Donald Trump booed by theatre as he takes seat for opening night of Les Misérables
Grainy footage has captured the moment theatregoers boo and heckle Donald Trump as he takes his seat in the Presidential box for the opening night of Les Misérables.
Some cast members threatened to pull out of Wednesday night's gig at the John F Kennedy Centre for Performing Arts in Washington DC because they were aware the President was due to attend.
Trump enraged performers and patrons at the venue when he announced huge changes to its programming earlier this year - having controversially been elected chairman, The Mirror reports.
Controversial plans included a cut on what he called "woke" productions, such as drag acts.
Mr Trump and wife Melania felt the fury of the crowd as they took their seats ahead of Les Mis. It was his first time at the venue, the national cultural centre of the US, since becoming President again - and since the massive overhaul of its output.
Some punters voted with their feet with empty seats spotted in the balconies and even in the orchestra section, amidst talk that patrons intended to boycott the performance.
It is understood understudies filled in for main performers, who also had decided to boycott the night due to Mr Trump's presence. The Mirror is working to confirm if this was the case - and how many cast members dropped out.
Sales of subscription packages are said to have declined since Mr Trump's takeover, and several touring productions, including Hamilton, have cancelled planned runs at the centre. Actor Issa Rae and musician Rhiannon Giddens scrapped scheduled appearances, and Kennedy Center consultants, including musician Ben Folds and singer Renée Fleming, resigned.
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Yet, Mr Trump remained proud as, clad in a tuxedo, he sat for the performance on Wednesday. The politician has a particular affection for Les Misérables, the sprawling musical set in 19th-century France, and has occasionally played its songs at his events. One of them, Do You Hear the People Sing?, is a revolutionary rallying cry inspired by the 1832 rebellion against the French king.
Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, were also there. Ric Grenell, the Trump-appointed interim leader of the Kennedy Center, stood nearby as the President spoke to reporters. Attorney General Pam Bondi chatted with other guests. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr took selfies with attendees.
But the MAGA takeover was met with heckles in the auditorium itself. People on X also shared the irony Mr Trump chose to see a performance about a mass uprising against a tyrannical king. Images on X show audience members dressed in drag, a nid to Mr Trump's criticism the venue put on drag shows before his takeover. However, some reports suggest a minority in the audience cheered the President's arrival.
When reporters told Mr Trump it was expected some cast members had pulled out due to his presence, the nonchalant world leader said:"I couldn't care less."
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