Following President Donald Trump's takeover of the Kennedy Center February 12, the Washington, D.C. venue has already had an upheaval in programming. To start, it has cancelled a planned tour of the children's musical Finn, which it commissioned and premiered in 2024.
The creators of the musical—Chris Nee, Michael Kooman, and Christopher Dimond—released a joint statement on Instagram, saying: "While not a surprise given the events of the last week, it is a heartbreak. 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. We didn’t ask for this joy bomb of a show to be a part of the resistance, but here we are."
The Kennedy Center said in a statement that the decision was purely a financial one. Finn—which follows a young shark who realizes he may relate more to smaller, more gentler fishes—sold out during its initial run at the Kennedy Center. The creators of the show told the Washington Post that the musical could be read as a metaphor for the LGBTQ+ experience.
Said the creators: "At its heart it has a universal message of love and acceptance. The fact that that extends to sparkly boys seems to be controversial." They also ended their statement with a message of defiance, saying: "Today we resist, and ask you to join us. We will find a way to get Finn out to the audiences who need it most. Follow us @finnmusical so you’re ready to help us get loud."
The actors' and stage managers' union Actors' Equity also decried the cancellation, saying in a statement: "We are outraged at the news that The Kennedy Center has canceled the upcoming tour of Finn, a musical for young audiences that just concluded an acclaimed run at the theatre. Since its founding, the Kennedy Center has represented the full breadth of American culture; It is disturbing to see the new leadership of this institution move so swiftly to suppress viewpoints they do not agree with. And 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. Actors’ Equity Association stands with the company of this production and is watching developments carefully. The union intends to fully enforce our contracts with The Kennedy Center. Equity reminds its members that if they experience any difficulty with their contracts at the Kennedy Center, they should reach out to their business reps immediately."
When asked for clarification, an Equity representative said that while work contracts had not yet been issued for Finn, the union was looking into whether offers had been made.
Following the firings of longtime Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter and board chair David M. Rubenstein on Wednesday, a number of artists have cut ties with the organization.
Comedian Issa Rae voluntarily cancelled her show An Evening With Issa Rae, which was scheduled for next month. In a story posted on Instagram, she wrote: "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."
Rock band Low Cut Connie has also cancelled their show.
Artistic advisors Renée Fleming, Ben Folds, and Shonda Rhimes have also voluntarily stepped down from their positions at the Kennedy Center. As Fleming wrote in a message posted to Facebook, she was leaving in response to Rubenstein and Rutter's departure: "I’ve treasured the bi-partisan support for this institution as a beacon of America at our best. I hope the Kennedy Center continues to flourish and serve the passionate and diverse audience in our nation’s capital and across the country."
It remains to be seen whether the other productions on the Kennedy Center's calendar will be cancelled. Most notable is the Tony Award-winning revival of Parade, which dramatizes the corrupt trial and lynching of a Jewish man in 1913 Georgia. Composer Jason Robert Brown wrote on Instagram that the show was still on writing on Instagram: "It's all ridiculous and comical but I'll point out that Parade is playing the Kennedy Center in August and we're not changing one word."
Trump has previously said that he was planning on eliminating drag shows and "woke" art at the Kennedy Center—even though he also admitted to never having seen a show at the institution. The board of the Kennedy Center, as well as its new interim president, are now made up entirely of Trump appointees.
