‘Hamilton’ producers cancel Kennedy Center shows, following several other acts unhappy about the center’s new leadership
From Shonda Rhimes to Issa Rae and more, Black creatives have been reeling in the wake of Trump taking over the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
As it turns out, the room where it happens will not be in the John F. Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., so long as President Trump is Chairman of the board for the nation’s cultural, performing arts center—at least not for certain artists, entertainers and executives.
Jeffrey Seller, the producer of “Hamilton,” the Broadway musical that took the nation by storm, has canceled the upcoming run of the show scheduled for March 3 to April 26, 2026, at the historic venue. It was originally planned as part of a 250th-anniversary celebration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
“Given these recent actions, our show simply cannot, in good conscience, participate and be a part of this new culture that is being imposed on the Kennedy Center,” Seller explained in a statement posted on social media. “We are not acting against his administration, but against the partisan policies of the Kennedy Center as a result of his recent takeover.”
This would have marked “Hamilton’s” third run at the Kennedy Center.
In response, the center’s interim president Richard Grenell wrote in a post on X of his own, “This is a publicity stunt that will backfire. The Arts are for everyone – not just for the people who Lin likes and agrees with.”
He also alleges Lin-Manuel Miranda and Seller went to the media before consulting with the institution to discuss the cancellation.
Seller’s announcement follows that of several other artists’ who made similar decisions after Trump was unceremoniously named chair by the institution’s new and mostly conservative board in February. The move led to the resignation of television writer and executive producer Shonda Rhimes from the board; she was the treasurer.
Soon after, Issa Rae was among the first to cancel an event. Just days after Trump was named chair, Rae announced via social media that she would cancel the sold-out event “An Evening With Me,” scheduled for March 16, and issue a refund to all those who purchased tickets.
“Hey D.C Fam, Thank you so much for selling out the Kennedy Center for ‘An Evening With [Me].’ Unfortunately, due to what I believe to be an infringement on the value of an institution that has faithfully celebrated artists of all backgrounds through all mediums, I’ve decided to cancel my appearance at this venue,” she wrote.
Soon after, Grammy-winning folk singer Rhiannon Giddens announced that she would cancel her upcoming performance, slated for May 11.
“I have decided to cancel my show at The Kennedy Center on May 11, 2025, and move it to The Anthem,” she wrote on Facebook, referring to a nearby music venue in Washington, D.C.. “The Kennedy Center show was booked long before the current administration decided to take over this previously bipartisan institution.”
While artists have been weighing whether or not to cancel their shows, some have taken a stance to keep their place on the schedule. Comedian and host W. Kamau Bell said since he booked his show while Biden was still running for president, his show would go on as planned.
“The Kennedy Center is in a city called Washington, D.C. So as much as MAGA runs the White House, maybe they don’t run Washington, D.C. And Washington, D.C., has always been a bright blue, progressive place,” he told NPR. “If you want to move the White House to Branson, Mo., understandably, you would program the Kennedy Center in a different way.”
His decision even surprised the Kennedy Center.
“The people at the Kennedy Center reached out because they were sort of almost preparing for me to cancel,” he explained. “But for me, I’m connected to it as a Black person, to all this history in my family of showing up. So I knew there was never a point at which I thought about not showing up.”
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