The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is launching its 50th anniversary celebrations by hosting a special concert on Tuesday, September 14 at 8 pm.
The special evening will be hosted by singer and actress Audra McDonald who is a six-time Tony Award winner. There will also be many guests including Ambassador Caroline Kennedy and Ms. Rose Schlossberg.
The star-studded 50th Anniversary Celebration Concert, featuring the National Symphony Orchestra, will be directed and choreographed by Emmy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Joshua Bergasse and conducted by JoAnn Falletta, Steven Reineke, and Thomas Wilkins.
Artists including Renée Fleming, Ben Folds, Punch Brothers, Keb’ Mo’, Christian McBride, and Rachael Price will also join the National Symphony Orchestra.
Among other performers are Darren Chris, Herman Cornejo, Randall Goosby, Cassandra Trenary, Common, Tony Yazbeck, Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Ray Chen, Robert Glasper, Joshua Henry, Bettye LaVette, Kelli O’Hara, Gaby Moreno, Kelly Marie Tran, Zhu Wang, Mo Willems, the original cast of David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori’s Soft Power, D Smoke, Jahi Sundance, Marc “Bamuthi” Joseph, and more.
The Kennedy Center has a number of COVID-19-related measures in place, including the requirement of vaccination to enter the building. All attendees must show proof they are fully vaccinated against the infectious disease. (Performers and staff must also be fully vaccinated.)
Both digital and physical copies of vaccination certificates are accepted. A government-issued ID must also be presented at the entrance, along with the proof of vaccination.
Children younger than 12 must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours before the event begins.
Everyone is required to wear masks while inside the theater, including during the event. They may be removed while eating or drinking in certain areas.
“I can think of no better way to reemerge from the darkness of these last many months than to reopen with a vibrant, season-long celebration of the Center’s rich history and the bright future of the arts in our nation,” said Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter in a statement earlier this year.
For information on the rest of the Kennedy Center’s 50th anniversary events, click here.
Kennedy Center Set to Reopen in September to Mark 50th Anniversary