Kennedy Center cancels Pride performance featuring Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington
The Kennedy Center canceled an upcoming performance set to feature the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, which the center said was due to financial constraints and scheduling conflicts.
The chorus, one of the oldest LGBTQ choral organizations in the U.S., was set to perform alongside the National Symphony Orchestra in May as part of this summer’s WorldPride festival in Washington.
“We are deeply disappointed with the news that our upcoming Pride performance with the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) has been canceled,” the chorus said in a statement on social media.
“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 group said. “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. 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.”
The event, “A Peacock Among Pigeons: Celebrating 50 Years of Pride,” was removed last week from the Kennedy Center’s website, The Advocate reported, just days after Trump terminated the cultural center’s board of trustees and installed himself as chair.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that the decision to take over the Kennedy Center was made, in part, because of a drag performance held there last year. He called drag shows “anti-American propaganda” in another post announcing his selection of Richard Grenell to lead the center as executive director.
Grenell, also serving as an envoy for special missions, became the first openly gay Cabinet member when he was appointed acting director of national intelligence during Trump’s first term.
In an emailed statement, Jean Davidson, executive director of the NSO, said the Kennedy Center's decision to cancel the performance preceded Trump’s takeover.
“Before the leadership transition at the Kennedy Center, we made the decision to postpone Peacock Among Pigeons due to financial and scheduling factors. We chose to replace it with The Wizard of Oz, another suitable program for World PRIDE participation,” Davidson said.
“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,” she said.
The original performance, which the Kennedy Center announced in June, was to be based on Tyler Curry and Clarione Gutierrez’s children’s book “A Peacock Among Pigeons,” about learning to embrace and celebrate one’s differences.
It was billed as a musical accompaniment to WorldPride, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, a coalition of more than 300 members that serenaded former President Clinton at his second inauguration in 1997, said it still plans to perform “A Peacock Among Pigeons” during its upcoming choral festival, also a part of WorldPride.
“We will continue to advocate for artistic expression that reflects the depth and diversity of our community and country,” the group said. “We will continue to sing and raise our voices for equality.”
Stars serving in various roles at the Kennedy Center — including Ben Folds, Shonda Rhimes and Renée Fleming — announced they were leaving after Trump’s move, and actress Issa Rae canceled her sold-out show at the venue over what she said was “an infringement on the values of an institution that has faithfully celebrated artists of all backgrounds.”
Updated at 4:54 p.m. EST
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