Ticket holders receive free admission to Dante's Sinferno Cabaret at 10pm! MARK GROWDEN   Mark Growden is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and performer with a diverse and accomplished career in music and the arts. He has performed extensively across North America, Europe, and Central Asia and was a regular performer at Sinferno in its early days. Recently, Mark joined the cast and became the Music Director for “After Dark,” produced by Pink Puma Inc., which had a successful run at the Alberta Rose Theater. Mark has composed original music for numerous dance, theater, and film works, including Christian Cegavske’s Blood Tea and Red String and collaborations with Joe Goode Performance Group, Sara Shelton Mann, Scott Wells, Remy Charlip, Ken Prestininzi, Deke Weaver, Angus Balbernie, Jo Kreiter/Flyaway Productions, The Crucible in Oakland, and the recently departed Katherine Hermesdorf and Jess Curtis, among others. He has also founded or co-founded several arts organizations and initiatives, including the Marigny Opera House in New Orleans, the Stretch Festival, SF SingFest, the Sunday Songwriter Series, The Calling All Choir, The Chromatic Community Music Center, The SF Jaw Harp Choir, and the band E is for Elephant. He co-founded the New Orleans Dance Festival with David Hurlbert and COVERT with counterculture icon John Law. Throughout his career, Mark has received numerous awards, including the George Heussenstamm Choral Composition Award. His choral works have been performed by hundreds of choirs on five continents. He has released several critically acclaimed albums, many recorded live in the studio with notable musicians like Wendell Brunious, Larry Sieberth, Carla Kihlstedt, Loren Pickford, Eric Traub, Tarik Ragab, Brian Kenny Fresno, Tom Walbank, Jameson Clay Koweek, and others, each distinguished in their own right. Mark is committed to community advocacy, especially for people living with mental health conditions, and is dedicated to making music accessible to all. He frequently donates his time to students, providing music education without relying on external funding or charging high fees, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to engage with music. Mark uses his platform to speak out on social issues, mental health, and the transformative power of art, aiming to cultivate empathy and understanding through his work.