Latest news with #TheKennedyCenter
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kennedy Center promotes first explicitly pro-Christian feature in years as part of new ‘family-friendly' focus
The Kennedy Center is seeking to revamp its family-focused programming, including through offering more explicitly faith-based content that has often been left off the center's agenda. To kick off the new focus, the Kennedy Center will be holding a free family screening of the new Angel Studios animated movie "The King of Kings," which journeys through the life of Jesus from the viewpoint of a young boy who, throughout the movie, discovers the transformative power of faith. It is the first Jesus-centric show there since 2022. The "King of Kings" screening, which will be held on Sunday, June 1, marks a shift to providing more pro-Christian content at the Kennedy Center. According to the center, the only recent modern production that could be considered "Christian" was a 2022 showing of "Jesus Christ Superstar," a musical from the early 1970s that some critics (at least initially, such as the late Rev. Billy Graham) considered sacrilegious. David Marcus: As Springsteen And De Niro Trash America Abroad, Kennedy Center Thrives "When I saw the advertising campaign for 'King of Kings,' I immediately knew we needed to have it come to the Kennedy Center," Ambassador Richard Grenell, President of The Kennedy Center, said. "And then coincidentally, I was asked to be on a panel with the CEO of Angel Studios, so I cornered him. This is family-friendly programming that we will be doing more of in the future." Read On The Fox News App The special screening of "King of Kings" will mark the center's first Jesus-centric show since "Jesus Christ Superstar," the Kennedy Center indicated. The venue has hosted gospel singers and classical performances by composers such as Mozart and Beethoven, some of which were originally commissioned for church music. Scoop: Dolly Parton Symphony Concert Heads To Dc's Kennedy Center In Event 'No One Will Want To Miss' "The King of Kings has become the most successful theatrically released faith-based animated film in history," said David Fischer, Head of Acquisitions & Business Affairs at Angel Studios. "But its greatest achievement is in the hearts it's moved—and its screening at the Kennedy Center is a symbol of just how far truth and light can travel." The film, which came out last month, saw a strong box office performance, earning $19.3 million during its first weekend in theaters. It is produced by Angel Studios, which is a crowd-funded streaming service and film studio that produces a lot of pro-Christian content and aims to help boost independent article source: Kennedy Center promotes first explicitly pro-Christian feature in years as part of new 'family-friendly' focus
Newsweek
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Musician Nile Rodgers on Trump's America: 'So Strange Right Now'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Musician Nile Rodgers questioned President Donald Trump's decision to become chairman of The Kennedy Center, telling Newsweek: "America is so strange right now." Rodgers was the star performer at the King's Trust Global Gala in New York on Thursday night, getting big name celebrities on their feet and dancing with his disco hits including Le Freak. And on the red carpet, he told Newsweek his candid thoughts on where America stands just more than 100 days into Trump's second term as president. He questioned the president's decision to fire multiple board members of The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., before taking on the role of chairman. "How does a person who has nothing to do with art find themselves in charge of, artistically, what we're going to say. That would be like me trying to be an artist who's designing things that have absolutely nothing to do with my background. I don't feel like I'm qualified. That would be like me running for public office." He continued: "I do what I do because it's who I am as a human being. And the president of the United States being in charge of the arts? Especially he ever been known for that? Just think about that question. You know, America is so strange right now. It's hard for me to tell if there's love for anyone which is bizarre because I'm usually the most optimistic person in the world." Musician Nile Rodgers attends The King's Trust 4th Annual Global Gala, in New York City on May 1. Musician Nile Rodgers attends The King's Trust 4th Annual Global Gala, in New York City on May 1."It's not America as a whole because I just came back from North Carolina and I had the nicest time. People were so kind, they were so loving, and it didn't seem like politics were on their mind. It just felt like they were the way that people used to be and it's just heartbreaking to me because I think people should be kind," Rodgers said. The King's Trust is King Charles III's most successful charity, founded in the 1970s to help disadvantaged young people into work. Rodgers was a disco icon with band Chic and also produced major hits by Madonna including Like a Virgin and Material Girl. He gave a glowing account of his experiences of the king: "I've done so much and he's done so much. He's just a charitable, wonderful human being. Every time I've met him, every time I've worked with him, it's just been pure joy. Regardless of what you believe in, we should just have dignity that we should be cool and that's what the king is. Every time I'm with him he is the coolest and he's always engaged." He continued: "Every time I see people around him, he's interested in what they have to say even though his troop is leading him through the crowd he still stops and talks to people. You have to be a real person to be that way. I don't think that that's made up, I don't think he's trying to have a great public image I think he's just that person." Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page. Do you have a question about Charles and Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Kate, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@ We'd love to hear from you.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Giant Mars inflatable rolls away from Kennedy Center's 'Celestial Bodies' display: video
