The Kennedy Center has canceled an upcoming Pride event featuring a performance by the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington DC (GMCW) and the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO).

As Advocate reported earlier this month, “A Peacock Among Pigeons: Celebrating 50 Years of Pride” was scheduled for May 21 and 22 to coincide with WorldPride 2025 in Washington, D.C. While tickets for the event have been on sale since last June, as of February 13, “A Peacock Among Pigeons” is no longer listed on the Kennedy Center’s website.

Related

Donald Trump names gay “special envoy” to head Kennedy Center to stop “DRAG SHOWS”
“NO MORE DRAG SHOWS, OR OTHER ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA,” Trump wrote.

In a Wednesday, February 19, statement posted on social media, the GMCW said that it was “deeply disappointed” with the news but vowed to “continue to advocate for artistic expression that reflects the depth and diversity of our community and country.”

Stay connected to your community

Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter.
Subscribe to our Newsletter today

The day before, Jeffrey Weisner, a musician with the NSO whose husband is a member of the GMCW, wrote in a since-deleted Facebook post that the performance had been “abruptly cancelled without explanation.”

“This post is for any LGBT folks who think that the Trump admin isn’t targeting our entire community,” Weisner wrote, according to GScene Magazine. “Expect moves to remove us from anti-discrimination laws, plus lawsuits aimed at giving the Supreme Court the chance to overturn decisions that gave us rights.”

The centerpiece of the GMCW/NSO performance was to be an original choral composition based on author Tyler Curry-McGrath’s 2015 children’s book A Peacock Among Pigeons.

“The book is an anti-bullying book,” Curry-McGrath told Advocate. “It’s ironic that a story about embracing who you are is now being bullied out of the Kennedy Center by the president of the United States.”

The cancelation of the GMCW/NSO performance comes on the heels of President Donald Trump’s announcement earlier this month that he intended to fire members of the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees and install himself as chairman, citing the center’s recent drag programming. Days later, Trump named Richard Grenell – an out gay man currently serving in the newly created role of “Special Presidential Envoy for Special Missions” – as the Kennedy Center’s interim head.

“Ric shares my Vision for a GOLDEN AGE of American Arts and Culture, and will be overseeing the daily operations of the Center. NO MORE DRAG SHOWS, OR OTHER ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA — ONLY THE BEST. RIC, WELCOME TO SHOW BUSINESS!” Trump wrote in a February 10 Truth Social post.

The center has also canceled an upcoming tour of Finn, a children’s musical commissioned by the Kennedy Center, about a shark who “wants to let out his inner fish.” In a statement on the show’s official Instagram page, creators Chris Nee, Michael Kooman, and Christopher Dimond said they would not be silenced and would not “abandon the kids we wrote this show for.”

“They are already under attack from every side,” the statement read. “At its heart [Finn] has a universal message of love and acceptance. The fact that that extends to sparkly boys seems to be controversial.”

Following Trump’s announcement, actor, writer, and producer Issa Rae and rock band Low Cut Connie canceled upcoming performances at the Kennedy Center. Bridgerton and Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes, musician Ben Folds, and actress and opera singer Renée Fleming have also announced that they are stepping down from their roles with the center.

Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.