US Edition‘Wicked’ Composer Says He Won’t Appear at Kennedy Center After Name Change
Stephen Schwartz joins multiple artists boycotting the Kennedy Center after Trump’s board takeover, citing loss of its apolitical mission and artistic freedom.
- On Thursday , Stephen Schwartz, composer and lyricist, said he will not participate in the Washington National Opera Gala , telling Newsday `It no longer represents the apolitical place for free artistic expression it was founded to be`.
- In February, President Donald Trump removed board members appointed by Biden and Obama, installed a MAGA-friendly board, and the new board claimed to rename it the Trump-Kennedy Center.
- A stream of cancellations has followed the takeover, with producers of 'Hamilton' and Issa Rae canceling appearances, Ben Folds and Renee Fleming stepping down, and The Cookers, Doug Varone and Dancers, and Wayne Tucker and The Bad Mothas pulling out.
- Shortly after outlets reached out, the Kennedy Center website removed Stephen Schwartz's listing Friday, while Richard Grenell and Roma Daravi denied he was confirmed or contracted and threatened $1 million in damages.
- By law, U.S. Congress designated the Kennedy Center as a John F. Kennedy memorial in 1964, and Kerry Kennedy vowed to remove Trump's name while the White House defended the overhaul as saving the institution.
32 Articles
32 Articles
'There's no way': Legendary composer backs out of hosting Kennedy Center gala due to Trump
One of the most iconic living composers of Broadway musicals is now no longer hosting a gala to support the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts — and he's pinning the blame squarely on President Donald Trump.The New York Times reported Friday that Stephen Schwartz, who is the composer for the Broadway musical and hit film Wicked, has now backed out of hosting the gala in response to Trump adding his name to the vaunted institution. Schwartz s…
‘Wicked’ composer says he won’t appear at Kennedy Center after name change
“Wicked” composer Stephen Schwartz says he will not appear at the Kennedy Center after its board voted to attach President Donald Trump’s name to the venue — becoming the latest artist to push back against the president’s takeover of Washington’s most iconic performing arts center.
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