'Hamilton' Cancels Kennedy Center Run Over Trump's Takeover

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: New York Times

'Hamilton' Cancels Kennedy Center Run Over Trump's Takeover

"We're not going to be a part of it while it is the Trump Kennedy Center," said its creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda.


Lin-Manuel Miranda onstage in colonial-era clothes in a performance of "Hamilton," surrounded by dancers.

"Hamilton" canceled plans to perform at the Kennedy Center next year as part of the institution's celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Sara Krulwich/The New York Times

By Michael Paulson
March 5, 2025
Updated 6:18 p.m. ET

"Hamilton," the musical theater juggernaut about the birth of American democracy, is canceling plans to perform next year at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, citing President Trump's moves to impose his ideological and cultural values on the long-cherished venue.

The musical had been slated to be part of the Kennedy Center's celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. But after Mr. Trump ousted the Democratic members from the center's once-bipartisan board, became its chairman and replaced its president, "Hamilton" decided not to come.

"This latest action by Trump means it's not the Kennedy Center as we knew it," the show's creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, said in a joint interview on Wednesday with its lead producer, Jeffrey Seller. "The Kennedy Center was not created in this spirit, and we're not going to be a part of it while it is the Trump Kennedy Center. We're just not going to be part of it." ... Mr. Seller said the "Hamilton" team believed that Mr. Trump "took away our national arts center for all of us."

{snip}

But next season's programming could be at risk. Meredith Blair, the president and chief executive of the Booking Group, which arranges tours for Broadway shows, said several shows that had planned to perform at the Kennedy Center next season but had not yet publicly announced those plans are now quietly canceling.

Michael Paulson is the theater reporter for The Times. More about Michael Paulson
https://www.nytimes.com/by/michael-paulson

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/05/theater/hamilton-kennedy-center-trump-miranda.html

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Hat tip, WJZ, channel 13.1 in Baltimore. It's Baltimore's CBS affiliate. This was announced just before 6:30.

[Paladin]

1. Outstanding move by Miranda and all concerned.

The last thing trump's new acquisition deserves is a work as brilliant and noble as "Hamilton." Let trump and his goons book Ted Nugent or Kid Rock in its place.

[Dave Bowman]

13. Lol, I just pictured them in a musical together. A traditional one, I mean.

[SuzyandPuffpuff]

2. Hamilton

GOOD ON YOU...fuck that asshole!

[Dave Bowman]

14. There's a "that's what she said" joke in there somewhere.

[AmericaUnderSiege]

3. Fill its schedule with "Springtime for Hitler".

[IrishBubbaLiberal]

4. Trump is toxic to majority of Americans

Trump is a racist.
Trump is not ever going get the GOOD performances in
his vile “Center”

[tanyev]

5. Bravo!

[BumRushDaShow]

6. Good.

The whole thing would blow over their heads although he might be able to identify with this -

[JI7]

7. Maybe they will do civil war reenacments now

[DBoon]

16. with a revised ending

The Confederacy wins and spreads slavery throughout the Americas

[Mr. Evil]

8. Well,

there's always Ted Nugent, Kid (c)Rock and Kanye!

[ShazzieB]

9. Excellent!

I commend Miranda for this decision!

I've lost track of how many other artists have pulled out of appearing there, but I hope there are lots more!

[fierywoman]

17. A most wonderful German (classical) violinist named Christian Tetzlaff pulled out of

Kennedy Center performances for moral reasons ... (listen to his Beethoven Violin Concerto : wow!)

[NJCher]

24. just checked him out on

Medici.tv.

Chills! Wow. Thanks!

[fierywoman]

26. So glad you liked him -- love to share!

[NJCher]

23. off the top of my head

Issa Rae
Ben Folds
Shonda Rhimes
Until Miranda, the last was Rhiannon Giddens

Prol'ly a partial list. Anyone who knows more, chime in.

[highplainsdem]

10. From Consequence:

https://consequence.net/2025/03/hamilton-cancels-show-at-kennedy-center/

Hamilton has canceled a run at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, scheduled to kick off this spring in light of the “recent purge by the Trump Administration of both professional staff and performing arts events at or originally produced by the Kennedy Center [that] flies in the face of everything this national cultural center represents.”

In a lengthy statement posted to Hamilton’s social media channels on Wednesday, producer Jeffrey Seller acknowledged that, “Political disagreement and debate are vital expressions of democracy. These basic concepts of freedom are at the very heart of Hamilton. However, Seller added, “some institutions are sacred and should be protected from politics. The Kennedy Center is one such institution.”

“The Kennedy Center was founded over 50 years ago with a sincere bipartisan spirit,” Seller continued. “Indeed, it was founded during the administration of President Dwight Eisenhower, named after President John F. Kennedy, and opened in 1971 under the administration of Richard M. Nixon. The Kennedy Center was meant to be for all Americans, a place where we could all come together in celebration of the arts. Politics have never affected the presentation of thousands of shows and the display of extraordinary visual arts.”

“However, in recent weeks we have sadly seen decades of Kennedy Center neutrality be destroyed,” Seller added. “The recent purge by the Trump Administration of both professional staff and performing arts events at or originally produced by the Kennedy Center flies in the face of everything this national cultural center represents. This spirit of nonpartisanship ended on February 7, 2025, with the firing of Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter, the Chairman of the Board David Rubenstein, and numerous other Kennedy Center board members, as well as the cancellation of important programming. These actions bring a new spirit of partisanship to the national treasure that is the Kennedy Center.”

-snip-

[mcar]

11. I hate what Agent Orange is doing to this wonderful place

and I applaud this decision. I hope, someday, there is a Kennedy Center to go back to.

[Initech]

29. I know, it's an absolutely corrupt and absurd abuse of power.

He's just doing it to be the grade A asshole we all know he is.

[Wild blueberry]

12. Bravo!

[Dave Bowman]

15. Great!

👍

[IronLionZion]

18. Mother F

I was hoping to see it again. I may have to go to another liberal city.

[fierywoman]

27. I saw that one group -- Gay Men's Chorus maybe? -- will do their concert instead nearby like

in Maryland -- maybe Hamilton will move to a nearby theater too?

[slightlv]

19. I applaud what they're doing, and I do hope more cancel because of trump,

and let the world know most emphatically why they are cancelling. But trump won't care; he'll just blame it all DEI and the "trans" and "gays." Meanwhile, the only thing you *will* be able to see at the theaters are maga lover fare, mostly either taken from the 1920's and 30's and maybe the 40's... or new plays based on the racism and fascism of that time. trump could never get accepted by the hoity toity in NY, so these types of folks he doesn't want to hobknob with... he just wants to throw his weight and power in their face. Kinda like the kid taking your game controller and running away going, "na na na na na"

[damifino10]

20. Substitutes....

There is always tEd and that geezer that goes by "kid"
Both sad fucks.

[Cha]

21. Good on Lin-Manuel Miranda & Hamilton! TY!

[ultralite001]

22. Damn straight, LMM...

TIA...

[FakeNoose]

25. Smart move for Hamilton - I hope a lot of season ticket holders cancel too

Let this be the beginning of a BIG TREND!

[claudette]

28. Hooray!

I ❤️ him!

[JohnSJ]

30. Thank-you. Any other decision would have been appeasement toward the dictator.

[Demovictory9]

31. good!