President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and their wives are anticipated to attend Wednesday’s opening-night efficiency of “Les Misérables” on the Kennedy Heart, a tone-deaf transfer that makes it abundantly clear Trump has no thought what the musical is absolutely about.
“I love the songs, I love the play,” Trump informed Fox Information Digital final week. “I think it’s great.”
Set towards a backdrop of revolution and insurrection, “Les Misérables” tells the sweeping story of bizarre folks rising up towards a corrupt regime. At its middle is Jean Valjean, a former prisoner convicted for stealing bread and who goes on the run once more after getting out. Since its debut, the present has turn into a world protest anthem, one lately embraced by pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong.
But right here comes Trump, planning to attend a efficiency simply as protests swell throughout the U.S. over his newest brutal crackdown on immigration and his deployment of army forces in Los Angeles.
In different phrases, the optics usually are not nice.
Throughout his first time period, Trump didn’t attend a single efficiency on the Kennedy Heart, however in February of this yr, he ransacked the venue, changing the complete board of trustees and putting in himself because the chair, the place he stays to at the present time.
In response to his shake-up, a string of artists and productions backed out in protest. Actor Issa Rae pulled an occasion, and the hit musical “Hamilton” bowed out.
“Given the recent actions, our show simply cannot, in good conscience, participate and be a part of this new culture that is being imposed on the Kennedy Center,” Jeffrey Vendor, a “Hamilton” producer, mentioned in March.
In the meantime, the middle’s monetary image is dimming. Single-ticket gross sales in April and Could dropped almost 50% from final yr, in keeping with The New York Occasions. However the true blow is in subscriptions—the Kennedy Heart’s core income stream—which have crumbled. Due to that, income from theater subscriptions is down 82%, and for dance, it’s down 57%. Extra lately, Reuters reported that subscription income for subsequent season, set to start this fall, has already fallen 36% year-over-year, sinking to only $2.8 million as of early June.
It’s not arduous to see why. Since returning to energy in January, Trump has gone scorched-earth on the humanities, pulling funding, slashing grants, and proposing to eradicate the Nationwide Endowment for the Arts and the Nationwide Endowment for the Humanities.
Now “Les Misérables” is going through its personal backstage revolt. As much as a dozen forged members are anticipated to boycott the efficiency Trump is predicted to attend on Wednesday.
Nonetheless, a spokesperson for the present informed NBC Information on Wednesday it was “looking forward to performing for D.C. audiences beginning tonight and throughout the engagement at the Kennedy Center, where the U.S. first saw the original production in 1986.”
The night additionally doubles as a fundraiser for the Kennedy Heart. The venue confirmed that safety can be boosted.
Contained in the theater, although, it’s anybody’s guess how the group will reply. In spite of everything, when the Vances attended a Kennedy Heart efficiency earlier this yr, the group booed. And NPR is reporting {that a} small group of drag performers plans to protest exterior the middle on Wednesday evening.
Trump could also be buzzing alongside to “Do You Hear the People Sing?” But when he actually listened, he may understand it’s not a love tune. It’s a warning.
