Kennedy named AP's theater and pop culture writer

[August 20, 2010]  NEW YORK (AP) -- Mark Kennedy, who previously worked for The Associated Press for 13 years, is rejoining the news agency as its theater and pop culture writer.

The announcement was made Thursday by Entertainment Editor Alicia Quarles.

Throughout his years at the AP, Kennedy was a regular contributor to the entertainment desk. He wrote compelling, revealing features on high-profile artists and forward-thinking articles on theater, music, film, books and more.

Kennedy, 40, also was an editor on the AP's national and supervisory desks, helping cover such major events as 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. He reported from Kabul in 2003 and helped anchor coverage from Los Angeles in the aftermath of Michael Jackson's death.

Since March 2010, Kennedy has been an editor at AOL News in New York.

In addition to writing theater features and reviews, Kennedy will contribute to other aspects of entertainment including music, film and industry trends.

AP's previous theater writer, Michael Kuchwara, died in May after a brief illness. He covered theater for 25 of the 40 years he reported for AP.

Kennedy has a master's degree from Harvard University and received his bachelor's from Brown University.

[Associated Press]

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