The Trump-appointed head of the Kennedy Center in Washington has criticised performers who plan to boycott a performance of Les Misérables for political reasons as “vapid and intolerant”.

Several members of the cast plan to boycott a performance at a gala President Trump is expected to attend this summer.

The cast was given the option not to perform for a fundraiser gala on June 11, the night Trump will officially mark his takeover as the venue’s chairman. At least ten cast members in big roles and the ensemble have opted out of the performance, sources told CNN.

Richard Grenell, the president of the institution, said he was not aware of the boycott and that any performer “who isn’t professional enough to perform for patrons of all backgrounds, regardless of political affiliation, won’t be welcomed”.

He added: “In fact, we think it would be important to out those vapid and intolerant artists to ensure producers know who they shouldn’t hire — and that the public knows which shows have political litmus tests to sit in the audience. The Kennedy Center wants to be a place where people of all political stripes sit next to each other and never ask who someone voted for but instead enjoys a performance together.”In March, a run of the hit Broadway musical Hamilton scheduled to be shown at the centre in 2026 was cancelled. Jeffrey Seller, a producer on the show, said on X at the time: “The recent purge by the Trump administration of both professional staff and performing arts events at or originally produced by the Kennedy Center flies in the face of everything this national centre represents.”The musical is one of the president’s favourites. He used music from the show while campaigning for his first term in office.Trump has overseen a number of executive changes at the Kennedy Center in his second term in officeTHE MEGA AGENCYThe boycott is a broader sign of the culture wars at the legendary arts centre after drastic changes made by Trump to its board of trustees. Issa Rae, a comedian, Shonda Rhimes, the screenwriter, and other artists cut ties with the centre after Trump became chairman.The president was elected chair after filling half of the board’s positions and firing appointees from the Biden administration. He Trump then fired the institution’s president, Deborah Rutter, and replaced her with Grenell, who also serves as his envoy for special missions.“Ric shares my vision for a golden age of American arts and culture,” Trump wrote on Truth Social after the announcement, vowing there would be “no more drag shows or other anti-American” performances at the centre, which for decades has had bipartisan support.Richard Grenell, who was hired by Trump, has criticised the planned boycott of the performanceINSTAGRAMThe gala Trump will attend is expected to raise large sums for the centre. An official told CNN that the Kennedy Center planned to use Les Misérables, which runs from June 11 to July 13, to steady its finances.The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.