On Oct. 2, Villanova’s radio show WXVU hosted an event featuring members of Dr. Heidi Rose’s COM 3247 Storytelling class. In honor of National Banned Book Week, celebrated in the last week of September, students had the opportunity to perform excerpts from their chosen currently banned or challenged book in the United States.
Many students may not be aware of the record-breaking surge in book challenges that occurred in 2022 across the country. A book that a student has read in the past may still contain elements that have been censored in certain regions. These stories impart unique values to children and young adults, exposing them to important real-world lessons. However, they often face censorship due to allegedly unethical themes. This is why educating listeners about the various challenged books is crucial to raising awareness. Performers challenged the challengers by combating the stigmas surrounding these controversial narratives.
Rose offered insight into the goals of her Storytelling class.
“I want my students to recognize the power and purposes of storytelling by discovering their distinctive voice as a storyteller,” she said.
Students successfully achieved this aim, particularly senior Katie Tuberosa, a communication major with a theater minor. Her performance of the well-known graphic novel Drama by Raina Telgemeier resonated deeply with her, reflecting her own passion for theater, much like the main character, Callie.
Tuberosa shared her enthusiasm.
“I couldn’t wait to read a book about a middle schooler involved in theater just like me,” she said.
Her profound connection to the story was evident throughout her performance, where she skillfully embodied the characters and their personal struggles.
The most shocking aspect of the performances was the number of well-known books that have been challenged or banned. The Hunger Games, The Perks of Being a Wallflower and The Lord of the Rings were among the titles performed. Tuberosa expressed her astonishment upon discovering that her chosen book is one of the most frequently banned books in the United States.
“When I saw that Drama kept being listed as a top banned book on different websites, I was confused,” she said.
The novel has faced challenges nationwide for its discussions of sexuality and LGBTQIA characters, particularly a scene where two male characters share a kiss.
Since students were presenting their ideas over a microphone rather than performing on a stage in front of an audience, they had to adapt their techniques. Tuberosa reflected on this adjustment and the methods she employed during her performance.
“When I discovered this was a radio performance, I realized I had to adapt from what I’ve always known about performance and focus on my voice,” she said. “When I brought the three characters to life, I had to play with pitch, tone, volume and pace.”
Kaleigh Brendle, another student in Rose’s storytelling class, performed an excerpt from Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. Her rendition highlighted the friendship between two 10-year-old girls, Annemarie (a Christian) and Ellen (a Jewish girl) during the Holocaust.
Annemarie’s family hid Ellen from the Nazis by forging her identity as Annemarie’s supposed sister. Brendle chose an empowering section depicting a Nazi officer entering Annemarie’s home and questioning her family and Ellen.
Brendle skillfully applied the performance techniques she learned in Rose’s class, enabling listeners to grasp the difficult themes of the story, which may have contributed to its challenges across the country.
Rose hopes that students will take away valuable insights from listening to the excerpts.
“I want listeners to reconnect with books they remember reading and loving while learning to speak out against the censorship of books,” she said.
As books continue to be banned or challenged, it is crucial to pay attention to their content and familiarize society with the numerous banned and challenged titles in the United States.
For readers interested in listening to the production, the recording is available not only on the WXVU website, but also on Apple Podcasts by searching for “WXVU Podcasts.” It can also be accessed through the Spotify link.
