Rent Race Question

[matthew2]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 8:23am

have all the actors that have been cast for lead roles in rent always been the same race that the obc were? like has mimi always been played by a black woman or has roger always been played by a white man?

[ashley0139]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 9:11am

I don't specifically know the answer to your question, but Mimi is actually Hispanic/Latina (I don't know what the correct term is right now). She says, "Feels to damn much like home when the Spanish babies cry." And there are other references, I think. Anyways, yeah.

[JulianHookbucks]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 10:02am

I was told by someone that they once had a white Joanne... but I don't know that to be a fact... It'd be really cool to see the race of the entire cast like... reversed... or just have no specifications. I wish other shows did that too... but alas... the American public just isn't that smart... so if they saw a black person playing ...like Evita... which isn't historically correct, then they flip out... unless you're going for realism which usually I do, I think you should cast with no race barriers. Once I, an Irish white kid, was married to a jewish girl, and we had a latino/mulato daughter. it was cool.

[Patronus]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 10:10am

Mimi has been played by both Latina and African-American actresses.

Angel has also been played by multiple actors who are Latino, African-American, white, Asian and pacific islander.

To my knowledge, Joanne was never played by a white woman. I know that Laura Dias (Maya Days) went on for her a few times in the Benny Tour of the show. I think Broadway has been less open to that type of thing.

I know for a fact that Yassmin Alers wanted to cover the role and she wasn't allowed to. Of course, Yassmin offered to cut her hair and go on as Mark once during a random flu out break within the cast in 1997 so she's hardly the exception. I can tell you that Yassmin Alers went on as the male SOLoist in Seasons of Love several times and played Paul and Steve at least once each. That is out side the normal casting - but each time was due to an unusual circumstance.

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 10:11am

Mimi is supposed to be latina, but she has been played by latina and black women (though they've always been very light-skinned). I think that's the only role that has had any racial variation.

[timote316]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 10:11am

The NY production has always casted the lead roles like the OBC, with the exception of Mimi (there have been a few black Mimis - Scary Spice, for example). There have been some different races for understudies, however (currently, the Mimi understudy - Ava Gaudet - is white, and the Angel understudy - Enrico Rodriguez - is of Philipino/Hispanic descent, but looks Philipino).

I think Rent would work just fine with different races. It'd be different to see, but it'd still work. Mimi and Angel are the only ones with an announced race (both Latino), the other principles don't matter. If I'm not mistaken, the original Collins (from the workshop) was white. International productions have had different races.

[Patronus]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 10:18am

If I'm not mistaken, the original Collins (from the workshop) was white.

Yes, Pat Bridges was white.

[timote316]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 10:40am

His name was escaping me. Thanks Patronus

[jasobres]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 10:41am

Yes, in the original Workshop, the entire cast was white. Tom Collins was originally going to be more of a "Tomm Waits"-like character. I don't know who the Hell Tomm Waits is though. I haven't seen the current cast, but my brother has, but he says that right now, no white woman is in the ensemble. By that I mean anyone not playing a main character. I mean the women who play Mark's mom and others and Alexi Darling, Roger's mom and others are both black currently. Whoa...surreal!

[TennesseeTwang]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 10:49am

I'm not trying to be a know-it-all, but it's possible to be black and Latina.

The term Latina refers to one's ethnicity, not your race. There are white Latinas, black Latinas, mestizos and even Asian Latinas.

For example, actress Penelope Cruz and the late Celia Cruz are both Latinas but it's obvious that they are not of the same race.

And my best friend is both Latina and black. The terms are not mutually exclusive.

[Patronus]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 10:49am

That is actually incorrect, jasobres.

In the NYTW Benny was played by Michael Potts who was most recently seen in Lennon. He's an African-American actor.

Daphne Rubin-Vega was Mimi in the workshop.
Shelley Dickson was Joanne in the workshop.

Sheila Kay Davis was also in the ensemble.

TennesseeTwang, that is an important distinction and I was trying to be a PC as possible when wording my response. Which is why I said "African-American" and "Latina" those are a more exlusive of each other - although in general I suck at the PC thing and never know the appropriate phrases. Thanks for the correction. Updated On: 10/23/05 at 10:49 AM

[jasobres]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 10:52am

I don't consider Daphne to be black, she's more or less kinda tannish.

