Stephen Schwartz, the composer and lyricist behind the stage and screen versions of Wicked, has canceled plans to appear at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., now that the cultural institution has aligned with and rebranded itself after President Donald Trump.
Schwartz was set to host the Washington National Opera Gala at the Kennedy Center on May 16, according to Newsday. But in an email his assistant sent to the newspaper, the Broadway legend announced his decision to not attend.
“Last year, way before the change of Board and name of the Kennedy Center, I was invited by [director] Francesca Zambello to be part of a Washington National Opera event on May 16, 2026,” he explained. “But I’ve heard nothing about it since February 2025, so I have assumed it’s no longer happening. I can’t imagine Francesca continuing under the current circumstances. If it is happening, of course I will not be part of it.”
Of the Kennedy Center — now self-styled as the Trump Kennedy Center, with Trump himself as its board chair— Schwartz said, “It no longer represents the apolitical place for free artistic expression it was founded to be. There’s no way I would set foot in it now.”
Roma Daravi, the Kennedy Center’s vice president of public relations, said in a statement on Monday that Schwartz wasn’t booked for the gig anyway.
“Stephen Schwartz was never discussed nor confirmed and never had a contract by current Trump Kennedy Center leadership,” Daravi, per Variety. “Schwartz said himself that he ‘heard nothing about it since February 2025 … assumed it’s no longer happening.’ It is completely false to report otherwise.”
Even so, Variety reports — with a screenshot to prove it — that an event titled “Washington National Opera Gala: Featuring Stephen Schwartz” was listed on the Kennedy Center’s website for days after Daravi’s statement. Finally, on Thursday afternoon, mentions of Schwartz were removed from the site, the publication adds.
Schwartz has historic ties to the Kennedy Center: As Variety notes, he co-wrote lyrics for Mass, the musical theater program that opened the center in 1971.
In addition to Wicked — and his cameo in the film adaptation of same — Schwartz is also famous for composing the music and lyrics for the Broadway shows Godspell and Pippin. His film work includes songs for Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Prince of Egypt, and Enchanted. He has four Grammy Awards, three Academy Awards, and six Tony Award nominations to his name.
Others who have recently canceled performances and appearances at the Kennedy Center include the jazz ensemble The Cookers, the dance company Doug Varone and Dancers, jazz drummer Chuck Redd, actor Issa Rae, singer and composer Rhiannon Giddens, rock band Low Cut Connie, country singer Kristy Lee, and the cast of Hamilton, according to Axios.