The Kennedy Center Announces Millennium Stage Schedule for June 2022 Featuring a Pride Celebration & More

Millennium Stage, now celebrating its 25th season, is a manifestation of the Kennedy Center's mission and vision to welcome all to celebrate our collective cultural heritage in the most inclusive and accessible way possible. Millennium Stage will offer a free film and live programming, streamed live, Wednesday-Saturday each week during the summer.

June will include events celebrating gay pride month, Juneteenth, and World Refugee Day. The month will also include a performance from this year's VSA International Young Soloists Award Winners-an annual celebration highlighting the talents and skills of young musicians living with disabilities.

For schedule updates and reservations, visit the Kennedy Center website. Registration does not guarantee entry to the event space. Access is first come, first served and may be restricted due to capacity. Performances are open to television and radio news coverage. Media crews must request access at least one full week prior to the performance date.

Chronological Schedule for June 2022
Please check the Kennedy Center websites for updates on programming.

DATE

TIME

LOCATION

PERFORMANCE

Wed., June 1

6 p.m.

Grand Foyer

Hailed by the New York Times as "one of the great soul interpreters of her generation", Bettye Lavette is a vocalist who can take any type of song and make it completely her own. To quote the late, great George Jones, "Bettye is truly a singer's singer."

Thu., June 2

6 p.m.

Outdoor Film Wall

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

Three years after the destruction of the Death Star, Imperial forces continue to pursue the Rebels. After the Rebellion's defeat on the ice planet Hoth, Luke journeys to the planet Dagobah to trainwith Jedi Master Yoda, who has lived in hiding since the fall of the Republic. In an attempt to convert Luke to the dark side, Darth Vader lures young Skywalker into a trap at Cloud City. In the midst of a fierce lightsaber duel with the Sith Lord, Luke faces the startling revelation thatthe Vader is in fact his father. Open captions.

Fri., June 3

6 p.m.

Grand Foyer

The self-proclaimed "Queen of The Underground" Kotic Couture is a rapper from Baltimore City who combines elements of Hip Hop, ballroom, and club music creating a unique sound of their own. Babe City Records, who released their first album Diary of a Dreamer in 2020, called them "introspective and buoyant." Baltimore Magazine said they, "showcase a creative, colorful versatility, that's all their own."

In Celebration of GAY PRIDE.

Sat., June 4

6 p.m.

Grand Foyer

With a style that is as abrasive as it is welcoming, Dapper Dan Midas a.k.a. DDm is one of the most idiosyncratic new voices in entertainment. He has been featured on Netflix and BET.

In Celebration of GAY PRIDE.

Wed., June 8

6 p.m.

Grand Foyer

Shamans of Sound hail from Washington, D.C. and like most things from the DMV are made up of a group of people with a diverse array of backgrounds. A few band members have deep local roots, while others grew up in far flung places like Germany, Philippines, Italy, and Russia. Their diversity is their strength as they bring a variety of experiences and influences to the table, ranging from reggae and dub to Hip Hop, R&B, and dancehall. Shamans of Sound fuse healing and positive sounds to bring people together. The addition of a full horn section and a trio of backing vocalists gives Shamans of Sound a rich and full sound, a crowd pleaser every time.

Thu., June 9

6 p.m.

Outdoor Film Wall

Moonrise Kingdom

In this comedy set in 1965, two 12-year-olds fall in love at a summer camp and run off together into the wilderness, leaving various adults and friends to search for them as a violent storm approaches. Open captions.

Fri., June 10

6 p.m.

Grand Foyer

Musicians from the National Symphony Orchestra present a chamber concert of classical works.

FEATURING: James Stern, violin, Steven Honigberg, cello, Audrey Andrist, piano

PROGRAM:

Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Piano Trio in D major, Op. 1

Germaine Tailleferre, Piano Trio

Sat., June 11

6 p.m.

Grand Foyer

There are six musicians in the raucous pop ensemble Sweet Crude, but their ultimate goal is duality. The lyrics are bilingual, with French and English lyrics sometimes sharing space in one song. Of course, there's the band name itself: a reference to the petroleum export of Sweet Crude's home state of Louisiana, an unintentionally poetic linking of two concepts operating in seeming opposition. And like the title of Sweet Crude's latest album-Officiel//Artificiel-when everything comes together, the product is more than the sum of the parts.

Wed., June 15

6 p.m.

Grand Foyer

Sinkane is the music of Ahmed Gallab-and such hopeful music it is. He grew up in London and has lived in Sudan and in Ohio and, these days, New York City. His band reflects his own love for music from around the world; you can hear a great New York jazz band in the rhythms of Sinkane, but you can also hear the influence of Bob Marley and the hypnotic repetition of Sudanese desert sounds.

