SEATTLE: Seattle Children’s Theatre (SCT) announced that it has withdrawn its planned two-week presentation of Young Dragon: A Bruce Lee Story from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, originally set for April 11-19. It hopes to extend its world premiere run of the new TYA show in Seattle, scheduled to run Feb. 19-March 15.
Within the past year, since President Donald J. Trump’s takeover of the institution, some productions have been canceled (famously Finn), while several other scheduled performances have been canceled by artists who have chosen to cut ties with the now Trump-affiliated organization. (The Hamilton national tour was an early pull-out; a running list is here). In December 2025, the board voted to rename it the Trump Kennedy Center, though the power to make this name change remains hotly disputed, a decision that led to more artist cancellations.
For its part, Seattle Children’s Theatre did not characterize its decision to cancel Young Dragon‘s Kennedy Center run as being specifically related to these developments, and did not respond to requests for further comment. Instead, in a public statement on Instagram, SCT wrote that the decision came after “deep listening and extensive dialogue with the artists, community partners, and the Bruce Lee family and foundation.”
In the same post, SCT managing director Kevin Malgesini elaborated, “As this production took shape, we were thrilled with the opportunity of celebrating a bicoastal world premiere. However, the landscape in which Young Dragon was originally created has changed to an extent that after careful consideration, we have come to the decision that this is not the right time to transfer a SCT production to the Kennedy Center. Our priority is to honor Bruce Lee’s story with integrity and to uphold the trust our community places in us.”
For more than two years, SCT has worked in partnership and community to bring this play by Keiko Green about the young Bruce Lee’s coming-of-age and martial arts education in Seattle to the stage.
“My father’s story has always been about developing who you are while meeting the world with courage and compassion,” said Shannon Lee, chair of the Bruce Lee Foundation and the daughter of Bruce Lee, in a statement. “Young Dragon: A Bruce Lee Story reflects and directly spreads this message to today’s young people. While it’s unfortunate that the production won’t find a home in Washington, D.C., this spring, I fully support SCT’s commitment to the spirit of my father’s legacy of courageous action. I’m sincerely grateful to the artists, families, and community members who have poured their hearts into Young Dragon. We shall Walk On!”
SCT is working directly with all contracted artists to support them through this transition and to mitigate financial impact wherever possible.
“Our hope is that Seattle as a community comes out to support the artists who have put so much into this story of one of our hometown legends,” Malgesini’s statement continued. “We have the ability to extend the run of the show past March 15. Demand for Young Dragon would be a testament to how we support and value our artists, their work and stories that help youth see their own strength and potential.”
Reached by email, playwright Keiko Green said the company had been paying attention to the latest news about the Kennedy Center over the holidays.
“For me personally, there is a very real reality that none of the people I was in contact with for this co-commission are still working there,” Green said. “There are still good people at the Kennedy Center, doing their best in an impossible situation, and my heart breaks that they’re having to deal with the fallout that directly affects an institution they’ve been spending decades building up.”
The Kennedy Center declined to respond to questions.
