In a bold act of protest at the Kennedy Center on Friday night, rock band Guster invited the cast of "Finn" - a recently canceled LGBTQ+ children's musical - to join them on stage for a special performance with the National Symphony Orchestra.
The musical "Finn," which explores themes of self-discovery through the story of a shark finding its "inner fish," was originally slated for a national tour before being canceled in February. The show was created by Chris Nee, the openly gay creator of "Doc McStuffins."
During the concert, Guster's lead singer Ryan Fisher addressed the audience, explaining that the musical's cancellation came amid sweeping changes following Trump's self-appointment as Kennedy Center chairman. "Finn's themes of inclusivity, love, and self-acceptance aren't going to be welcome in this building while they are in control," Fisher stated.
The combined forces of Guster, the "Finn" cast, and composer Michael Kooman performed the band's song "Hard Times," receiving two standing ovations from the audience.
The protest performance comes during a wave of cancellations at the Kennedy Center, with at least 26 shows being pulled from the schedule. Notable artists including Issa Rae, Low Cut Connie, and Lin-Manuel Miranda have withdrawn their performances in response to the administrative changes.
Guster drummer Brian Rosenworcel explained the band's motivation, saying, "When the new board promises to make programming 'less inclusive' you gotta use your platform to fight that. We just wanted to restore the voices that belong on this stage."
The band emphasized their solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community, declaring their stage open to all voices, regardless of the venue's current leadership stance.