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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Unwelcome at Kennedy Center, LGBTQ+ orchestra defiantly plays in Maryland
By Daniel Trotta and Alexandra C. Sarabia NORTH BETHESDA, Maryland (Reuters) - The program contained American favorites: pieces by Aaron Copland and George Gershwin and a choral performance of "America the Beautiful" to celebrate WorldPride, a biennial international festival in support of LGBTQ+ rights that this year is taking place in Washington. The International Pride Orchestra had hoped to play at the Kennedy Center, the most prestigious venue in the United States, but that was before U.S. President Donald Trump pledged on social media that there would be "NO MORE DRAG SHOWS, OR OTHER ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA" at the public-private performing arts center. Instead, the orchestra took to the stage at the Strathmore Music Center in Maryland, just north of the capital, with sequin-clad drag queen Peaches Christ as host, and another drag queen, Thorgy Thor, playing a violin solo to Beyonce's "Crazy in Love" to an audience of 1,166 people. WorldPride events are taking place during a Trump administration that has issued executive orders limiting transgender rights, banned transgender people from serving in the armed forces, and rescinded anti-discrimination policies for LGBTQ+ people as part of a campaign to repeal diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Michael Roest, conductor and founder of the International Pride Orchestra, a nonprofit, reminded the audience that "people don't feel safe to live and love openly." "That is the reason why we have this orchestra," Roest said. The evening offered messages about equality and patriotic ideals as expressed in "America the Beautiful," sung by the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, which accompanied the orchestra in the second half of the show. A transgender pianist, Sara Davis Buechner, dazzled with her grand piano lead on "Rhapsody in Blue." U.S. and rainbow flags were hoisted at the close. Within weeks of taking office, Trump in February fired the leadership of the Kennedy Center and named himself chairman, complaining about what he said was the poor quality of performances. On February 10, he announced on social media that loyalist Richard Grenell would become interim director of the center and made the "NO MORE DRAG SHOWS" post. Two days later, the Kennedy Center sent Roest a message that said, "We are not in a position at this time to advance a contract," according to an email chain seen by Reuters. That message came after months of negotiations over securing the Kennedy Center, orchestra spokesperson David Perry said. Considering themselves "disinvited," event organizers began looking for alternative venues and the Strathmore offered its space, Perry said. Ryan Bos, executive director of the Capital Pride Alliance, which is leading the coordination of WorldPride, explained the move by saying, "We would not be allowed to have any official drag programming." "That defeats the purpose of Pride - in terms of creating a welcoming and safe environment for anybody to feel comfortable being their true, authentic self, which is what Pride's about," Bos said in comments to The Advocate, a magazine reporting LGBT+ news, that were confirmed by the alliance. Asked for a response, a Kennedy Center spokesperson referred Reuters to Bos' remarks and an X post by Grenell saying, "We didn't cancel a single show at the Kennedy Center. We simply ask that shows don't lose money and leave us with the bill." The three-year-old orchestra was created to give LGBTQ+ musicians an avenue to perform free of concerns about their sexual orientation or gender identity. "This performance is in and of itself a form of resistance," said Luke Spence, the orchestra's general manager and also a trumpet player. Jennifer Curtis, a violinist and concert master, welcomed the spotlight that came with the dispute. "That's what you want in the time of struggle, or if you're needing to make a statement," Curtis said. "We got extra publicity out of being at the butt end of Trump."
