Exclusive: Some ‘Les Mis’ cast members plan to boycott Trump’s attendance at Kennedy Center performance next month
CNN
When President Donald Trump descends on the Kennedy Performing Arts Center next month for a high-dollar fundraiser and a performance of “Les Misérables,” he won’t be seeing the usual cast performing, sources told CNN.
When President Donald Trump descends on the Kennedy Performing Arts Center next month for a high-dollar fundraiser and a performance of “Les Misérables,” he won’t be seeing the usual cast performing, sources told CNN. At least 10 to 12 performers in Les Mis are planning to sit out the show on June 11, the night that Trump attends at the Kennedy Center, the sources said. The cast was given the option to not perform the night Trump will be in the audience, and both major cast members and members of the ensemble are among those sitting out, according to the sources. The move highlights friction between the Trump administration and members within the center as the president has made an aggressive push to reshape it, thrusting the Washington, DC-based performing arts complex into the middle of culture wars. The boycott follows Trump’s decision to effectively take control of the Kennedy Center as part of a widespread effort his administration has undertaken to bend American institutions – including cultural, legal and educational pillars – to the president’s will. Less than a month into his presidency, Trump installed himself as chairman of the Kennedy Center thanks to a newly constituted board, including several new Trump appointees who replaced trustees appointed by Democratic presidents. He also named Richard Grenell, a longtime confidant already serving in multiple administration positions, to the director role earlier this year. The same night that Trump will attend the performance of Les Mis, he will also hold a fundraiser to benefit the Kennedy Center. The fundraiser was first reported by ABC News.
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