Growing up, the Kennedy Center was at the center of my life. I remember piling into a school bus or my mom’s car and entering the magnificent hall, marveling at the luscious red carpet and twinkling chandeliers. Sitting in the audience, no matter what, I was transported into a story — whether a tale of heroes and villains, a moment in history brought to life with song, or concerts featuring talented musicians — and left the theater with a changed heart and an ache to one day be up there myself. As I grew older, that wish never faded, and in high school I was fortunate enough to come alive on the Kennedy Center stage, performing numerous times in front of a crowd. There is nothing quite like the magic of watching or partaking in a performance on that stage. That sheer wonder of seeing and making stories come to life stays with me even now. So when the news came out that Donald Trump had installed himself as chair of the Kennedy Center, my heart broke.
Theater, and in turn, the Kennedy Center, acts as a mirror to society. It is a reflection of our world in all its complexity. Almost every night at the Kennedy Center, people sit together in anticipation of watching a show that conveys a powerful story, and the idea that what you are seeing on stage matters. I left with the desire to be on stage and a thirst to know more. To this day, I still find myself combing through plays and musicals, chasing the joy I felt when I saw them on stage. That is the gift and privilege of theater. But we are now in an era where the Kennedy Center no longer values that gift.
Trump has appointed himself as chair of the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees. This has allowed him, and in turn his administration, to significantly influence the Center’s operations. Soon after the announcement, the new administration declared that they were moving away from content and performances deemed a part of “woke” culture. With that, performances with themes of diversity and inclusion have been canceled, to the dismay of many. The theater community across the country has erupted in concern and sadness at the slim prospect of shows returning to the Center, as well as lost job opportunities for performers. The Kennedy Center that I remember, a place of artistic freedom and endless possibilities, has begun to erode in front of our very eyes.
A deep sadness falls over me as the Kennedy Center, in just a few months, has become synonymous with winces and groans in the circles I orbit. The kid in me still wants to feel the pride and joy of living so close to the Center. Now I feel only embarrassment and frustration, and shock at how quickly things have changed. The Kennedy Center was, and should be, a hub for celebrating what it means to be human and be together, through song, poetry, scripts, and art. But now our president and his administration, allergic to self-reflection and open minds, have cast aside the foundation of the Kennedy Center to push their own agenda.
Trump titles this era a “Golden Age in Arts and Culture.” But I don’t see anything golden about it. I see the suppression of thought, creativity, and community. This so-called “Golden Age” only signals the painting over of colors that make up the theater I have come to know and love, as seen with the cancellation of a performance with the National Symphony Orchestra featuring the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C. Living in one “color” is suffocating to everyone who is different, and I once again ponder what truly is so great about the new age that is upon us. It seems to be golden only for the few and not the many — which goes against the truth that theater is for everyone, and that everyone deserves to see themselves on the stage and have their stories told. I am not here to argue the morality or ethics of performances; my previous writings already speak to my opinions. There is content in many performances at the Kennedy Center that I don’t love, and even disagree with. But there is value in comsuming what we do not understand or agree with. There is value in theater remaining a place where every color gets to grace the stage — not just those that fit the golden era.
The theater community must resist the path being laid out for us. We must continue to fight for theater that acts as the bridge to our shared humanity and reject this new “Golden Age.” I am inspired by the actions of Rhiannon Giddens, OC ’00, and Issa Raae, who canceled their performances at the Kennedy Center to protest Trump’s takeover. Artists and audience members like myself must fight the oppression of the Trump administration by boycotting and protesting the actions of the Center’s new “board.” We must support alternative voices in theater; in Washington, D.C., there is Arena Stage, the National Theater, Ford’s Theatre, and more. These are all theaters that I grew up with and have loved just as much as the Kennedy Center. These are also theaters with programming and organizations that give opportunities to marginalized communities — consider supporting them financially as well. Overall, we must resist. If we allow Trump’s agenda to silence the work and art we love, we lose so much more than just performances. We lose our culture.
In contrast to my usual writings, I do not want to end on a call to action. While important, I want to conclude by making space for the sadness that is being felt all over the country. August Wilson once said that “all human life is universal and it is theater that illuminates and confers upon the universal the ability to speak for all men.” We must grieve the dimming of one of our brightest stars. I look to better days in hopes of the Kennedy Center returning to its former glory.
