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demmiblue

(39,199 posts)
Fri Jan 2, 2026, 11:59 AM 3 hrs ago

Wicked composer says he'd never 'set foot' in Trump-Kennedy Center as he cancels performance over rebrand

Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz has pulled out of a scheduled performance at the Kennedy Center over President Donald Trump’s renaming of the historic venue.

Three-time Oscar winner Schwartz, 77, has joined a growing list of artists to boycott the cultural center over Trump’s potentially illegal attempt to rebrand the institution as the Trump-Kennedy Center.

Schwartz, who was scheduled to host the Washington National Opera Gala at the Kennedy Center on May 16, told Newsday there was “no way” he would enter the venue now.

“It no longer represents the apolitical place for free artistic expression it was founded to be,” Schwartz said in an email sent by his assistant. “There’s no way I would set foot in it now.”

https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/music/news/stephen-schwartz-kennedy-center-trump-b2893506.html


9 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Wicked composer says he'd never 'set foot' in Trump-Kennedy Center as he cancels performance over rebrand (Original Post) demmiblue 3 hrs ago OP
Most gratifying! calimary 3 hrs ago #1
He has integrity MustLoveBeagles 3 hrs ago #2
Good. Let's get this snowball rolling! Iggo 1 hr ago #3
Maybe when he leaves or leaves us... C Moon 58 min ago #4
I think portapotties should bear his name IbogaProject 43 min ago #9
I am loving this Skittles 56 min ago #5
We keep calling it the "Trump-Kennedy" center as if that is a legitimate name change. lees1975 53 min ago #6
Every artist going there to perform during the orange shitstain's admin. is risking everything....... wolfie001 51 min ago #7
Bravo Stephen Schwartz! FakeNoose 46 min ago #8

C Moon

(13,439 posts)
4. Maybe when he leaves or leaves us...
Fri Jan 2, 2026, 02:35 PM
58 min ago

the Kennedy Center will have a days long free concert to celebrate.

It seems trump only wants what other Presidents have had—-including the assassination attempt.

And he is beginning to realize that nobody will name anything after him—outside of a gag gift.

IbogaProject

(5,594 posts)
9. I think portapotties should bear his name
Fri Jan 2, 2026, 02:51 PM
43 min ago

Or refer to poop as Trump, like "I have to drop a Trump", "I had a messy Trump today".

lees1975

(6,901 posts)
6. We keep calling it the "Trump-Kennedy" center as if that is a legitimate name change.
Fri Jan 2, 2026, 02:41 PM
53 min ago

It's not. It's the Kennedy Center, always has been, always will be.

wolfie001

(7,064 posts)
7. Every artist going there to perform during the orange shitstain's admin. is risking everything.......
Fri Jan 2, 2026, 02:42 PM
51 min ago

......except for the country music, Hee Haw crowd. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......

FakeNoose

(40,102 posts)
8. Bravo Stephen Schwartz!
Fri Jan 2, 2026, 02:47 PM
46 min ago


Even if he did agree to perform there, none of his friends would ever buy tickets to see the performance.

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