Issa Rae was scheduled to appear March 16 in An Evening with Issa Rae at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. But the actress announced Thursday that she has cancelled the show.
“Thank you so much for selling out the Kennedy Center for An Evening with Issa Rae,” she wrote in an Instagram Stories post. “Unfortunately, due to what I believe to be an infringement on the values of an institution that has faithfully celebrated artists of all backgrounds through all mediums, I’ve decided to cancel my appearance at this venue.”
She said tickets would be refunded. “Thank you so much for understanding, and I hope to see you soon,” she concluded.
Rae’s cancellation marks the latest act of protest by prominent arts and entertainment figures over Trump’s shake-up of the storied institution.
Soprano Renée Fleming, pop star Ben Folds, and Hollywood TV producer Shonda Rhimes have all resigned from their various roles at the Kennedy Center and its resident companies in recent days.
Rhimes had been appointed to the center’s board of trustees by then-President Barack Obama.
Last week, President Trump began removing Kennedy Center board members appointed by Joe Biden, including firing chairman David Rubenstein. On Monday, he announced that special U.S. envoy Richard Grenell will serve as the organization’s interim executive director, taking over from president Deborah Rutter.
Trump himself has assumed the role of the Kennedy Center’s chairman, vowing to restore the institution’s former glory.
“Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on February 7. “The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our Nation. For the Kennedy Center, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!”
Last year featured a number of drag events at the Kennedy Center.
“Dixie’s Tupperware Party,” starring drag queen Dixie Longate, ran in May and June at the center’s Family Theatre.
In December, the center hosted a drag queen concert titled “BERTHA: Grateful Drag,” a performance featuring drag singers and musicians in honor of the Grateful Dead band.
Other drag events included “Broadway Drag Brunch,” “Dancing Queens Drag Brunch,” and “A Drag Salute to Divas.”
The Kennedy Center receives federal funding each year to the tune of about $40 million to $50 million. It also relies on private donations and ticket revenue to cover its operating expenses.
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