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Stephen Schwartz boycotts Kennedy Center over Trump name controversy

The Wicked composer's dramatic exit exposes a widening rift between artists and the newly renamed venue. A historic institution now faces an identity crisis.

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2 min read
The image shows a drawing of a large building with statues on top of it, which is the National...
The image shows a drawing of a large building with statues on top of it, which is the National Theatre in London. The building is adorned with intricate sculptures and steps leading up to the entrance, and the sky is visible in the background. At the bottom of the image, there is some text.

Stephen Schwartz boycotts Kennedy Center over Trump name controversy

Composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz has withdrawn from a Kennedy Center programme scheduled for 16 May. The decision follows a growing boycott by artists over the venue's recent renaming in honour of former US President Donald Trump. Schwartz, known for hit musicals like Wicked and Godspell, is the latest high-profile figure to distance himself from the institution.

In a strongly worded statement, he declared the centre no longer stands for the apolitical, free artistic expression it was created to uphold. He added he would never enter the building again under its current name.

Schwartz's withdrawal marks a sharp turn for someone deeply tied to the Kennedy Center's history. In 1971, he co-wrote Mass with Leonard Bernstein, the groundbreaking work that inaugurated the venue. His upcoming event, No Place Like Home, was intended to reflect America's shifting national mood—yet he now refuses to perform there.

The centre continued advertising his appearance until Thursday afternoon. By evening, all references had vanished from their website. Schwartz later revealed he had received no updates since February 2025 and assumed the event was quietly scrapped due to changes under the Trump administration. His exit follows a wave of similar protests. Composer Philip Glass pulled the world premiere of his Abraham Lincoln symphony in June. The San Francisco Ballet cancelled a five-day run in May, stating they would seek other Washington, D.C., venues instead. Even the cast of *Les Misérables* boycotted a performance attended by Trump, a move criticised by former ambassador Richard Grenell as 'vapid and intolerant'. Schwartz's Oscar-shortlisted songs—*Wicked: For Good*, *The Girl in the Bubble*, and *No Place Like Home*—remain in contention. But his stance on the Kennedy Center signals a broader divide between artists and the newly renamed institution.

The boycott continues to grow, with Schwartz's departure reinforcing the split between performers and the Kennedy Center. His refusal to engage with the venue underscores deeper tensions over its political associations. For now, the centre faces an uncertain future as more artists follow suit.

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