Kennedy Center Cancels Children's Musical "Finn"

The Kennedy Center claimed the decision was purely financial, despite the show selling out at its last run

The Kennedy Center, which has undergone major administration changes this month under Donald Trump, recently informed the creators of the children's musical Finn that the dates at the center would be canceled.

Commissioned by the Center and premiered in 2024, Finn was created by Chris Nee, Michael Kooman, and Christopher Dimond. The protagonist of the musical is a young shark who realizes he may relate more to smaller, more gentle fish —  and the creators of the show told the Washington Post that the musical could be read as a metaphor for the LGBTQ+ experience.

The show has been a critical success, receiving favorable reviews and receiving a prestigious Helen Hayes Award.

Last week, the President of the U.S., Donald J. Trump, was elected as Kennedy Center Board Chair, replacing former Chair David M. Rubenstein. The Board, which saw 14 new appointees alongside Trump, also terminated Kennedy Center President Deborah F. Rutter’s contract and announced Richard Grenell as interim Kennedy Center President.

In a brief statement to Deadline, a Kennedy Center spokesperson recently said that "the cancellation of the Finn tour was a purely financial decision." However, the musical sold out during its initial run at the Center.

The union Actors’ Equity described the cancellation as "beyond appalling" and "disturbing," and says they intend to "fully enforce our contracts with The Kennedy Center."

"Dimond & Kooman & Nee are sad to announce that the Kennedy Center tour of our musical Finn was officially cancelled yesterday," the show's creators wrote on social media. "While not a surprise given the events of the last week, it is a heartbreak. But we will not be silenced. And we will not abandon the kids we wrote this show for. They are already under attack from every side. We didn’t ask for this joy bomb of a show to be a part of the resistance, but here we are."

"Today we resist, and ask you to join us. We will find a way to get Finn out to the audiences who need it most."