Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz has joined the growing list of artists boycotting the recently renamed Kennedy Center.
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In December, the board that presides over the Washington D.C. arts centre, which is closely allied with Donald Trump, voted to rename the building as the Trump-Kennedy Center, prompting jazz musician Chuck Redd to cancel an annual Christmas Eve show.
Redd had overseen the Jazz Jams at the venue during the holiday season since 2006, but after learning of the renaming decision, decided to call off the show.
Despite the venue’s president Richard Grenell strongly criticising Redd’s decision and demanding $1million (£740,000) in damages for what he has described as a “political stunt”, veteran jazz septet The Cookers also went on to cancel two New Year’s Eve performances, while New York dance troupe Doug Varone and Dancers also axed two of their performances set for this spring.
On Thursday (January 1), Oscar-winning Wicked composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz – who was slated to host the Washington National Opera Gala at the Kennedy Center on May 16 – told Newsday that he would be adding his name to the ever-growing list of creatives protesting the venue’s increasingly partisan bias.
“It no longer represents the apolitical place for free artistic expression it was founded to be,” Schwartz told the publication of the Kennedy Center’s divisive new image (via Billboard). “There’s no way I would set foot in it now.”
While he is no longer listed on the venue’s official website, he is still named as the evening’s host on various ticket selling sites.
“Last year, way before the change of Board and name of the Kennedy Center, I was invited by [director] Francesca Zambello to be part of a Washington National Opera event on May 16, 2026,” Schwartz continued in the email. “But I’ve heard nothing about it since February 2025, so I have assumed it’s no longer happening. I can’t imagine Francesca continuing under the current circumstances.
“If it is happening, of course I will not be part of it.” A statement from Kennedy Center vice president of public relations Roma Daravi later claimed Schwartz was “never discussed nor confirmed and never had a contract by current Trump Kennedy Center leadership”. Daravi added that “Schwartz said himself that he ‘heard nothing about it since February 2025…assumed it’s no longer happening.’ It is completely false to report otherwise.”
The fallout from the controversial renaming has already seen Democrats filed a lawsuit to remove Trump’s name from the building, with Representative Joyce Beatty, who is designated a member of the board by law, describing the change as unlawful, as any renaming of the centre would require an act of Congress.
The venue was originally named after John F. Kennedy in 1964 as a “living memorial” to the assassinated former president, and his niece Kerry Kennedy has also vowed to remove the Trump name once he leaves office.
Meanwhile, South Park writer Toby Morton recently revealed that he bought the Trump-Kennedy Center domain names months ago in order to troll the US President.
