Robert Lepage’s production of “Macbeth,” slated for a run at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., has been cancelled following a takeover of the institution by U.S. President Donald Trump, according to reports from the Journal de Montréal.
The production, a collaboration between Lepage and his company Ex Machina, had initially secured financial backing from the Kennedy Center, recently renamed the Trump Kennedy Center. “We initially had the Kennedy Center as a co-producer. They were to participate financially and were extremely happy to host the production,” Lepage told LCN’s “Dans le blanc des yeux.” “The following week, they were removed from their positions by Donald Trump.”
Lepage, a frequent presenter at the Kennedy Center, had anticipated the venue’s decline, citing concerns within the U.S. Performing arts community, particularly in opera, classical music, and theater. “When we lost the co-production with the Kennedy Center, everyone knew it was going to collapse. And it collapsed,” he stated.
Trump’s intervention extended beyond simply renaming the institution; he also assumed control of the Kennedy Center’s board of directors upon entering office. This move prompted numerous artists to cancel scheduled performances, including the musical “Hamilton,” jazz ensemble The Cookers, and composer Philip Glass.
On February 2nd, President Trump announced plans to close the Kennedy Center on July 4th for a two-year renovation, aiming to transform the venue into what he described as a “modern and attractive Landmark.” In a social media post, Trump characterized the Center as “tired, broken, and dilapidated,” promising a grand reopening that would “rival and surpass anything that has taken place with respect to such a Facility before.”
The Kennedy family swiftly criticized Trump’s decision, according to reporting by The Hill. The announcement of the closure followed a wave of artists cancelling performances after what was described as a “MAGA takeover” of the venue.
Simultaneously, Trump unveiled TrumpRx, a website he claims will offer discounted prescription drugs, alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Mehmet Oz, and Chief Design Officer of the National Design Studio Joe Gebbia. During the announcement, Trump praised Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic, for his involvement and subtly criticized other members of the Kennedy family, as reported by The Daily Beast.
“Bobby is back here,” Trump said. “He’s so instrumental, he’s doing such a fantastic job. Who would’ve thought a Kennedy—we love a Kennedy—[in] the Republican Party. But there’s been no better advocate for what we’re doing than Bobby Kennedy Jr.”
Despite his concerns about the current political climate in the United States, Lepage expressed optimism, noting the vast opportunities beyond U.S. Borders. “There is a world outside of the United States, there is a world outside of France. There is a world outside of Europe. There is Asia, South America. The territory is enormous,” he said.
Lepage’s production of “Macbeth” will now premiere at Le Diamant in Quebec City on March 17th, followed by a run at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa in June.
