Stars pull out of shows and positions at Kennedy Center after Trump takeover
Donald Trump’s takeover of the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington has generated outcry from performers and members, with several stars pulling out of engagements or associations.
Trump purged the board of the arts foundation last week, clearing the group of appointees by Joe Biden. Stacked with Trump loyalists, the new board terminated the center’s president, Deborah Rutter, and installed Trump as chair. The board then named Richard Grenell, who served as ambassador to Germany during the first Trump administration, as interim president.
In response, several stars have disassociated from the center. Issa Rae, creator and star of Insecure, announced on her Instagram story on Thursday that she was cancelling her upcoming one-night-only show at the Kennedy Center. The sold-out show, An Evening With Issa Rae, was scheduled at the venue in March.
“Unfortunately, due to what I believe to be an infringement on the values of an institution that has faithfully celebrated artists of all backgrounds through all mediums, I’ve decided to cancel my appearance at this venue,” Rae wrote.
Related: Kennedy Center board votes to elect Trump as new chair
On Wednesday, the renowned soprano Reneé Fleming said she would step down from her role as artistic adviser to the center. Though her statement did not mention Trump, she praised its ousted chair David M Rubenstein and Rutter, and said: “Out of respect, I think it right to depart as well.
“I’ve treasured the bipartisan support for this institution as a beacon of America at our best,” she said. “I hope the Kennedy Center continues to flourish and serve the passionate and diverse audience in our nation’s capital and across the country.”
The creator of Scandal and Grey’s Anatomy, Shonda Rhimes, also resigned from her position as treasurer while the singer-songwriter Ben Folds revealed that he would also be stepping down as artistic adviser to the National Symphony Orchestra.
“Given developments at the Kennedy Center, effective today I am resigning as artistic advisor to the NSO,” he wrote in an Instagram statement. “Not for me.”
A tour of Kennedy Center-produced musical Finn was also canceled this week. The show, a coming-of-age story about a young shark, had received positive reviews from critics and had been nominated for a Helen Hayes award.
“While not a surprise given the events of the last week, it is a heartbreak,” a statement from the creators read. “But we will not be silenced. And we will not abandon the kids we wrote this show for. They are already under attack from every side.”
In a statement, the labor union Actors’ Equity said it was “outraged” at a “disturbing” decision. “It is beyond appalling that the art they find so dangerous is a joyful children’s musical encouraging young people to be true to themselves and follow their dreams,” the statement read.
In a statement to Deadline, a Kennedy Center spokesperson called it a “purely financial” decision.
When Trump was asked by press last week why he wanted to be chair, he said it was because they didn’t need “woke” at the Kennedy Center. “Some of the shows were terrible, they were a disgrace,” he said. When asked if he had seen any of the shows, he said he hadn’t.
