Stephen Schwartz said he will not attend a planned May event at the Kennedy Center after its board voted last month to add Donald Trump’s name to the venue.
Schwartz, the composer/lyricist of Wickedwas on display to host the Washington National Opera gala on May 16.
In a statement to Newsday, Schwartz said: “It no longer represents the apolitical venue for free artistic expression that it was founded to be. There is no way I’m going to set foot there now.”
He said that before Trump took control of the board and became its president, he was invited by artistic director Francesca Zambello to participate in the Washington National Opera event.
“But I haven’t heard about it since February 2025, so I assumed it wasn’t happening anymore,” Schwartz said, according to Newsday. “I can’t imagine Francesca continuing under the current circumstances. If that happens, of course I won’t be part of it.”
Kennedy Center spokesperson Roma Daravi said in a statement: “Stephen Schwartz was never discussed or confirmed and never had a contract with the current leadership of the Trump Kennedy Center. Schwartz himself stated that he ‘has not heard of it since February 2025… assuming it was no longer happening.'” To state otherwise is completely false.
The Kennedy Center website still offered access to ticket sales for a Stephen Schwartz event with the Washington National Opera. Schwartz said he would not attend the event scheduled for May 16.
But on the center’s website, the event was still listed, with access to purchase tickets and log in: “See the connections between musical theater and opera come to life in this exciting concert! Celebrated musical theater lyricist and composer Stephen Schwartz curates and hosts for one night only, bringing together an exciting lineup of soloists to perform beloved repertoire.”
Schwartz is the latest artist to abandon plans to appear at the center. After Trump fired board members appointed by Joe Biden and Barack Obama, he took control of the center and became its president. This was followed by a series of artists canceling their plans for the center, including the producers of Hamiltonwhile the likes of Renee Fleming have stepped down as advisors. After the board voted to add Trump’s name to the center, performers dropped shows planned for Christmas and New Year’s Eve, while Doug Varone and Dancers canceled a concert scheduled for April.
Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH), an ex-officio member of the board, filed suit against the center last month, saying only Congress had the authority to change the arts institution’s name. In 1964, Congress designated it as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in memory of the late president.
