David Cromer confirmed to direct Rent for ATC/About Face

American Theater Company and About Face Theatre have confirmed that David Cromer will direct the two companies' coproduction of Jonathan Larson's Rent next summer. The revival, which will be the first major local production of the 1996 Pulitzer Prize winner, had been previously announced with the theaters' artistic directors, PJ Paparelli of ATC and Bonnie Metzgar of About Face, attached to codirect. "I don't think I've ever had a director say, 'You've got to let me direct the show you're directing.' And then think, 'Yes. Perfect. Absolutely.',” Paparelli said in a statement announcing Cromer's gig.

It was announced earlier this week that the musical Yank!, to which Cromer has been attached since last year for a possible commercial run in New York, will get a workshop this fall produced by the Old Globe. The Tribune's Chris Jones first reported last week that Cromer was in talks regarding Rent, which is expected to open at American Theater Company on June 12, 2012. Cromer's last Chicago productions were summer 2010's double-whammy of A Streetcar Named Desire at Writers' Theatre and Cherrywood at Mary-Arrchie Theatre Company.