Actors Refusing To Perform For Trump At Kennedy Center

Ten of twelve Les Misérables actors plan to boycott their Kennedy Center performance during President Trump’s attendance, sparking a public rebuke from the center’s director and raising questions about artistic freedom in America’s premier cultural venue.

Quick Takes

Ten performers from the Les Misérables touring company will boycott the June 11 Kennedy Center performance due to President Trump’s planned attendance
Kennedy Center director Richard Grenell, a Trump ally, condemned the actors as “vapid and intolerant” and suggested they should be “outed” to producers
Trump, who has assumed a leadership role at the Center, has promised sweeping changes including ending “drag shows” and other performances he deems “anti-American”
Several prominent artists including Issa Rae, Shonda Rhimes, and Ben Folds have already severed ties with the Kennedy Center over its new direction
The performance coincides with a Kennedy Center fundraiser aimed at improving its finances

Les Misérables Cast Takes Stand Against Trump

A majority of performers from the Les Misérables touring company have chosen to boycott their scheduled June 11 performance at the Kennedy Center when President Donald Trump is expected to attend. According to multiple sources, ten of the twelve cast members informed production leaders they would not perform that evening, though the show will still proceed with understudies and alternates filling the vacated roles. The boycott includes both principal and ensemble performers who were given the option to abstain from the performance without professional consequences.

The decision comes amid growing tensions between the artistic community and the Kennedy Center’s new leadership. Trump previously used music from Les Misérables during his 2016 campaign rallies, which was objected to by the musical’s creators. The June 11 performance coincides with a major fundraising event aimed at bolstering the Center’s finances, making the actors’ protest particularly significant for the institution currently navigating political and financial challenges.

Kennedy Center Director Fires Back

Richard Grenell, appointed as interim director of the Kennedy Center in February, issued a strongly worded response condemning the actors’ decision. Grenell, a Trump ally and former acting director of National Intelligence, rejected the boycott as contradictory to the center’s mission of inclusivity and artistic openness. His statement characterized the performers’ actions as demonstrating intolerance and suggested potential professional consequences for artists who refuse to perform based on audience politics.

According to Grenell, “Any performer who isn’t professional enough to perform for patrons of all backgrounds, regardless of political affiliation, won’t be welcomed. In fact, we think it would be important to out those vapid and intolerant artists to ensure producers know who they shouldn’t hire—and that the public knows which shows have political litmus tests to sit in the audience.”

Grenell emphasized his vision for the Kennedy Center as a politically neutral space where audiences can enjoy performances regardless of their political views. This stance appears to represent a significant shift in the institution’s approach to arts programming and artist relations, as it had previously maintained a more traditional separation between artistic decisions and political considerations.

Trump’s Vision for a “Great Again” Kennedy Center

President Trump, who became chairman of the Kennedy Center after appointing new trustees to replace those from previous Democratic administrations, has been vocal about his intentions to dramatically reshape the institution. He has promised to improve what he called “an American Jewel” and make significant programming changes, including ending certain types of performances he considers inappropriate or unpatriotic.

Trump has already made his artistic preferences clear, stating, “I never liked Hamilton very much”—a production that was scheduled at the Kennedy Center but subsequently canceled following Trump’s takeover. In a social media post, the president declared, “NO MORE DRAG SHOWS, OR OTHER ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA—ONLY THE BEST,” while outlining his vision for the center’s future programming.

Broader Cultural Fallout

The Les Misérables boycott is part of a larger pattern of artistic disengagement from the Kennedy Center under its new leadership. Several prominent artists, including television producers Issa Rae and Shonda Rhimes, along with musician Ben Folds, have already severed ties with the institution, citing disagreements with its new direction. The planned production of Hamilton at the Kennedy Center was also canceled, highlighting the growing divide between the performing arts community and the Trump-aligned leadership.

The controversy raises fundamental questions about the role of cultural institutions in American society and the relationship between politics and the arts. As the Kennedy Center attempts to position itself as a politically neutral space, many artists argue that certain policy positions themselves represent violations of artistic freedom and creative expression, creating an increasingly fraught relationship between performers and one of America’s most prestigious cultural venues.