Stranger Things star Gaten Matarazzo has been cast as Mark Cohen in a new West End revival of Rent, opening this autumn. The production marks his London stage debut and revives the iconic musical exploring life in 1990s New York.

Gaten Matarazzo will play Mark Cohen, the central narrator of Rent, in a highly anticipated West End revival. The show opens this autumn, with tickets going on sale today. Mark is a struggling filmmaker documenting the lives of his friends in New York City’s East Village amid the AIDS crisis and bohemian hardships.

The role of Mark Cohen was originally created by Anthony Rapp in the 1996 Broadway production and reprised by Rapp in the 2005 film and 2009 tour. Other notable actors to have played Mark include Neil Patrick Harris, Skyler Astin, and Jordan Fisher.

This year has already been busy for Matarazzo, who was recently cast in the film adaptation of Dave Malloy’s musical Octet. The Rent revival will be directed by Luke Sheppard, with further casting details to be announced.

Sheppard commented: “This is Rent in the hands of a new generation of performers who love and adore this piece, and with Gaten Matarazzo playing Mark, it promises to be a thrilling experience.”

The revival offers a fresh take on Jonathan Larson’s groundbreaking work, marking a significant moment for fans of both the original musical and Matarazzo’s growing theatrical career.