The “Young Dragon: A Bruce Lee Story” team in a workshop. Left to right: emma Pihl, Jess McLeod, Richard Sloniker, Arlando Smith, Michelangelo Hyeon, Keiko Green, Adria LaMorticella, and Khanh Doan. (Photo by Damien Zuver)
SEATTLE: Seattle Children’s Theatre (SCT) announced it withdrew its planned two-week presentation of Young Dragon: A Bruce Lee Story from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, originally scheduled for April 11-19. SCT intends to extend its world premiere run of the new TYA show in Seattle, running Feb. 19-March 15.
Over the past year, since President Donald J. Trump’s takeover of the institution, some productions faced cancellation (notably Finn), and several artists canceled scheduled performances, severing ties with the Trump-affiliated organization. (The Hamilton national tour withdrew early; a current list is here). In December 2025, the board voted to rename it the Trump Kennedy Center, a decision whose authority remains contested, prompting further artist cancellations.
Seattle Children’s Theatre did not link its decision to cancel Young Dragon’s Kennedy Center run to these developments and declined further comment. Instead, in a public statement on Instagram, SCT stated the decision followed “deep listening and extensive dialog with the artists, community partners, and the Bruce Lee family and foundation.”
In the same post, SCT managing director Kevin Malgesini explained, “A
