Mark Cohen News

After considering hundreds of live stage productions, concerts, and art exhibitions in Austin between the dates of May 1, 2018, and April 30, 2019, members of the Austin Critics Table have announced their nominees for outstanding dance, classical music, visual art, and theatre with the nominees for the 2019 Critics Table Awards.

El pasado martes 30 de abril se cumplieron 20 años del estreno de RENT en Barcelona, y el reparto que estreno en 1999 se unio al actual para conmemorar este momento tan especial.

The 20th Anniversary Tour of 'Rent' has roared onto the stage at the Kansas City Music Hall for a week-long residency through Sunday, May 5.  'Rent,' a rock-opera rendering of Puccini's 'La Boheme,' is not easy stuff.   It is musically challenging and sometimes tough to follow, but it is also undeniably powerful and here performed at the highest possible level.

El proximo martes 30 de abril, el reparto de la primera produccion de RENT en Barcelona se unira al actual para celebrar el vigesimo aniversario de su estreno en la ciudad condal.

The Queens Theatre may cause a stir when it premieres Relic, or, I Was Bubbie's Favorite by Joel Feinman (as told to Lojo Simon), an outrageous new comedy by playwright Lojo Simon and directed by Will Pomerantz, that explores the cult of celebrity, religion and idolatry in modern times. The play, set in the Queens neighborhood of Rego Park, revolves around an out-of-work actor who finds what purports to be the world's greatest relic in his grandmother's attic, offering him the fame and fortune he always sought. He discovers, however, that it may not be all he wants! Performances will be held Friday, May 10th through Sunday, May 19th (Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays).

Chris Isaacson Presents presented Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp: Acoustically Speaking at Catalina Bar & Grill in Hollywood. Acoustically Speaking features two Broadway favorites and original stars of Rent coming together to celebrate music, memories, and their 20-year friendship.

Directors and Casting is set for the two PlayGround Festival premieres, A HISTORY OF FREAKS by Katie May, May 13-June 15  (Press /Opening: May 15 at 8pm), helmed by circus arts performer and director Doyle Ott and ANNA CONSIDERS MARS by Ruben Grijalva,  May 20-June 16 (Press /Opening: May 22 at 8pm), helmed by San Francisco Playhouse Producing Director Susi Damilano. The productions will run in rotating repertory as part of the 25th Season PlayGround Festival of New Works, May 13-June 16, 2019. Tickets for the entire PlayGround Festival are now on sale. For more information, visit http://playground-sf.org/festival.

Class is in session at the School of Rock and they're teaching Jacksonville all about rock-n-roll! The musical featuring music from Tony Award winner Andrew Lloyd Webber, is based on the 2003 movie School of Rock. The musical follows a man, Dewey Finn (Merritt David Janes), as he impersonates his best friend Ned Schneebly as a substitute teacher at Horace Green. When Dewey realizes he is in way over his head, he hears his students playing classical music. He decides he will teach them about rock-n-roll, and they will compete in 'The Battle of the Bands.' The musical displays amazing music, a great story, and life lessons for everyone to take away.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts hosts more than 120 outstanding theater students from colleges and universities across the nation as part of the 50th annual Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF), which runs April 16-20, 2019 in multiple locations throughout the Center. The Center also announced the national awardees for the KCACTF. Selected awardees and representatives will be brought to Washington, D.C. for an expense-paid trip to participate in the National Festival. These student artists from across the United States have been recognized for their outstanding work from the eight regional festivals that were held January 8 through February 28, 2019.

The Performing Arts School at bergenPAC is partnering with Englewood Health to present a free production of RENT - The Musical: Concert Version Performance in recognition of National Mental Health Awareness Month.

Boston Court Pasadena announced the full details of its 15th annual New Play Reading Festival, April 13-14, 2019. Curated by Literary Manager Emilie Beck, in concert with Artistic Directors Jessica Kubzansky and Michael Michetti, the New Play Reading Festival is a key component of Boston Court Pasadena's commitment to nurturing playwrights and new work, and continues the company's core mission of developing and programming works that are inherently theatrical, textually rich, and visually arresting.

The Cohen New Works Festival, presented by the Department of Theatre and Dance at The University of Texas at Austin, returns in a biennial, five-day festival celebrating new, student-created work April 15-19, 2019 on the university campus. The 2019 Festival will present 30 new works, including works of dance, theatre, new plays, installations and site-specific performance work.

Directors and Casting is set for the two PlayGround Festival premieres, A HISTORY OF FREAKS by Katie May, May 13-June 15 , helmed by circus arts performer and director Doyle Ott and ANNA CONSIDERS MARS by Ruben Grijalva,  May 20-June 16 (Press /Opening: May 22 at 8pm), helmed by San Francisco Playhouse Producing Director Susi Damilano. The productions will run in rotating repertory as part of the 25th Season PlayGround Festival of New Works, May 13-June 16, 2019. Tickets for the entire PlayGround Festival are now on sale. For more information, visit http://playground-sf.org/festival.

It's with a touch of sadness that RENT celebrates its 20th anniversary of its first national tour. The national tour company of the Jonathan Larson musical about artists trying to make it big in New York City rolled into Columbus for an eight-show stay March 19-24 at the Palace Theatre (34 West Broad St. in downtown Columbus).

State Theatre New Jersey presents RENT - 20th Anniversary Tour for three performances on Tuesday, April 2 at 8pm, Wednesday, April 3 at 8pm, and Thursday, April 4 at 8pm. Tickets range from $35-$98.

Chris Isaacson Presents has announced the return of Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp: Acoustically Speaking for two shows only on Monday, April 15, and Tuesday, April 16, at 8:30pm at Catalina Bar & Grill in Hollywood. Acoustically Speaking features two Broadway favorites and original stars of Rent coming together to celebrate music, memories, and their 20-year friendship.

Jonathan Larson's Tony Award-winning groundbreaking musical, RENT, rocks stages across America in its 20th Anniversary touring production. It is currently playing at the Lied Center for Performing Arts in Lincoln, Nebraska. Forget regret. This is a show you must see.

PlayGround has announced highlights of its 25th Season, including two world premieres to be featured in this year's PlayGround Festival and its return to New York for a 25th Season Gala Performance. The world premieres, Katie May's A HISTORY OF FREAKS and Ruben Grijalva's ANNA CONSIDERS MARS, were both developed at past PlayGround Festivals. Anna Considers Mars is a PlayGround/Planet Earth Arts co-commission. The productions open May 15 and May 22, respectively, and will run in rotating repertory as part of PlayGround's annual new plays showcase, the PlayGround Festival of New Works, through June 16 at PlayGround's state-of-the-art San Francisco home, Potrero Stage. On April 15, PlayGround will celebrate its 25th Anniversary New York-style with a special one-night only Monday Night PlayGround "Musical Theatre" Gala Performance at Theatre Row's Beckett Theatre on 42nd Street, featuring plays and performances by PlayGround alumni and other distinguished guests. For more information, visit http://playground-sf.org.

BWW Review: RENT 20th Anniversary Tour at Popejoy Hall

RENT on FOX officially aired last night, January 27. Due to an injury suffered by the production's Roger, Brennin Hunt, portions of the show were pre-recorded, but the show must go on! We've got 55 GIFS of the most shareable moments from our live tweet available for download below! Check out the exclusive GIFS!