HAMILTON Cancels Kennedy Center Engagement Due to Trump Takeover

The New York Times has reported that Hamilton has cancelled its Kennedy Center engagement due to Trump's takeover. The production was previously scheduled to be part of the Kennedy Center’s celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda shared, "This latest action by Trump means it’s not the Kennedy Center as we knew it... 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."

BroadwayWorld previously reported that President Trump was elected as the chairman of the board of trustees of the Kennedy Center, with Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter being fired as a part of Trump's overhaul.

In addition, Board Treasurer Shonda Rhimes, National Symphony Orchestra Artistic Advisor Ben Folds, and Artistic Advisor-at-Large Renée Fleming resigned from their roles, a tour of children's musical Finn, which was to be produced by the theatre, has been canceled, and The Kennedy Center has removed the National Symphony Orchestra's concert "A Peacock Among Pigeons: Celebrating 50 Years of Pride" from its website. Dancers recently protested Trump's involvement in the instituion, and the changes being made to the programming outside of the Kennedy Center. 

Hamilton Producer Jeffrey Seller shared, "It became untenable for us to participate in an organization that had become so deeply politicized... The Kennedy Center is for all of us, and it pains me deeply that they took it over and changed that. They said it’s not for all of us. It’s just for Donald Trump and his crowd. So we made a decision we can’t do it.” Read the full story HERE.