Trump-Kennedy Center calls reports of Stephen Schwartz cancellation after rebrand 'totally bogus'

WASHINGTON, DC: Trump-Kennedy Center has denied claims that Stephen Schwartz, the celebrated composer of 'Wicked,' 'Godspell,' and 'Pippin,' canceled a scheduled appearance over the venue’s rebranding under President Trump.

Reports had suggested that Schwartz, 77, a three-time Academy Award winner, was joining a list of artists boycotting the center after its board renamed it the Trump-Kennedy Center. Schwartz was reported to have withdrawn from hosting the Washington National Opera Gala, which had been set for May 16, citing the rebranding.

Reports claim Stephen Schwartz withdraws from Trump-Kennedy Center

Earlier reports said Schwartz refused to attend the gala, telling Newsday there was “no way” he would enter the venue after the renaming. He reportedly said the center “no longer represents the apolitical place for free artistic expression it was founded to be” and added through an assistant that he would not “set foot in it now.”

Schwartz’s career spans decades, with stage musicals such as 'Children of Eden' and songs in animated films including 'Pocahontas' and 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame.' His accolades include multiple Grammy and Academy Awards.

The Kennedy Center renaming has sparked protests. Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell claimed that media outlets including CNN and The Washington Post encouraged artists to cancel performances, tweeting, “The legacy media are left wing activists — and they are open about it.”

Several performers have canceled appearances at the center since Trump returned to office, including Issa Rae, Peter Wolf, and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Richard Grenell refutes claim of Stephen Schwartz pulling out

Grenell clarified the Stephen Schwartz reports on Twitter, calling them “totally bogus” and accusing reporters of repeating misinformation. He wrote, “He was never signed and I’ve never had a single conversation on him since arriving. People are literally plagiarizing a fake @RollingStone story.”

Roma Daravi, vice president of public relations for the center, told The Hill that Schwartz “was never discussed nor confirmed and never had a contract by current Trump Kennedy Center leadership.”

The controversy at the center extends beyond Schwartz. Jazz group The Cookers canceled two New Year’s Eve concerts, citing jazz as rooted in “freedom of thought, of expression, and of the full human voice.” Similarly, The Doug Varone and Dancers troupe canceled a planned April performance, and drummer/vibraphonist Chuck Redd called off a long-standing Christmas Eve jazz concert in protest.

After Redd’s cancellation, the center demanded $1 million, describing his decision as a “political stunt.”

The turmoil began earlier this year when Trump appointed a new board aligned with his political stance, which quickly renamed the center and made him chairman. Critics argue the renaming may be illegal, and during a call about the decision, a congresswoman claimed she was muted and prevented from voicing opposition.