Mark Cohen is one of the main characters - as well as the narrator - in RENT. He is a filmmaker who decides on Christmas Eve of 1989 to "shoot without a script" and create a documentary of the 1989-1990 year, which turns into RENT. He is one of four of the main characters who is not infected with HIV/AIDS.

Mark is the ex-roommate and ex-boyfriend of Maureen Johnson, who dumped him for a lawyer named Joanne; it is implied that Maureen was cheating on Mark with Joanne for quite some time, and Mark warns Joanne of the performance artist's habits when they first meet ("Tango: Maureen"). Despite the awkwardness of the nature of their first encounter, the two seem to develop a close friendship, and Joanne even gets him a job. He also seems to maintain a friendship with Maureen.

Mark is also best friends with his current roommate, Roger Davis, and is upset by Roger's lack of interest in almost anything since the suicide of Roger's girlfriend April the previous year, but is pleased when Roger begins to develop an interest in Mimi Marquez, the dancer in the flat below. He is also friends with his other ex-roommate, Tom Collins, and becomes very close with Collins' eventual lover, Angel Dumott Schunard. He appears to be constantly annoyed with Benny Coffin and his fluctuating decisions on whether or not Mark and Roger ought to pay their rent.

At the end of the film version, Mark's documentary is played, featuring clips from the film as well as of sequences of the eight stars that do not appear in it, ending with a shot of Angel. In the stage version, he and Roger begin to watch the documentary but their power is then shut off by Benny, though it is completed.

Contents 1 Portrayers 1.1 Anthony Rapp 2 Songs 2.1 Solos 2.2 Solos (In A Duet) 2.3 Solos (In A Group Number) 2.4 Others

PortrayersEdit

Anthony RappEdit

Anthony Rapp portrayed Mark in the original production, as well as in the film, and in 2007 when he returned to the role on broadway for a limited time. He will portray Mark again in the 2009 national tour.

SongsEdit

SolosEdit

• Halloween

Solos (In A Duet)Edit

• Tune Up #1 (Roger)
• Tune Up #3 (Roger)
• Tango: Maureen (Joanne)
• What You Own (Roger)

Solos (In A Group Number)Edit

• Tune Up #2 (Roger, Benny, and Collins)
• Rent (Roger, Joanne, and Company)
• Today 4 U (Collins, Angel, and Roger)
• You'll See (Benny, Collins, Angel, and Roger)
• Life Support (Company)
• On The Street (Angel and Company)
• Christmas Bells (Collins, Angel, Roger, and Company)
• La Vie Boheme (Benny, Maureen, Joanne, Mimi, Angel, Collins, Roger, and Company)
• La Vie Boheme B (Joanne, Mimi, Angel, Collins, Maureen, and Company)
• Happy New Year A (Roger, Mimi, Angel, Collins and Maureen)
• Happy New Year B (Roger, Mimi, Angel, Collins, Maureen, and Benny)
• Goodbye Love (Roger, Mimi, Collins, Joanne, and Benny)
• Finale A (Roger, Collins, Maureen, Mimi)
• Finale B (Roger, Mimi, and Company)

OthersEdit

• Will I (Company)
• Santa Fe (Collins and Angel)
• Seasons of Love (Company)
• Seasons of Love B (Company)
• Contact (Company)
• I'll Cover You (Reprise) [Company]