The citizens of Washington and other states that are just around the corner look to only a few things for entertainment. The National Archives and The Kennedy Center, which is now known as the Trump-Kennedy Center. There have been a multitude of performances that were performed at the Kennedy Center in the past year, such as “Brahms x Radio Head” and “The Virginia Gentlemen.”
However, since Donald Trump pasted his name onto the Kennedy Center, it sparked a lot of backlash in the theater community, causing many shows to pull out of the running in 2026. Since this is happening by “coincidence,” Trump has shut down the Kennedy Center for unnecessary construction purposes, starting in July of 2026. Fans of the theater community have expressed backlash, saying it has negatively impacted theater and shut down most of the East Coast’s number one source of entertainment.
According to a post on X, California’s Governor, right before the shutdown, posted an AI photo of Trump giving him a Kennedy Center Inaugural Peace Prize. He did this as a dig at Trump, slapping his name on the Kennedy Center.
However, in light of current events, the people who have worked as staff members have been negatively impacted. According to IATSE, “At this time, no formal notice or briefing has been provided to the unions of arts workers whose labor sustains the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. We only know of public statements issued by President Trump and an internal message to some Kennedy Center employees that reiterated the President’s social media remarks.”
Mr. Derose, an AP Human Geography and beloved history teacher at Damascus High School, provided his thoughts on the sudden closing of the Kennedy Center. Derose hasn’t seen any shows at the center in Washington, but that didn’t stop him from giving his opinion on the shutdown. Derose believed that the “only impact would be people who would probably not want to go because of the name change.” Derose also believed that the alternative source of entertainment would be “obviously, there’s… tons of social media out there. There’s probably… word of mouth in terms of finding alternative ways to be able to… fulfill your entertainment expectations.”
Just because the Kennedy Center has shut down, that doesn’t mean theater lovers can’t enjoy the liberal arts in the Washington area. Arena Stage has amazing upcoming performances such as “Chez Joey” from January to March, and “A Good Day to Me Not to You” from March to May. The National Theater also has some classic shows that are about to air, such as “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” from March to April and “The Book of Mormon” from April to May.
If you go and see these upcoming performances, please leave a comment below about what you think.