The Brief Video of a giant inflatable mars rolling away from the Kennedy Center was posted on Instagram on Thursday. The inflatable Mars is part of the latest display at the Kennedy Center titled "Celestial Bodies: Earth, Moon, Mars." The installment features three 30-foot-high inflatable models of the Earth, the Moon, and Mars, The Kennedy Center tells FOX 5 the inflatable is safely back on their grounds. WASHINGTON - A video posted to Instagram shows a 30-foot-high inflatable Mars blown away from the Kennedy Center's newest display. What Happened The popular Instagram page washingtonianprobs, which covers all things DMV, posted the video captioned "Mars Escapes the Kennedy Center." The video shows several different angles of the inflatable rolling away from the building before landing in the roadway. What they're saying Many people weighed in on the video, joking that it's a sign of the times. "I get it, Mars. I get it," one person said. "Great representation of how everyone in DC is feeling right now," said another. "Mars said "I had enough of 2025, I'm outta here!" The Metropolitan Police Department says it didn't receive any calls about the incident and the Kennedy Center tells FOX 5 the inflatable is safely on their grounds. 'Out of This World' The inflatable Mars is part of the latest display at the Kennedy Center titled "Celestial Bodies: Earth, Moon, Mars." The installment features three 30-foot-high inflatable models of the Earth, the Moon, and Mars, located on the REACH Plaza and around the REACH grounds. "It's an 'out of this world' photo op!" the Center says. The installation was put up on March 28 and will remain at the Center until April 20. The Kennedy Center says it was created by Kubíček Factory of the Czech Republic. The backstory The Kennedy Center has been in turmoil since President Donald Trump ousted much of its leadership and assumed the role of chair of the Board of Trustees. In February, the president announced his plans to remove multiple members of the Kennedy Center's Board, including Chairman David M. Rubenstein. Trump has criticized past programming, specifically highlighting drag performances hosted at the venue. Following the president's changes to the leadership of the arts institution, several shows and performances have been canceled or moved. Dig deeper The Kennedy Center, established as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, has long been a pillar of the nation's cultural scene. In 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation creating a National Cultural Center in Washington, D.C. President and Mrs. Kennedy launched a $30 million fundraising campaign in 1962 to support its construction, with bipartisan backing from former President Eisenhower. ' Following President Kennedy's assassination, Congress renamed the center in his honor, with President Lyndon B. Johnson signing the designation into law in 1964. The Source Photo and Video Credits: @washingtonianprobs, @elizabeth_oien, @noelleolol
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kennedy Center guts social impact team; more layoffs expected
The Kennedy Center on Tuesday terminated at least five members of its small social impact team, including its artistic director Marc Bamuthi Joseph, according to multiple staff members with direct knowledge of the firings, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution. The team's focus was reaching new and diverse audiences beyond those who regularly attend symphony and opera performances, and 'to advance justice and equity' through art, according to its website. These programs take many forms, such as an effort to commission new works by Black composers and librettists from across the nation, along with other projects. Recent performances include 'Traumedy,' a stand-up show in which comedians discuss their personal struggles, followed by a question-and-answer session with the comedians and mental health therapists. 'Poetry & Art as Liberation: Stories of Hope and Resilience in the Prison System' featured poetry and visual art from formerly incarcerated artists. 'The Cartography Project' seeks to 'encourage meaningful dialogue about the future of anti-racism' through classical music. Kennedy Center staffers were told that this is part of an overall reduction in workforce and that more layoffs are forthcoming, though they received no further details. The reason for the terminations is unclear. Roma Daravi, the center's head of public relations, did not respond to The Washington Post's request for comment. It is the center's first major reduction in workforce since President Donald Trump last month ousted Kennedy Center President Deborah F. Rutter and Chairman David M. Rubenstein, along with all Biden-appointed members of the board of trustees, which he then replaced with his own, who voted him in as chair. The new leadership promptly fired three other staff members, including its previous head of public relations, general counsel and a vice president who worked in development. Since then, at least 10 staffers have resigned. New leadership also directed the programming team to 'shut down all social impact programming,' according to a staffer with knowledge of the conversation. The directive left the staff confounded, because the social impact team touched on much of the center's programming, including the free shows on Millennium Stage. One Kennedy Center staffer felt flabbergasted and suggested the new leadership doesn't understand how the organization works, since shutting down social impact programming would affect a broad swath of events. The social impact team produces its own programming and consults throughout the center on programming. It also runs the Millennium Stage, which hosts free performances four nights a week and free weekly movie screenings. The members that remain all work directly with the Millennium Stage. The social impact team grew out of the Millennium Stage, which offered comedy, jazz, hip-hop and other performances, making it the Kennedy Center's primary lever for lowering barriers of entry and reaching beyond its traditional audiences. However, despite the diverse programming and gratis entry, getting to the Kennedy Center for a 6 p.m. performance was still a challenge. In 2019, after the Kennedy Center opened the Reach — the $250 million campus expansion recently disparaged by Trump — the cultural center expanded its Millennium Stage division and gave it a broader mission. The idea was to use the new architecture to develop a 'culture of invitation,' according to one social impact staffer who was fired on Tuesday, who spoke on the condition of anonymity so as not to violate a non-disparagement agreement with the center. 