Kennedy Center Director Slams ‘Les Misérables’ Actors as ‘Vapid and Intolerant’ for Threatening Boycott of Trump Performance

**Kennedy Center Director Slams ‘Les Misérables’ Actors as ‘Vapid and Intolerant’ for Threatening Boycott of Trump Performance**

After a number of cast members of the touring Broadway production of "Les Misérables" reportedly threatened to boycott a upcoming performance due to the anticipated presence of former President Donald Trump in the audience, a new controversy has erupted at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Kennedy Center Board Chairman Richard Grenell has voiced his strong disapproval of the protest, describing the actors as "vapid and intolerant" in a public statement and promising to "no longer fund intolerance" in the performing arts. The planned boycott centers around the June 11th performance of *Les Misérables* in Washington, D.C., where Trump is expected to attend as part of a broader re-engagement with national cultural events. As many as a dozen members of the cast, including lead and ensemble performers, have indicated that they do not wish to appear in a performance attended by the former president, according to CNN and Playbill reports. The situation has sparked a cultural and political conflagration, despite the fact that the show's producers have permitted actors to withdraw from that night's performance without incurring any penalties. Grenell, a former ambassador and Trump ally who was appointed as Kennedy Center Board Chairman earlier this year, issued a fiery response to the news, accusing the actors of promoting political division and undermining the inclusive mission of the arts. Grenell stated, "The Kennedy Center will no longer fund intolerance." “If you refuse to perform for someone because of their political beliefs, you have no place on our stages. We will not subsidize people who demand ideological purity tests for theatergoers.”

He went further, suggesting that performers who refuse to engage with audiences across the political spectrum should be publicly named, so producers and venues across the country can make informed decisions about future collaborations. “We must know who these people are,” Grenell added. “If you want to be a partisan activist, do it on your own time — not on the taxpayer’s dime.”

Reactions to Grenell’s remarks have been swift and deeply divided. The chairman's supporters praised his position as a defense of artistic neutrality and patrons' freedom of expression regardless of political affiliation. On social media, one supporter stated, "The arts should be a place where everyone is welcome, regardless of who they voted for." “What these actors are doing is elitist and exclusionary.”

However, critics argue that the statement represents an attempt to intimidate performers and politicize an institution that is meant to remain above partisan battles. A representative of a major theater union stated, "Artists have the right to choose where, when, and for whom they perform." “Threatening to blacklist performers is antithetical to the very principles of freedom and creativity that institutions like the Kennedy Center are supposed to uphold.”

The broader context of the controversy lies in the ongoing transformation of the Kennedy Center under Trump-aligned leadership. Since returning to public life, Trump has sought to reassert influence over major cultural institutions that he and his supporters believe have grown increasingly hostile to conservative voices. After taking control of the Kennedy Center’s board in early 2025, Trump appointed Grenell and other allies to key positions, displacing many long-serving members with ties to the Democratic Party and the arts community.

The backlash has been significant. Several high-profile artists and patrons, including Shonda Rhimes, Issa Rae, and composer Ben Folds, have severed ties with the Kennedy Center. Earlier this spring, the Broadway hit *Hamilton* canceled a planned 2026 stop at the venue in protest of what they described as “a politicized and regressive leadership shift.”

Still, Grenell and the new leadership remain defiant, arguing that the changes are about restoring balance and inclusivity to the arts. “This is not about Donald Trump,” Grenell said in an interview. "It's about making sure that everyone feels welcome, and performers should remember that they are a part of a tradition that transcends politics." Whether that vision will succeed remains to be seen. As the June 11 performance approaches, tensions continue to rise, with political pundits and cultural commentators debating the future of one of America’s most iconic performance venues. This latest conflict over "Les Misérables" may be just the beginning of a much more contentious relationship that exists at the intersection of politics, public funding, and art. For now, audiences and artists alike are left to consider what role politics should play in the performing arts — and whether tolerance must include those with whom we passionately disagree.