CBS News
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Kennedy Center cancels week of events celebrating LGBTQ rights
Organizers and the Kennedy Center have canceled a week's worth of events celebrating LGBTQ+ rights for this summer's World Pride festival in Washington, D.C., amid a shift in priorities and the ousting of leadership at one of the nation's premier cultural institutions. Multiple artists and producers involved in the center's Tapestry of Pride schedule, which had been planned for June 5 to 8, told The Associated Press that their events had been quietly canceled or moved to other venues. And in the wake of the cancellations, Washington's Capital Pride Alliance has disassociated itself from the Kennedy Center. "We are a resilient community, and we have found other avenues to celebrate," said June Crenshaw, deputy director of the alliance. "We are finding another path to the the fact that we have to maneuver in this way is disappointing." The Kennedy Center's website still lists Tapestry of Pride on its website with a general description and a link to the World Pride site. There are no other details. The Kennedy Center did not respond to a request from the AP for comment. The move comes on the heels of massive changes at the Kennedy Center, with President Trump firing both the president and chairman in early February. Mr. Trump replaced most of the board with loyalists, who then elected him the new Kennedy Center chairman. President Trump looks at a theater in the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts' REACH extension on March 17, 2025, in Washington, D.C. After shunning the annual Kennedy Center Honors during his first term in the White House, Mr. Trump staged a takeover of the storied music, theater and dance institution by purging the bipartisan board of Biden appointees, firing the center's president and making himself the new chairman in February. Getty Images The World Pride event, held every two years, starts in just under a month — running from May 17 through June 8 with performances and celebrations planned across the capital. But Trump administration policies on transgender rights and comments about Kennedy Center drag performances have sparked concern about what kind of reception attendees will receive. "I know that D.C. as a community will be very excited to be hosting World Pride, but I know the community is a little bit different than the government," said Michael Roest, founder and director of the International Pride Orchestra, which had its June 5 performance at the Kennedy Center abruptly canceled within days of Mr. Trump's takeover. Roest told the AP he was in the final stages of planning the Kennedy Center performance after months of emails and Zoom calls. He was waiting on a final contract when the president posted on social media Feb. 7 of the leadership changes and his intention to transform the Kennedy Center's programming. Immediately the Kennedy Center became nonresponsive, Roest said. On Feb. 12, he said, he received a one-sentence email from a Kennedy Center staffer stating, "We are no longer able to advance your contract at this time." "They went from very eager to host to nothing," he said. "We have not since heard a word from anybody at the Kennedy Center, but that's not going to stop us." In the wake of the cancellation, Roest said he managed to move the International Pride Orchestra performance to the Strathmore theater in nearby Bethesda, Maryland. Crenshaw said some other events, including a drag story time and a display of parts of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, would be moved to the World Pride welcome center in Chinatown. Monica Alford, a veteran arts and culture journalist and event planner, was scheduled to organize an event June 8 as part of Tapestry of Pride, but said she also saw communication abruptly end within days of Trump's takeover. Alford has a long history with the Kennedy Center and organized the first-ever drag brunch on the Kennedy Center rooftop in 2024, and said she regarded the institution — and its recent expansion known as The Reach — as "my home base" and "a safe space for the queer community." She said she was still finalizing the details of her event, which she described as "meant to be family-friendly, just like the drag brunch was family-friendly and classy and sophisticated." She said she mourns the loss of the partnership she nurtured with the Kennedy Center. "We're doing our community a disservice — not just the queer community but the entire community," she said. Roest said he never received an explanation as to why the performance was canceled so late in the planning stages. He said his orchestra would no longer consider performing at the Kennedy Center, and he believes most queer artists would make the same choice. "There would need to be a very, very public statement of inclusivity from the administration, from that board, for us to consider that," he said. "Otherwise it is a hostile performance space."
Washington Post
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
WorldPride relocates events scheduled for the Kennedy Center
The Capital Pride Alliance will move events celebrating LGBTQ+ rights it had scheduled for the Kennedy Center this spring as part of the WorldPride Festival 'to ensure our entire LGBTQ+ community will be welcome,' the organization said in a statement. The Tapestry of Pride programs, featuring sections of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, a reading room and a drag story time, will now be held at the WorldPride Welcome Center in downtown Washington, the alliance said. The three-week long WorldPride festival, which begins May 17, is expected to bring 2 million to 3 million people to the nation's capital, including tens of thousands of international visitors. Organizers have lined up major performers, including Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Troye Sivan, Doechii and Cynthia Erivo; and the event is also intended to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Washington's first gay pride events in 1975. 'WorldPride is happening and it is essential to our community both in the US and around the world that we continue to be seen and our voices heard,' June Crenshaw, deputy director of the alliance, said in the statement. A Kennedy Center spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on Capital Pride's decision to relocate its programming. WorldPride's changes follow cancellations or withdrawals of other performances at the Kennedy Center, including a May 21 concert pairing the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, DC, with the National Symphony Orchestra. And it comes in the wake of President Donald Trump's move earlier this year to install himself as chairman of the Kennedy Center and remake its role in American life. ''NO MORE DRAG SHOWS, OR OTHER ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA – ONLY THE BEST'.' Trump wrote in a social media post in February announcing Richard Grenell, former acting director of national intelligence and U.S. ambassador to Germany, as the center's executive director. 