'There have been hyperlocal impacts and also really broad impacts,' said the former staffer. 'Our trajectory was extraordinarily positive.' It is unclear whether the social impact team is being fully dissolved. The Trump administration has had impacts on other arts organizations in Washington, including the National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian Institution, which shuttered their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices following an executive order signed by Trump that clamped down on DEI programs across the federal government. Last year, the Kennedy Center program received permanent funding: an $8 million endowment from Shelley and Allan Holt. 'This was a program that was paying for itself, expanding audience, creating new levels of belonging and confidence and communities, across the cultural landscape of D.C. and beyond,' said the former social impact staffer, who had direct knowledge of the unit's funding and resources. The dismissals come two days after the center's first major event under new leadership, the Mark Twain Prize, which was given to comedian Conan O'Brien. During his speech, O'Brien gave 'a special thanks to all the beautiful people who have worked here at the Kennedy Center for years and who are worried about what the future might bring. My eternal thanks for their selfless devotion to the arts.' The audience gave them a standing ovation.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Actor Harvey Fierstein claims his shows are banned from Kennedy Center, but venue head calls it 'total lie'
Film and Broadway veteran Harvey Fierstein alleged that his shows have been "banned" from the Kennedy Center since President Donald Trump's "takeover" of the storied performing arts venue. Fierstein, who has won four Tonys for his stage work in addition to appearing in numerous movies and shows, has been in several shows performed at the Kennedy Center. In January, Trump fired members of the center's Board of Trustees and announced he had been elected board chair by his new handpicked board. Fierstein claimed that, as a consequence, some of his shows are no longer welcome. "A few folks have written to ask how I feel about Trump's takeover of The Kennedy Center. How do you think I feel?" Fierstein wrote on Instagram. "The shows I've written are now banned from being performed in our premiere American theater. Those shows, most of which have been performed there in the past, include, KINKY BOOTS, LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, TORCH SONG TRILOGY, HAIRSPRAY, SAFE SEX, CASA VALENTINA, SPOOKHOUSE, A CATERED AFFAIR, THE SISSY DUCKLING, BELLA BELLA and more." Bill Maher Rips Left's 'Exclusionary Attitude' As 'Hamilton' Cancels Shows At Trump-backed Kennedy Center "I have been in the struggle for our civil rights for more than 50 years only to watch them snatched away by a man who actually couldn't care less," Fierstein continued. "He does this stuff only to placate the religious right so they'll look the other way as he savages our political system for his own glorification." Read On The Fox News App Later in the post, Fierstein claimed Trump was attacking free speech. "He attacks free speech," Fierstein said. "He attacks the free press. He attacks America's allies. His only allegiance is to himself – the golden calf. My fellow Americans I warn you – this is NOT how it begins. This is how freedom ENDS! Trump may have declared 'woke' as dead in America. We must prove him wrong. WAKE THE HELL UP!!!!!" Whoopi Declares She 'Has No Plans To Go' To Kennedy Center After Trump Becomes Chairman Of Venue Kennedy Center interim Executive Director Richard Grenell disputed Fierstein's allegation on X, calling it fiction. "This is a total lie," Grenell wrote. "Whoever told you this (because you obviously didn't do your own research) should be fired from your team for purposefully making you look foolish." He also noted that he, too, has been in the decades-long fight for equality and proudly served as the first openly gay U.S. Cabinet official during the first Trump administration, as the acting Director of National Intelligence. Kennedy Center Director Encourages Republican Attendance, Says 'Everyone Is Welcome' Several artists have distanced themselves from the Kennedy Center following Trump's move. Actress Issa Rae canceled her shows at the center, while other celebrities like "Grey's Anatomy" creator Shonda Rhimes and musician Ben Folds quit their positions at the venue. The producers of Broadway's "Hamilton" pulled out of a planned run there next year. "Our show simply cannot, in good conscience, participate and be a part of this new culture that is being imposed on the Kennedy Center," producer Jeffrey Seller said earlier this month. Grenell has previously said that his goal is to make the theater "prosperous" again and to welcome everyone. "The Kennedy Center is the premier arts institution in the United States," Grenell told Fox News Digital last week. "It deserves to have the public's full support and a balance sheet that is solid." Fox News Digital has reached out to Fierstein for further comment but did not immediately receive a article source: Actor Harvey Fierstein claims his shows are banned from Kennedy Center, but venue head calls it 'total lie'
