MARK KENNEDY

Entertainment and Lifestyles writer, critic and editor

Kennedy is a theater, TV, music, food and obit writer and editor for The Associated Press, as well as a critic for theater, movies and music. He is based in New York City.

This image released by Disney shows Mark Duplass, left, and Ellen Pompeo in a scene from "Good American Family." (Ser Baffo/Disney via AP)

Hulu’s ‘Good American Family’ with Ellen Pompeo scrambles a wild true-crime case

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a press briefing at the White House, Monday, March 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Semisonic objects to White House using their song ‘Closing Time': ‘You missed the point’

Singer-songwriter James Taylor appears during a portrait session in New York on May 13, 2015. (Photo by Dan Hallman/Invision/AP, File)

James Taylor songs will fuel an upcoming stage musical, ‘Fire & Rain’

MCC Theater is celebrating its 25th anniversary anniversary with an album of Broadway A-listers — including Eva Noblezada, Jonathan Groff, Jeremy Jordan, Ben Platt, Kelli O’Hara and Katrina Lenk — performing songs from roles in which they would not traditionally be cast. (Joy Machine Records via AP)

Broadway’s Eva Noblezada, Jonathan Groff, Jeremy Jordan, Ben Platt and Kelli O’Hara star on album

Ashley Graham attends the Kering Foundation's Caring for Women dinner on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024 at The Pool in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

Ashley Graham to make her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in the razzle-dazzle musical ‘Chicago’

This image released by A24 shows John Malkovich in a scene from "Opus." (Anna Kooris/A24 via AP)

Movie Review: An unhinged John Malkovich can’t help the cult-horror misfire ‘Opus’

★★★★

Former first lady Michelle Obama speaks at a campaign rally for democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris in Kalamazoo, Mich., on Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

Michelle Obama and her brother to launch a podcast with weekly guests

Actress Amy Irving sits with actor-director-playwright Athol Fugard during rehearsals of the play "The Road to Mecca" on Feb. 29, 1988 in New York. (AP Photo/Mario Cabrera, File)

South Africa’s giant playwright Athol Fugard, whose searing works challenged apartheid, dies aged 92

Lencia Kebede appears as Elphaba in the Broadway musical "Wicked" in New York on March 1, 2025. (Joan Marcus via AP)

Broadway’s ‘Wicked’ welcomes Lencia Kebede, its first Black, full-time Elphaba

Roy Ayers performs at the 2Pac 40th Birthday Concert Celebration on Thursday, June 16, 2011, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Ron Harris, File)

Roy Ayers, a jazz legend who influenced hip-hop and R&B musicians, dies at 84

Lin-Manuel Miranda appears at the curtain call following the opening night performance of "Hamilton" at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York, Aug. 6, 2015. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)

Broadway musical ‘Hamilton’ cancels plans to play the Kennedy Center in 2026

George Clooney participates in the "Good Night, and Good Luck" Broadway cast announcement at the Winter Garden Theatre on Feb. 6, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Christopher Smith/Invision/AP, File)

George Clooney revisits a journalistic hero in Broadway version of ‘Good Night, and Good Luck’

Zoe Saldana accepts the award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role for "Emilia Perez during the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Key Oscar moments, from Zoe Saldaña’s emotional win and ‘Oz’ opening to Kieran Culkin’s baby wish

Buster Poindexter is seen at the Grammy Awards in New York's Radio City Music Hall, March 2, 1988. (AP Photo, File)

David Johansen, singer from the seminal punk band the New York Dolls, dies at 75

Actress Michelle Trachtenberg poses for a portrait during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, on Jan. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Mark Mainz, File)

Michelle Trachtenberg, ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and ‘Harriet the Spy’ star, dies at 39

This image released by CBS shows Karla Cheatham Mosley as Dani Dupree Hamilton in a scene from "Beyond the Gates." (Quantrell Colbert/CBS via AP)

Come ‘Beyond the Gates’ for the first Black-led soap opera — the first new network soap in decades

Cynthia Erivo appears at the 77th Tony Awards in New York on June 16, 2024. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

‘Wicked’ choice: Cynthia Erivo will host the Tony Awards in June

John Walsh arrives at the FOX winter junket on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

True crime cruise will star John Walsh and hosts of ‘RedHanded,’ ‘Scamfluencers’ and ‘Kill List’

This image released by ABC shows Daniel Sunjata, left, and Kaitlin Olson in a scene from "High Potential." (Carlos Lopez-Calleja/Disney via AP)

TV procedurals up their game, with doctors on cruises and quirky single moms solving crimes

Barb Tack, of the Ashtabula County District Library, reads "Cat in the Hat" during a Dr. Seuss event in Ashtabula Township, Ohio on March 22, 2014. (Warren Dillaway/The Star-Beacon via AP)

Congratulations, March 2 is your day: A free book giveaway honors Dr. Seuss’ birthday

This image released by Disney Theatrical Group shows Kyra Belle Johnson, left, and Fergie L. Philippe who will appear in the first North American tour of musical “Beauty and the Beast." (Matthew Murphy/Disney Theatrical Group via AP)

New national tour of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ features Fergie L. Philippe and Kyra Belle Johnson

White House Press Secretary Ron Nessen, left, appears on the "Saturday Night Live" set with producer Lorne Michaels, right, and cast members Chevy Chase, foreground center, Laraine Newman, background left, Dan Aykroyd, background right, Jane Curtin, second row from left, Gilda Radner, John Belushi and Garret Morris, partially obscured, on April 17, 1976, in New York. (AP Photo)

12 times ‘Saturday Night Live’ made a cultural bang over the past 50 years

This image released by Disney shows Anthony Mackie in a scene from Marvel Studios' "Captain America: Brave New World." (Eli Adé/Marvel Studios-Disney via AP)

Movie Review: Marvel treads water with ‘Captain America: Brave New World’

★★★★

This combination of photos show Trey Anastasio, from left, Mariah Carey, Billy Idol and Cyndi Lauper. (AP Photo)

Mariah Carey, Chubby Checker, Cyndi Lauper, OutKast and Phish get Rock Hall nominations

Tony Roberts attends the screening for "It Takes a Lunatic" during the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center, May 3, 2019, in New York. (Photo by Brent N. Clarke/Invision/AP, File)

Stage and film actor Tony Roberts, who often starred in Woody Allen movies, dies at 85

This image released by Antipode Films shows a scene from "No Other Land". (Antipode Films via AP)

Movie Review: ‘No Other Land’ is a shocking look at Palestinian life under occupation

★★★★

This image released by Animal Planet/Warner Bros. Discovery shows animal expert Victoria Schade interacting with dogs on the set of "Puppy Bowl XXI," airing Sunday. (Animal Planet/Warner Bros. Discovery via AP)

Meet the woman keeping the adorable pups happy at this year’s ‘Puppy Bowl’

Joni Mitchell performs during the FireAid benefit concert on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

FireAid benefit concert raised more than $100 million so far

Siblings Fergus Fitzpatrick, left, and Anna Mai Fitzpatrick appear in costume for "Riverdance 30 — The New Generation." (Riverdance/Abhann Productions via AP)

‘Riverdance’ tour celebrates its 30th anniversary with a pair of siblings leading the way

Doechii, center, performs a medley during the 67th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

The Grammys had a few surprises up their sleeves. Here are some key moments from the show