President Donald Trump is set to attend the opening night of “Les Misérables,” a musical set against a background of revolution and protest, at Washington, D.C.’s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday.
“I love the songs, I love the play,” Trump told Fox News Digital last week. “I think it’s great.”
The opening night of a monthlong run of the Tony Award-winning show comes amid widespread protests against the president’s immigration policies and his decision to deploy members of the military in response.
Protesting against power is a major theme in the show, which is centered around student-led demonstrations against the French monarchy.
“Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, the musical tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice, and redemption — a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit,” reads the official summary on the Kennedy Center’s website.
Songs from the musical have been used in protests against governments around the world since the show debuted in 1980, including by pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong in 2019.
Protesters sang one of the show’s most popular and recognizable hits, “Do You Hear the People Sing?” which includes the lyrics, “Do you hear the people sing? Singing a song of angry men?”
The show will be the first production Trump has attended as head of the Kennedy Center. He did not attend any performances during his first term in office, and in February he replaced the entire board of trustees and had himself named chairman of the board.
The shake-up resulted in some concerts being canceled — including a performance by the Gay Men’s Chorus in honor of Pride Month — and other artists and productions pulling out of planned shows to protest the changes, including actor Issa Rae and a production of “Hamilton.”
“Our show simply cannot, in good conscience, participate and be a part of this new culture that is being imposed on the Kennedy Center,” “Hamilton” producer Jeffrey Seller said in a statement in March.
A spokesperson for “Les Miz” said Wednesday, “We are looking forward to performing for DC audiences beginning tonight and throughout the engagement at the Kennedy Center, where the US first saw the original production in 1986.”
The performance Wednesday is serving as a fundraiser for the Kennedy Center. First lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, are expected to attend as well.
Security will be tightened around the venue for the performance, the Kennedy Center said.
“Please be advised the Kennedy Center will be closed to non-ticket holders on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, due to enhanced security protocols,” the venue’s website said.
Megan Lebowitz contributed.
