Kennedy Center Cancels Tour Of Acclaimed Children’s Musical ‘Finn’; Actors’ Equity Calls Decision “Beyond Appalling”

deadline.com:

The Kennedy Center, under Donald Trump’s newly announced leadership, has canceled its tour of Finn, an acclaimed Kennedy Center-produced children’s musical about a young shark who, in the words of the show’s creators, “wants to let out his inner fish.” The decision was announced – and decried – on the Instagram page of the show’s creators, Chris Nee, Michael Kooman, and Christopher Dimond. “We didn’t ask for this joy bomb of a show to be a part of the resistance,” they write, “but here we are.” “At its heart it has a universal message of love and acceptance,” they write. “The fact that that extends to sparkly boys seems to be controversial.” In a brief statement to Deadline, a Kennedy Center spokesperson said, “The cancelation of the Finn tour was a purely financial decision.” The musical had its premiere at the Kennedy Center in a November-December run.

The venue’s website describes the story as “hilarious and heartwarming, chronicl[ing] the coming-of-age journey of Finn, a young shark who dreams of following in his family’s footsteps by joining the prestigious Shark Guard.

As Finn faces the challenges of growing up and following his heart, the musical takes us on a magical journey of self-discovery, friendship, and adventure.” Nominated for a prestigious Helen Hayes Award, Finn received rave reviews and audience popularity during its month-long run, leading to the center’s decision for a tour.

Actors’ Equity has condemned the move as “beyond appalling” and “disturbing.” RELATED: Dissent Grows At Disney Over Perceived “Capitulation” To Trump As DEI Initiatives Diminished In their announcement of the cancelation, the show’s creators, including Doc McStuffins creator Nee, wrote, “Dimond & Kooman & Nee are sad to