Thu., June 16

6 p.m.

Outdoor Film Wall

Amazing Grace

"It will make you feel as if you've seen the face of God"-Rolling Stone. A behind-the-scenes documentary about the recording of Aretha Franklin's best-selling album finally sees the light of day more than four decades after the original footage was shot. Open captions.

Fri., June 17

6 p.m.

Grand Foyer

Sisterfire@40: Fired Up to Transfom the Future

Forty years ago, Roadwork, a multiracial coalition of LGBTQ, social justice, and anti-racist arts activists in Washington, D.C., created the Sisterfire festival, a defiant, radical-democratic celebration in the wake of Republican funding cuts to arts organizations. This Juneteenth we gather with incredible artists, Be Steadwell, Roya Marsh, and Sweet Honey in the Rock, to transform the future.

Sat., June 18

6 p.m.

Grand Foyer

FORWARD MARCH FOR FREEDOM: A Musical Salute to African American Military Heritage

The 369th Experience preserves the legacy of the 369th U.S. Infantry regiment band by re-creating the original band with African American and Puerto Rican music students from HBCUs and other universities across the country. Continuing the Legacy and Forward March for Freedom will bring 65 HBCU students to the DC area on June 13-20, 2022 to participate in celebrity-conducted master classes, a panel discussion, and time travel concert performances at the John F. Kennedy Center in observance of Black Music Month and Juneteenth.

Wed., June 22

6 p.m.

Grand Foyer

DuPont Brass is a unique and soulful brass ensemble hailing from the D.C. Metropolitan Area. Coming off of their very first tour entitled after their debut album Music Education, they're returning home to celebrate their 10 year anniversary as a group, and two year anniversary of their debut album that was released in June 2020. Catch up with DuPont Brass where is all started and enjoy the night.

Thu., June 23

6 p.m.

Outdoor Film Wall

Encanto

Forced to flee from their home in Colombia, the multigenerational Madrigal family finds safety in their Encanto where they use their magical powers to help people in their community. When Maribel learns that her family is losing their magic, she sets out to unravel the mystery and save her family, community, and magical home. Open captions.

Presented in honor of World Refugee Day in partnership with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.

Fri., June 24

6 p.m.

Grand Foyer

For World Refugee Day, join UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the Kennedy Center for a celebration of the courage and resilience of people who have been forced to flee their homes due to war, persecution and violence. Join for a free concert with C4 Trio, a Venezuelan music ensemble mixing elements of traditional music, jazz, pop, world music and Latin music. This celebrated Latin Grammy®-winning trio of cuatro players features Jorge Glem, Hector Molina, and Edward Ramírez.

Sat., June 25

6 p.m.

Grand Foyer

2022 VSA International Young Soloists Award Winners in Concert

Join us for an electrifying celebration of music and disability in this performance by the 2022 VSA International Young Soloists Competition Award Winners. A Jean Kennedy Smith Arts and Disability Program. Presenting Sponsor: UnitedHealth Group.

Wed., June 29

6 p.m.

Grand Foyer

Chadwick Stokes is an accomplished musician and songwriter who grew up on a small farm outside of Boston. A songwriter since early adolescence, his many projects have woven together music, art, history, and activism. Along with his wife, Sybil, he founded Calling All Crows, a non-profit organization dedicated to engaging music fans around women's issues both at home and abroad. They've worked to bring awareness to the worldwide refugee crisis, to the proliferation of violence against women and to the persistence of sexual violence within the music industry.

Thu., June 30

6 p.m.

Outdoor Film Wall

Imagining the Indian: The Fight Against Native American Mascoting

Imagining the Indian is a comprehensive examination of the movement to eradicate the words, images, and gestures that many Native Americans and their allies find demeaning and offensive. The film takes a deep-dive into the issues through archival footage and interviews with those involved in the fight. The psychological research is clear, the use of Native American mascots is detrimental, not only to Native people, but to marginalized groups everywhere. Open captions.

Presented in conjunction with We The People Before.

All performers and programs are subject to change without notice.

ABOUT THE KENNEDY CENTER MILLENNIUM STAGE

Millennium Stage embodies the Kennedy Center mission and vision, inviting audiences to celebrate our collective cultural heritage in an inclusive, accessible way. Millennium Stage, now in its 25th season, explores countless artistic styles and inspires the community to engage in the performing arts.

Support Millennium Stage by texting 'MSTAGE' to 243-725. Your gift will help the Kennedy Center continue to bring free programming to Washington, D.C.

Please visit the Millennium Stage event page for more information.