Ari Notartomaso will star in Rebel Rebel, the world premiere musical conceived and directed by Ivo van Hove, opening the 2026 Ruhrtriennale Festival of the Arts. Featuring the music of David Bowie, the production will run August 20–September 3 at the Jahrhunderthalle Bochum.
Notartomaso, best known for their breakout role as “Cynthia” in Paramount+’s Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, leads the cast alongside Diego Rodriguez and Daniel Donskoy. Set in a violent society where intimate relationships are forbidden and isolation is mandated by law, Rebel Rebel follows a young couple (Notartomaso and Rodriguez) who defy the system and attempt to build their own utopia in a repressive world. Set to Bowie’s iconic music, musical theater, drama, and choreography converge in an intense spectacle that explores love, freedom, and resistance.
Van Hove, one of the world’s most acclaimed directors, has staged work at the Festival d’Avignon, Edinburgh International Festival, and Venice Biennale, has earned two Tony Awards for his work on Broadway, and previously collaborated with David Bowie on the musical Lazarus.
The creative team of Rebel Rebel includes Henry Hey (musical direction/arrangements), Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui (choreography), Jan Versweyveld (set and lighting design), Christopher Ash (video), An D’Huys (costumes), and Spatial*Junction, Erwin Sterk & Dennis Slot (sound).
About Ari Notartomaso:
Ari Notartomaso starred as “Cynthia” in the Paramount+ musical series Grease: Rise Of The Pink Ladies. Their widely acclaimed, triple-threat performance was heralded by TV Line as 2023’s Biggest Acting Revelation in Comedy. Ari made their feature film debut in Paranormal Activity: Next Of Kin and followed it with the feature adaptation of Mean Girls The Musical. Ari stars in the indie feature Original Sound, which was released this summer in cinemas across the US. For the stage, Ari made their Off-Broadway debut in the acclaimed Encores! production of Titanic and has been developing leading roles in several prominent, new musical adaptations. Notartomaso is represented by CESD Talent Agency, McKegney Management, and Origin PR.
