumarchis, 1775; "The Children's Hour", Lillian Hellman, 1934; "The Crucible", Arthur Miller, 1953; "Henry IV, Part 2", William Shakespeare, 1598; "Jesus Christ Superstar" Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, 1971; "Oedipus Rex", Sophocles, 425 BCE; "Oh! Calcutta", Kenneth Tynan, 1969; "Salome", Oscar Wilde, 1896; and "Le Tartruffe", Moliere, 1669.
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