Washington Ballet Pulls Kennedy Center Production
February 8, 2026

Trump White House

The Washington Ballet Plans to Move Its ‘Cinderella’ Production Out of the Kennedy Center

In an email about student audition registration obtained by NOTUS, the ballet did not allude to the changing politics of the venue


Jacquelyn Martin/AP

By Torrence Banks

February 7, 2026 01:00 PM

The Washington Ballet is moving its spring production of “Cinderella” away from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, according to an email about auditions obtained by NOTUS.

It’s the latest in a string of withdrawals of planned performances from the Kennedy Center, which the Trump administration has been aggressively revamping. On Sunday, President Donald Trump announced that the venue would close for two years for renovations starting in July.

“To accommodate the anticipated demand for this production, The Washington Ballet is currently finalizing a move to a larger D.C. venue,” said an email from The Washington Ballet sent Saturday about student audition registration. “This move allows us to bring our artistic vision of a popular classic to larger audiences and share the beauty of this production more widely, but still in the heart of D.C.” ... “Please note that this venue change will also involve a shift in our performance dates. While final details are not confirmed, we will keep you posted.”

The email did not allude to the changing politics of the Kennedy Center, even as headliners like the composer Philip Glass have withdrawn from their scheduled appearances there in the weeks since the center’s board voted to rename it after Trump.

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