Gay Men’s Chorus Of DC Reacts To Canceled Kennedy Center Show: “Deeply Disappointed”
UPDATED with NSO statement: With President Donald Trump taking over the Kennedy Center, the Pride Month festivities at the performing arts institution are looking a little different.
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC (GMCW) recently shared in a statement they were “deeply disappointed” to hear about the Kennedy Center’s cancelation of A Peacock Among Pigeons, their Pride performance with the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO).
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“We believe in the power of music to educate and uplift, to foster love, understanding, and community, and we regret that this opportunity has been taken away,” the statement read in part.
“While we are saddened by the decision, we are committed to this work and to our mission of raising our voices for equality for all,” they continued. “We are grateful for those who have supported us, and we will continue to seek spaces where our voices, our stories, and our music can be heard. To that end, we will be performing A Peacock Among Pigeons during our upcoming Choral Festival that is a part of WorldPride 2025.”
The CMCW added, “We will continue to advocate for artistic expression that reflects the depth and diversity of our community and country. We will continue to sing and raise our voices for equality.”
The statement comes following Trump’s appointment as the Center’s new chairman after he ousted half the organization’s board members nominated by Joe Biden.
When reached for comment, the Kennedy Center provided a statement to Deadline from NSO executive director Jean Davidson, noting that the show has merely been postponed, which was decided “before the leadership transition” and was “due to financial and scheduling factors.”
“We chose to replace it with The Wizard of Oz, another suitable program for World PRIDE participation,” added Davidson. “Program changes are a common practice. We were unable to announce the replacement program until we had secured the rights to present it, but in the interest of transparency, we removed the original program from the website to prevent further ticket sales.”
Since Trump took over, Shonda Rhimes has resigned from the board of the Kennedy Center, and Issa Rae has canceled a show scheduled for the venue. Meanwhile, Trump has faced backlash from supporters of the Kennedy Center’s canceled touring children’s musical Finn.
Trump previously threatened to make the Kennedy Center “GREAT AGAIN,” announcing his plan earlier this month to remove those “who do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture.”
“We will soon announce a new Board, with an amazing Chairman, DONALD J. TRUMP!” he added. “Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP. The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our Nation. For the Kennedy Center, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!”
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