[Patronus]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 10:56am

I was refering to your comment stating the entire cast was "white".

Daphne Rubin-Vega isn't "white".
Updated On: 10/23/05 at 10:56 AM

[jasobres]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 11:06am

Let's just say that Jonathan Larson was not concerned with the race of the characters until Taye, Fredi, Daphne, and Jesse came onto the scene.

[Patronus]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 11:08am

What are you basing this on? I've followed this show closely for going on 10 years and I've never read/seen anything that implies that is the case.

3 out of the 4 characters that you just mentioned where played by non-white actors during the original NYTW run.

Updated On: 10/23/05 at 11:08 AM

[Marquise]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 11:47am

As someone of Puerto Rican descent and a strong sense of my Latino heritage and background the distinction between Latino races given by Tennessee Twang is correct.

In Puerto Rico (and other Caribbean and Latin American countries) we have people of different skin colors. I myself am of a "tanned" complexion, my cousin Sylvia on the other hand is white as a sheet (and is often mistaken for being Jewish) and my sister Tita is a shade darker than me (like Rosario Dawson).

In casting Mimi, the intent is always to have the character be Latina but they cast it with actresses of varying skin tones and racial backgrounds because they can essentially get away with it. Face it, the character of Mimi in RENT doesn't have awhole hell of alot of spanish dialogue, so language isn't really a problem and the skin tone thing isn't a problem because the Latinos of the world have different skin shades/tones then that isn't so much of an issue either.

Mimi can always be played as either a light skinned or dark skinned Latina but not necessarily by a light skinned or dark skinned Latina.

Updated On: 10/23/05 at 11:47 AM

[EverythingIsRENT]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 11:54am

Is Marcy Harriell Hispanic? She's so lovely and exotic looking, I can't figure out her background.

[Marquise]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 12:00pm

That's a great question EverythingisRENT. I'm not sure about her background.
I do know that Daphne Rubin-Vega is Panamanian.
Rosario Dawson is part Puerto Rican/Cuban/African-American.

[EverythingIsRENT]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 12:02pm

Don't forget Rosario also is Irish and Native American! She's the ultimate melting pot

I want to say Marcy is half black and half white, just cause of her awesome hair, but who knows?

[Marquise]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 12:12pm

Yes, but she's primarily Puerto Rican/Cuban/African-American. Her mother is Puerto Rican and her father is Cuban/African-American. I don't see Rosario being cast in a remake of The Quiet Man in the near future.

Updated On: 10/23/05 at 12:12 PM

Posted: 10/23/05 at 12:20pm

Well, about 2 years ago, a production of RENT came to the Whiting Auditorium in FLint, Michigan - I managed to see Mimi's understudy, who's name escapes me currently - but she was light-skinned latino, or white. It was hard to tell - she had lovely dark features, long dark hair, and a GORGEOUS edgy voice - a little bit raspy, but perfect for the role - whether or not she was latino, she played the part wonderfully and made me believe she was Mimi - and that's the only thing that matters, hehe. :)

[JulianHookbucks]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 12:47pm

which brings up something I always wondered... how long did Mimi live... wherever she lived that was Spanish, when did she move away, and why does she not have a latin accent? Or did she as a person try to forget that, and lose it purposely? We'll have to ask Daphne, who created the character... but do you guys think that Mimi should be played with a spanish-speaker's accent?

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 12:55pm

According to the Rent Bible, Mimi left home at 15, but I think that by moving she tried to leave her past behind
But her mother does leave a phone message for her in Spanish

[EverythingIsRENT]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 12:57pm

Many Hispanic kids grow up speaking perfect English because it was easier for them to learn than their parents, so no, Mimi doesn't need an accent. My dad is from South America and didn't learn English until he was 10, but he has no accept to speak of today.

[Marquise]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 12:58pm

I'm of Puerto Rican descent. I don't speak with a spanish accent. I was born and raised in New York City. "Mimi" doesn't have to speak with a spanish accent. I'm sure "Mimi" was of hispanic descent and born and raised in the city as well. Not every Hispanic speaks with an accent.
Updated On: 10/23/05 at 12:58 PM