‘Mrs. Doubtfire' coming to Kennedy Center despite Trump's drag ban
In spite of President Donald Trump's promise to ban drag at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a musical with a cross-dressing plot is on the venue's schedule for 2026.
' Mrs. Doubtfire,' the 2019 stage adaptation of San Francisco director Chris Columbus ' 1993 film where Robin Williams disguises himself as an elderly British nanny, is slated for a run at the institution from July 14 through Aug. 2, 2026. The musical is one of two non-union productions coming to the Kennedy Center, which previously only presented Actor's Equity Association tours of Broadway shows.
In his takeover of the stories arts organization in February, Trump cited the programming of 'woke' shows at the Kennedy Center as part of his reasoning for firing appointees by President Joe Biden as well as board president Deborah Rutter.
'Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP,' the president posted on the his social media site Truth Social, referring to such events previously hosted by the center like Broadway Drag Brunch, A Drag Salute to Divas and Dragtastic Dress-Up, which featured a children's Drag Story Hour.
'NO MORE DRAG SHOWS, OR OTHER ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA — ONLY THE BEST,' he declared.
It's worth noting that 'Mrs. Doubtfire' does not present drag in the context of LGBTQ culture. Rather, it uses the character Daniel's desire to see his children during a tumultuous divorce as the impetus for his cross gender disguise. Two other musicals on the Kennedy Center's schedule, 'Moulin Rouge!' and 'Chicago,' have minor characters that are played by drag performers.
'Mrs. Doubtfire' joins 'Chicago' as the non-Equity productions now on the Kennedy Center's calendar. The additions come just a couple months after Trump complained about union costs.
Ironically, one of the 1993 San Francisco-set film's original stars, actor and playwright Harvey Fierstein, revealed on social media in March that he and his work had been banned from the Kennedy Center.
'The shows I've written are now banned from being performed in our premiere American theater,' he said, sharing the comment on an Instagram post that showed him with Stonewall Riot pioneer and transgender activist Marsha P. Johnson.
Fierstein is the writer of Tony Award-winning musicals 'Newsies' as well as 'Kinky Boots' and 'La Cage aux Folles,' both works that have drag as major story elements. Fierstein also won a Tony for playing the drag character Edna Turnblad in 'Hairspray' and wrote the play 'Torch Song Trilogy' in which he originated the part of Arnold, a young drag performer.
Trump, who now serves as the chair of the board and appointed former public relations consultant Richard Grenell as interim executive director, has admitted he had never actually seen a performance at the storied arts presenter before taking over.
He is scheduled to attend the June 11 performance of 'Les Misérables' at the Kennedy Center as part of a fundraiser for the arts institution. Several cast members have already stated they plan to boycott.
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