'Ric shares my Vision for a GOLDEN AGE of American Arts and Culture, and will be overseeing the daily operations of the Center.' Since Trump's takeover, the center has laid off employees working in government relations, social media, campus planning and other projects, staff have said. More than a dozen other employees have resigned. Michael Roest, founder and director of the International Pride Orchestra, said his group's June 5 performance at the Kennedy Center was abruptly canceled within days of Trump's takeover. Roest told the Associated Press he was in the final stages of planning the Kennedy Center performance after months of emails and Zoom calls. He was waiting on a final contract when Trump posted on social media on Feb. 7 of the leadership changes and his intention to transform the center's programming. The Kennedy Center immediately became nonresponsive, Roest said. On Feb. 12, he told the AP, he received a one-sentence email from a Kennedy Center staffer saying: 'We are no longer able to advance your contract at this time.' Roest said he never received an explanation as to why the performance was canceled so late in the planning stages. He said his orchestra would no longer consider performing at the Kennedy Center, and he believes most queer artists would make the same choice. 'There would need to be a very, very public statement of inclusivity from the administration, from that board, for us to consider that,' he said. 'Otherwise it is a hostile performance space.' This is not the first time WorldPride has been caught in the swirl of the Trump administration's policies. After Trump announced an executive order targeting companies with diversity, equity and inclusion programs, federal contractor Booz Allen Hamilton withdrew its sponsorship of the festival. A number of international groups, concerned about the Trump administration's attacks on DEI efforts and its targeting of transgender rights in the United States, have said they are planning to stay away from the festival. In February, Canada's largest gay rights organization, Egale Canada, said it would not take part in any events held in the United States, including WorldPride. There is 'a lack of human decency when it comes to how this administration wants to engage with or not engage with members of the LGBTI community,' said Helen Kennedy, Egale Canada's executive director. 'I didn't think it was safe for my staff, specifically my gender diverse staff, to go, and so this is the position that we've taken.'
CNN
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Kennedy Center's LGBTQ+ Pride events canceled
Organizers and the Kennedy Center have canceled a week's worth of events celebrating LGBTQ+ rights for this summer's World Pride festival in Washington, D.C., amid a shift in priorities and the ousting of leadership at one of the nation's premier cultural institutions. Multiple artists and producers involved in the center's Tapestry of Pride schedule, which had been planned for June 5 to 8, told The Associated Press that their events had been quietly canceled or moved to other venues. And in the wake of the cancellations, Washington's Capital Pride Alliance has disassociated itself from the Kennedy Center. 'We are a resilient community, and we have found other avenues to celebrate,' said June Crenshaw, deputy director of the alliance. 'We are finding another path to the celebration … but the fact that we have to maneuver in this way is disappointing.' The Kennedy Center's website still lists Tapestry of Pride on its website with a general description and a link to the World Pride site. There are no other details. The Kennedy Center did not respond to a request from the AP for comment. The move comes on the heels of massive changes at the Kennedy Center, with President Donald Trump firing both the president and chairman in early February. Trump replaced most of the board with loyalists, who then elected him the new Kennedy Center chairman. The World Pride event, held every two years, starts in just under a month — running from May 17 through June 8 with performances and celebrations planned across the capital city. But Trump administration policies on transgender rights and comments about Kennedy Center drag performances have sparked concern about what kind of reception attendees will receive. 'I know that D.C. as a community will be very excited to be hosting World Pride, but I know the community is a little bit different than the government,' said Michael Roest, founder and director of the International Pride Orchestra, which had its June 5 performance at the Kennedy Center abruptly canceled within days of Trump's takeover. Roest told the AP he was in the final stages of planning the Kennedy Center performance after months of emails and Zoom calls. He was waiting on a final contract when Trump posted on social media Feb. 7 of the leadership changes and his intention to transform the Kennedy Center's programming. Immediately the Kennedy Center became nonresponsive, Roest said. On Feb. 12, he said, he received a one-sentence email from a Kennedy Center staffer stating, 'We are no longer able to advance your contract at this time.' 'They went from very eager to host to nothing,' he said. 'We have not since heard a word from anybody at the Kennedy Center, but that's not going to stop us.' In the wake of the cancellation, Roest said he managed to move the International Pride Orchestra performance to the Strathmore theater in nearby Bethesda, Maryland. Crenshaw said some other events, including a drag story time and a display of parts of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, would be moved to the World Pride welcome center in Chinatown. Monica Alford, a veteran arts and culture journalist and event planner, was scheduled to organize an event June 8 as part of Tapestry of Pride, but said she also saw communication abruptly end within days of Trump's takeover. Alford has a long history with the Kennedy Center and organized the first-ever drag brunch on the Kennedy Center rooftop in 2024, and said she regarded the institution — and its recent expansion known as The Reach — as 'my home base' and 'a safe space for the queer community' She said she was still finalizing the details of her event, which she described as 'meant to be family-friendly, just like the drag brunch was family-friendly and classy and sophisticated.' She said she mourns the loss of the partnership she nurtured with the Kennedy Center. 'We're doing our community a disservice — not just the queer community but the entire community,' she said. Roest said he never received an explanation as to why the performance was canceled so late in the planning stages. He said his orchestra would no longer consider performing at the Kennedy Center, and he believes most queer artists would make the same choice. 'There would need to be a very, very public statement of inclusivity from the administration, from that board, for us to consider that,' he said. 'Otherwise it is a hostile performance space.'
