Standing at the face of Washington D.C., a monument of the arts captivates visitors with its marble exterior and gold columns. With famous performers including Lin Manuel Miranda and Beyonce, the Kennedy Center has served the people of Washington D.C. and the surrounding area as a center of the arts. More than that, the Kennedy Center is a place of celebration for McLean’s own theater department, with events like the annual Cappies gala that give students unique opportunities and experiences.

“For us at Mclean, in the past, we would go to see shows,” said McLean theater teacher Philip Reid. “[We saw] shows like the Play That Goes Wrong and Peter and The Star Catcher.”

This past February, President Donald Trump announced that he would be taking over as chair of the Kennedy Center, shifting the direction of leadership. The decision was met with mixed reactions, including concerns from frequent visitors at the Kennedy Center. With Trump leading the Kennedy Center, many performances that didn’t align with his agenda were cancelled, or performers decided to cancel their shows.

“[The Kennedy Center] is one of the biggest performing arts centers in the country,” Reid said. “Lots of shows travel in and out.”

Hamilton

The award-winning hit show Hamilton canceled its Kennedy Center performance last March in response to the Trump administration’s actions. Hamilton‘s producer, Jeffery Seller, tweeted about how the Trump Administration’s firing of staff and the performing arts went against the ideals of the nation.

“All the things [the new administration is] doing, they don’t want it to be publicized, but there are certain people that are making sure it is known,” Reid said.

Trump criticized Seller’s choice, claiming that he didn’t enjoy the performance anyway. On the other hand, many Hamilton fans praised Seller for his choice to cancel and fight back against the administration.

“Hamilton has such a [strong] message about the founding of our country, and escaping the monarchy,” senior Riley Diaz said.

Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C.

The new Kennedy Center leadership team canceled events for the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington D.C., which was previously slated to perform with the National Symphony Orchestra in honor of the District’s WorldPride celebrations.

“There were shows [at the Kennedy Center] that would talk about minorities and that’s really amazing. I’m not sure if it’s changed drastically, but there is definitely a vibe and feel that [has been] altered,” Reid said.

The unexplained cancellation began a heated controversy, with many LGBTQ+ advocates claiming the cancellation was based on hate and efforts to silence a minority group. The slashing of Gay Men’s Chorus was part of a long line of cancellations targeting shows that feature inclusivity towards minorities. Another canceled show was Finn, a children’s musical that follows a young shark on discovering his true self. Finn is viewed as a symbol for the LGBTQ+ community.

“I’ve always thought the Kennedy Center did a great job before of having theater that is inclusive. There was theater for youth, theater for change,” Reid said.

Les Miserables

This past summer, the musical Les Miserables held a sequence of performances at the Kenendy Center from June 11-July 13. Despite his aggressive actions against the organization, Trump came to watch one of the performances, influencing multiple performers to choose not to perform.

“I also went to the Les Mis performance this summer, and I remember hearing Trump went to the Les Mis performance,” senior Elizabeth Templer said. “While I was watching it, I was wondering why he attended because so much of the performance was focused on being against authority figures overusing their power.”

Kennedy Center still stands tall as a pillar of arts in the nation’s capital, representing freedom for the expression of ideas. The opportunities and culture the Kennedy Center provides continue to shine through, even in times of controversy.

“The whole point of theater is to tell stories and create art, and some of the things that are happening now [are] for the sake of personal preferences,” Reid said.