Kennedy Center honours Cher, Reba McEntire

Cher, Reba McEntire, and the creators of the Broadway musical Hamilton — superstars of the entertainment world — gathered in Washington on Sunday to enter the ranks of highly celebrated artists as recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors.

Cher, the Oscar-winning actress and pop icon, and McEntire, a country music singer and songwriter who has acted on stage and television, joined jazz musician Wayne Shorter and composer Philip Glass to receive the awards, which recognise a lifetime of contributions to the arts.

In an unusual move for the arts organisation, the Kennedy Center also recognised the creators of Hamilton with a special award for a “transformative work that defies category,” recognising Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote and starred in the show; Thomas Kail, who directed it; Andy Blankenbuehler, who designed the show’s choreography; and Alex Lacamoire, who did the orchestration.

Front row, David Rubenstein, Wayne Shorter, Philip Glass, Reba McEntire, Cher, Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter; back row Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan, Grace Rodriguez, Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Maranda, Andy Blankenbuehler and Alex Lacamoire.