The reaction toward the vice president comes on the heels of recent steps by the Trump administration to overhaul the national arts institution in D.C.
A number of shows at the Kennedy Center, including the hit musical “Hamilton” and an appearance by actress, comedian and television producer Issa Rae, have been canceled since Trump’s unprecedented move, many in protest. Rae, in a statement, cited “an infringement on the values of an institution that has faithfully celebrated artists of all backgrounds through all mediums.”
After the outburst, patrons quickly settled into an attentive, quiet respect for the musicians, in a kind of whiplash. But intermission was full of people debriefing about what they had just experienced, a rarity in such venues.
The dramatic response to Vance’s arrival reflects a tense mood in the Washington arts world as it reels from recent events. Last month, when Trump’s board installed him as chair, it also voted to terminate Deborah Rutter as Kennedy Center president and made Trump ally Richard Grenell interim president, prompting a fallout that led musician Ben Folds, opera singer Renée Fleming and TV producer Shonda Rhimes to step down from their respective roles with the institution.
Trump, who had a terse relationship with the Kennedy Center and the arts during his first term, has started his second term with an apparent interest in reshaping offerings at the preeminent institution. In a post announcing the overhaul, Trump cited drag shows “targeting our youth,” a tiny fraction of the more than 2,000 shows at the institution each year.
The Kennedy Center is a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, who was a lifelong supporter and advocate of the arts.