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kennedy Center cancels LGBTQ+ Pride events to align with new priorities after Trump fired center's leadership
The Kennedy Center has canceled a week's worth of events celebrating LGBTQ+ people for the World Pride festival in Washington, D.C., amid a change in focus and the Trump administration firing the center's leadership. Multiple artists and producers involved in the center's Tapestry of Pride schedule said their events had been quietly canceled or transferred to other venues. The Tapestry of Pride was planned for June 5 to 8 before the cancellation. Washington's Capital Pride Alliance disassociated itself from the Kennedy Center in response to the canceled events. "We are a resilient community, and we have found other avenues to celebrate," the alliance's deputy director June Crenshaw told The Associated Press. "We are finding another path to the celebration … but the fact that we have to maneuver in this way is disappointing." Trump Fires Kennedy Center Board Members Citing Drag Shows, Appoints Himself Chairman The Kennedy Center's website still has a section for Tapestry of Pride with a general description and a link to the World Pride site. No other information is provided on the website. Read On The Fox News App The cancellations come in the wake of massive changes at the Kennedy Center, including President Donald Trump firing both the president and chairman in early February. Trump replaced most of the board with loyalists, who subsequently elected him the new chairman of the institution. The World Pride event is held every two years and this year's event runs from May 17 through June 8 with performances and celebrations planned across the nation's capital. But concerns arose about what kind of reception attendees will receive due to Trump administration policies targeting transgender people and comments about Kennedy Center drag performances. "I know that D.C. as a community will be very excited to be hosting World Pride, but I know the community is a little bit different than the government," said Michael Roest, founder and director of the International Pride Orchestra, which had its June 5 performance at the Kennedy Center canceled just days after Trump's took control of the institution. Roest told The Associated Press he was in the final stages of planning the performance at the center. He was waiting on a final contract when Trump revealed on Feb. 7 the leadership changes and his plans to amend the institution's programming. The center then became unresponsive, he said. On Feb. 12, Roest said he received a one-sentence email from a Kennedy Center staffer saying that they "are no longer able to advance your contract at this time." "They went from very eager to host to nothing," he told The Associated Press. "We have not since heard a word from anybody at the Kennedy Center, but that's not going to stop us." After the cancellation, Roest said he was able to move the International Pride Orchestra performance to the Strathmore theater in nearby Bethesda, Maryland. Roest said he was never given an explanation for why the performance was canceled so late in the planning stages. He said his orchestra would no longer consider performing at the Kennedy Center and that most queer artists would likely make the same choice. "There would need to be a very, very public statement of inclusivity from the administration, from that board, for us to consider that," he said. "Otherwise it is a hostile performance space." Crenshaw said some other events, including a drag story time and a display of parts of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, would be transferred to the World Pride welcome center in Chinatown. Seattle Pride Faces Budget Shortfall As Corporate Sponsorships Dwindle Amid Anti-dei Shift Monica Alford, a veteran arts and culture journalist and event planner, was set to organize an event on June 8 as part of Tapestry of Pride, but said she also experienced an abrupt end to communication within days of Trump's takeover of the Kennedy Center. Alford has a long history with the Kennedy Center and organized the first-ever drag brunch on its rooftop last year. She said she viewed the institution as her "home base" and "a safe space for the queer community." She also said she was disappointed to lose the partnership she had with the Kennedy Center. "We're doing our community a disservice — not just the queer community but the entire community," she told The Associated Press. She said she was still finalizing the details of her event, which she said was "meant to be family-friendly, just like the drag brunch was family-friendly and classy and sophisticated." The Associated Press contributed to this article source: Kennedy Center cancels LGBTQ+ Pride events to align with new priorities after Trump fired center's leadership
