EXCLUSIVE: Inside the Kennedy Center's $10 million Les Mis debut

The top brass of the Trump administration descended on the Kennedy Center once again for a showing of Les Misérables that pulled in $10 million for the legendary center in just a single night.

A seating chart, obtained exclusively by the Washington Reporter, showed just how significant the White House support was. President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Second Lady Usha Vance, Ambassador Richard Grenell, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary Scott Bessent, and other top figures in the Trump orbit were in VIP seating for the evening.

Prior to the show, celebrities and Trump administration figures flocked to the center’s red carpet. Among those spotted were Attorney General Pam Bondi, Corey Lewandowski, Tony Sayegh, and others.

Supporters of the arts came to the show from across America. One noted to the Reporter that “President Trump has made it very clear that he wants to see the Kennedy Center put its best foot forward as a means to unite people through the arts and shared common values.” Doug Quezada added to the Reporter that “strength, honor, redemption, respect, patriotism were evident throughout the evening. President Trump has a grand vision to have the center be an extension of both diplomatic efforts and American excellency. I will fly to the far side of the world to support any initiative like that.”

Once Trump was seated, the audience gave him a standing ovation. Trump is the Chairman of the Kennedy Center’s board, and saving the center has been atop his second term priorities. Congress has already allocated hundreds of millions of dollars to modernize the building.

The night’s show builds on a recent run of success at the center from Grenell and his team, which is working to dig out of the hole left by what Grenell has called the “criminal” financial mismanagement of the Center under its previous leadership — and donors like Quezada noticed. “Last night’s $10 million raise is a testament to that vision and the success of the man leading the charge for President Trump — Richard Grenell and his incredible team at the Kennedy. It shows that the vision is catching on, is being executed perfectly by Grenell and Co., and people are willing to put their resources behind their commitment to that mission.”

Under Grenell, the Kennedy Center has hosted high-end shows like Les Misérables, as well as widely-available shows like a screening of King of Kings, which the Reporter previously exclusively broke was so successful that the center had to double its planned screenings.