Drag stars are set to attend, then protest, Trump's appearance at Les Misérables
It will be the president's first show at the historic Washington, D.C. venue since he canned the board and took control, firing previous leadership and installing himself as chairman.
Trump, 78, ignited fury over his decision to take the reigns of the Kennedy Center, as he pledged to scrap 'woke' programming aligned with what he called leftist ideology. On social media, the president wrote there would be 'NO MORE DRAG SHOWS, OR OTHER ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA.'
So when some of the ticket holders for Wednesday night's show found out that Trump, Vance and their wives, Melania and Usha, would be in attendance, they donated their tickets, according to Qommittee, a network of drag performers, fans and allies, as reported by Houston Public Media.
Vagenesis, one of the four to six performers planning to attend, told NPR she is protesting in response to the president's pledge to put a stop to drag shows at the center.
'Theater is supposed to be a place of community, a place of storytelling, a place of celebration, joy, catharsis and it should be open and available to all,' Vagenesis said.
As a result of Trump's actions, several members of the company are expected to boycott the president's attendance by not performing. Cast members have remained silent on social media regarding the Kennedy Center run, but multiple reports indicate up to a dozen performers will sit out Wednesday's show.
'The cast was given the option to not perform the night Trump will be in the audience, and both major cast members and members of the ensemble are among those sitting out,' CNN reported last month.
A representative from the Les Miserables company told The Independent: 'The National Tour of Les Misérables is looking forward to performing for D.C. audiences beginning tonight and throughout the engagement at the Kennedy Center, where the U.S. first saw the original production in 1986.'
Historically, the Kennedy Center has hosted a variety of productions, ranging from operas to contemporary musicals and symphonies.
The institution opened in 1971 and has since served as a showcase for theater, music and dramatic performances, with artists ranging from the Paul Taylor Dance Company to a joint concert by Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga.
Weeks after Trump's return to the Oval Office, he fired the Kennedy Center's leadership, putting MAGA loyalist Richard Grenell in charge of the famed performing arts institution.
Trump also appointed Usha Vance to the center's board along with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Attorney General Pam Bondi and several Fox News channel hosts and other supporters.
In response, several high-profile performers and members, including Insecure star Issa Rae, Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes and singer-songwriter Ben Folds, resigned from their positions and canceled shows.
The center, which has seen a staggering 50 percent drop in ticket sales, has since canceled performances by the touring children's musical Finn and a planned concert featuring the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, D.C.
'The Kennedy Center is coming back,' the president added, claiming: 'It was not properly taken care of and we are taking it back and we are going to turn it back into something great.'
Trump has previously proclaimed his love for Les Misérables, telling Fox News: 'I love the songs; I love the play. I think it's great.'
He has played the musical's rebellion anthem, 'Do You Here the People Sing?' at past events and rallies. The story revolves around revolution in France, and has been a massive smash for decades.
Trump also suggested that 'we may extend' the show's run. Currently, Les Misérables is slated to run at the Kennedy Center through July 13.
Vagenesis added that she and the other drag performers show up for opening night, they are doing so peacefully.
'I hope it delivers the message that we're not backing down,' she said.
'We're not allowing this kind of bigotry and erasure to stop us from doing what we want to do, or from existing.'
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