Musical Director // Darren Cohen

Darren R. Cohen is a New York-based Musical Director, Conductor, Pianist, Arranger, Author, and Coach. Soon after graduating from the Eastman School of Music, Darren’s professional career took off quickly with a bang: within his first year after school he was introduced to Broadway legend, Kaye Ballard, who took him on the road to play and conduct her one-woman show. Soon after Darren was playing piano in the pit of A Chorus Line, at the Shubert Theatre, Chicago, And The World Goes Round, and Me and My My Girl.  More recently, Darren served as Musical Director for Bill Finn’s Make Me a Song, plus Zombie Prom, The Fantasticks, Show Me Where The Good Times Are, Carnival, A…My Name is Still Alice, Ann E. Wrecksick, Daydreams, Georgy, and Homefires. He also conducted several national tours including: Chicago, Grease,and Some Enchanted Evening.

When not playing or conducting, Darren loves teaching. He has taught musical theatre performance/audition classes and seminars around the country, and he has been on the faculty at NYU Steinhardt School and Marymount Manhattan College. Darren also maintains a very busy private coaching clientele along with one of the largest musical theatre sheet-music libraries and databases.

Darren is the primary author of the book The Complete Professional Audition, (Backstage Books), which is required reading at dozens universities around the country.

Darren has had the privilege of working with many of legends that initially influenced his decision to pursue a career in the theatre including Jule Styne, Richard Adler, Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman, John Kander, Dean Pitchford, Galt MacDermot, and William Finn.

He has conducted and/or played for: Donna McKecknie, Harriet Harris, Jeff McCarthy, Rachel York, Karen Ziemba, Debby Boone, Vicky Clark, Marni Nixon, Kaye Ballard, Roslyn Kind, Malcolm Gets, Sally Mayes, Nancy Opal, Sally Ann Howes, Georgia Engel, Ron Holgate, Anita Gillette, Karen Mason, Leslie Kritzer, Kim Crosby, Bob Cuccioli, Michelle Pawk, Kristin Chenoweth, Lara Teeter, Chris Sieber, to name a few.

Samplings of regional credits include: Goodspeed (Norma Terris Theatre), Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Barrington Stage Company, North Shore Music Theatre and The Sacramento Music Circus.