Top Performers Consider Boycotting ‘Les Misérables’ Kennedy Center Show During Trump’s Attendance

When Donald Trump eventually makes his way to the John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center next month for his inaugural visit to this cherished cultural landmark in Washington, D.C., he will have the opportunity to watch a production of the musical.
Les Misérables
that will be missing a number of key players. According to
CNN
At least 10-12 of the show’s performers are anticipated to miss the June 11 performance, which coincides with a high-priced fundraising event at the Center that Trump is said to be attending.

CNN stated that the cast had the choice to skip being onstage when Trump visited, with several unidentified “key cast members as well as ensemble players” deciding to have a break during the Trump administration’s efforts to reshape the place according to their vision. Part of this broader initiative across various sectors aimed at remaking Washington in his own image, Trump initiated these changes.
installed himself
As the chairman of the Kennedy Center, he took charge alongside a revitalized board consisting solely of individuals he personally selected for this role within an organization that historically featured a board with a balanced representation from both major political parties.

The
Les Miz
The performance will align with the fundraising event, which includes sponsorship tiers priced up to $2 million, according to reports.
ABC News
, where the invite stated that Trump would be appearing as “a special guest and friend of the Kennedy Center”; when this information went to print, it remained unclear what specific cause the fundraising event was supporting since Trump is ineligible for another Presidential run due to constitutional restrictions. During his 2016 presidential campaign tour, Trump performed numbers from a musical depicting the struggles of the poor amidst the upheaval of the French Revolution.
upsetting the co-creators
of the stage musical, who requested that he stop blasting “Do You Hear the People Sing?” at his rallies.

In a statement to
EW
Trump ally and the Center’s newly appointed director, Richard Grenell, commented on the alleged boycott stating, “We haven’t received wind of such rumors. However, the Kennedy Center will cease funding acts of intolerance moving forward. Performers lacking professionalism when addressing audiences from various backgrounds irrespective of their political leanings won’t find themselves welcome here. Actually, we believe it would serve as an essential measure to identify these superficially intolerant artists so both production companies can avoid hiring them—while simultaneously informing the public about which performances come with certain political prerequisites.”

The actors’ strike is the most recent development in the escalating cultural conflict between the Trump administration and certain performers originally scheduled to appear at the Kennedy Center. Following the change in administration, several artists canceled their performances. Those who withdrew commitments or stepped down from key positions at the Kennedy Center in opposition included: Ben Folds, Renee Fleming, Shonda Rhimes, Low Cut Connie, Rhiannon Giddens, Issa Rae, along with a planned performance of the
Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning
Hamilton
, the acclaimed show that Trump later critiqued, stating “I was never fond of
Hamilton
very much.”

In February, Trump expressed his anger over the programming at the Center through a post on Truth Social where he stated, “No more drag shows or similar anti-American propaganda – only the finest.” In another message, Trump mentioned that he aimed to ensure the Kennedy Center operates correctly. He added, “We don’t need wokeness at the Kennedy Center. Some of those performances were dreadful; it was shameful that they were staged at all.”