President Donald Trump attended the opening night of “Les Miserables” at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday, stirring up drama among the audience and performers alike.
Trump attracted both boos and cheers from the audience when he and first lady Melania Trump entered the theater, The Associated Press reported. It was the first time that Trump has attended a performance at the Kennedy Center since his reelection, and his attendance Wednesday came amid dramatic changes that the president has made in recent months to the Kennedy Center’s board and leadership.
There were a variety of responses from the crowd to Trump’s appearance. One woman yelled, “Felon, you’re a convicted felon,” while another audience member called out, “We love you,” per CNN. There were also chants of “USA, USA, USA” when Trump first entered the theater.
Trump attended the performance of the hit musical as part of a fundraiser for the Kennedy Center, which has experienced a drop in ticket sales since Trump began to get more involved in the center’s direction, according to The Washington Post. In order to raise money for the fundraiser, some people were given the chance to pay $2 million to sit with Trump in a private box, attend a reception with him and take a photo with the president.
Following Trump’s reelection, he fired the Kennedy Center’s president and several members of the board, and gave seats on the board to second lady Usha Vance and Attorney General Pam Bondi, according to NPR. The newly-replaced board elected Trump chair earlier this year.
Several drag queens were in attendance at Wednesday night’s performance, in protest against Trump’s recent claims that the Kennedy Center has performed too many drag shows in the past, and some of the show’s cast members may have boycotted performing on Wednesday in protest of Trump, The Associated Press reported.
“I couldn’t care less,” Trump said, in response to the possibility cast members boycotting the performances, per AP.
Trump and ‘Les Mis’
Trump has previously said that he is a fan of “Les Miserables,” the Broadway musical that is based on the classic 1862 novel by Victor Hugo. The story is set in 19th century France, during the June Rebellion, which was an insurrection against the French king, per The Guardian.
“I love the songs, I love the play,” Trump told Fox News. “I think it’s great.”
During some of Trump’s rallies, he has played songs from the musical, including the revolutionary anthem “Do You Hear the People Sing?” According to the Post, Trump “sees himself as a champion of the populist masses.”
For some critics, Wednesday night’s play was “an unnerving echo of what’s unfolding in Los Angeles, where Trump has deployed National Guard troops in response to protests over his deportation policies,” the AP reported.
“Someone explain the plot to him,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote on X Wednesday night.
Before attending the musical on Wednesday, Trump was asked whether he relates more to the story’s protagonist, Jean Valjean, a former convict who works to redeem himself, or Javert, the merciless inspector who tracks down Valjean.
“Oh, that’s a tough one … I don’t know,” Trump responded, per The Washington Post.