The 77-year-old songwriter behind Wicked, Godspell and Pippin has pulled out of hosting a Washington National Opera gala scheduled for May. In an interview with Newsday, Schwartz said the venue no longer stands for what it once did after President Donald Trump put his name on the iconic arts center.
“It no longer represents the apolitical place for free artistic expression it was founded to be,” Schwartz said.
Schwartz’s decision carries special weight. He helped launch the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 1971 alongside composer Leonard Bernstein. More than 50 years later, he says he is walking away for good.
The composer, a three-time Oscar winner, said he had been invited to host the May 16 gala long before the name change. But after Trump took control of the board earlier this year, Schwartz said communication stopped.
“I have assumed it’s no longer happening,” he said. “If it is happening, of course, I will not be part of it.”
Schwartz is one of many artists cutting ties with the venue. The backlash began in February after Trump removed the bipartisan board and installed himself as chair. Actor Issa Rae canceled her sold-out March performance soon after. Weeks later, producers of the hit musical Hamilton withdrew planned shows for 2026.
Musicians Ben Folds and Renée Fleming stepped down from advisory roles. After the renaming was announced in December, more cancellations followed, including jazz group The Cookers, dance company Doug Varone and Dancers, and drummer Chuck Redd, who canceled his longtime Christmas Eve Jazz Jam.
The controversy centers on the building’s name. In December, Trump-backed board members voted to add his name to the venue, even though they had no legal authority to do so. Workers installed new signage within 24 hours. Federal law states that the Kennedy Center, named by Congress in 1964 to honor John F. Kennedy, cannot include any additional names without congressional approval.
The situation has now moved to court. Ohio Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty, an ex-officio board member, has sued to block the change. She claims she was muted during the vote when she tried to object.
Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell has dismissed the artist walkouts as “Trump Derangement Syndrome” and even threatened legal action against Chuck Redd.
Still, the impact is being felt. Ticket sales have dropped sharply, major performance dates remain unfilled, and last month’s Kennedy Center Honors — hosted by Trump himself — drew record-low TV ratings.
For Schwartz, the damage is already done.
“There’s no way I would set foot in it now,” he said.
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