Les Misérables Cast Members Decline to Perform for Trump—and It’s Gloriously On Brand

by Chris Peterson, OnStage Blog Founder

Let’s be real: if there’s any musical that screams “stand up to injustice,” it’s Les Misérables. And now, the cast is living that message offstage. When Donald Trump announced he’d be attending a June performance at the Kennedy Center—some sort of fundraising gala overlap—the response from several cast members wasn’t just side-eye. It was action. At least a dozen performers are reportedly planning to sit this one out in protest. And honestly? I’m standing, cheering, and ugly-crying like I’m at the barricade.

This isn’t performative activism. These are working artists putting their paychecks and platforms on the line to say, “We won’t entertain this.” It’s not just that Trump has politicized everything he touches, from art to theme parks to TikTok—he’s actively rolled back rights and stoked division. And now, he wants a front-row seat at a show about revolution, justice, and the very people he’s tried to silence? The audacity.

What makes this moment even more poetic is that Les Mis isn’t just any show. It’s the show about marginalized voices rising up. It’s about the cost of silence. It’s about what happens when the people finally say, “Enough.” And while Trump once used “Do You Hear the People Sing?” at his campaign rallies—oh, the irony—this moment makes it clear: the people are singing, and they’re not singing for him.

Let’s also acknowledge how rare and gutsy this is in the world of national tours, where cast members are often expected to smile, dance, and zip it. These performers are risking backlash, internet trolling, and maybe even future work, and doing it anyway. That’s not easy. But it is important. They’re putting their values before the stage lights, and reminding all of us that art doesn’t exist in a vacuum—it lives, breathes, and reacts to the world around it.

In an era where too many cultural institutions tiptoe around political controversy, terrified to offend donors or ruffle boardroom feathers, this is what taking a stand looks like. This is what theater is supposed to do: reflect who we are, challenge what’s wrong, and uplift what’s right. And no, it’s not “divisive” to sit out a show in protest of a man who spent years dividing a nation. It’s brave.

The Kennedy Center itself has become a flashpoint in the cultural tug-of-war, especially since Trump gave himself the role of chairman and installed his own allies at the top. For artists whose work is rooted in empathy, justice, and human connection, performing in that environment—especially for him—isn’t just uncomfortable. It’s impossible.

So to the cast members of Les Misérables choosing not to perform for Trump—I see you. I applaud you. I thank you. You’ve reminded us what it means to live the show’s message beyond the footlights. You’ve turned a single performance into a moment of clarity, and honestly, a rallying cry.

Because this isn’t just about skipping a show. It’s about refusing to perform revolution for someone who’s spent a career trying to suppress it. It’s about making sure that when the people sing—it’s not for power, or applause, or pageantry. It’s for justice. And this cast just made that loud and clear.