Weird Cast of RENT Photo? Caucasian Joanne???

[Phantom487]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 3:11pm

I recall seeing several years ago a publicity group shot of a cast of RENT... it was very strange casting... Joanne was white and there was some other weird things. I think it may have been the Toronto cast? I could be wrong... it had Roger, Mimi, Angel, Maureen & Joanne against a grey background... Anyone know what I'm talking about?????

Updated On: 1/8/06 at 03:11 PM

[Patronus]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 3:16pm

I don't know what you are talking about it, but it definitely wasn't the Toronto cast.

That sounds like it's likely one of the European casts.

[Phantom487]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 3:17pm

It was def not an American cast... I seem to remember Toronto, but I could be wrong...

[Patronus]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 3:20pm

Yeah, it is not Toronto if it had a white Joanne.

That cast was Chad Richardson as Mark; Cary Sheilds as Roger; Saskia Garel as Mimi; Jenifer Aubry as Maureen; Karen Leblanc as Joanne; Danny Blanco as Collins; Jai Rodriguez as Angel.

That is pretty tradition casting in regards to race.

Despite Karen Leblanc's name translating to "the white one" I assure you she is an African American actress.
Updated On: 1/8/06 at 03:20 PM

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 3:22pm

Iceland?

They are funny people up there.

[Patronus]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 3:24pm

That's possible. I have the cast recording, but don't feel like tracking down the liner notes.

I know the Mexico City company was mostly latino actors and actresses, and in Eurpoe it wasn't unusual to cast outside of what we have come to accept as the normal casting for Rent.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 4:20pm

Why is it weird that Joanne is white? Because a black woman played her originally?! I mean there's nothing in the role that says she has to be black. Unless I'm mistaken.

[Patronus]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 4:23pm

Well, the casting directors always look for a black actress. That's the way Jonathan Larson wrote the character and thus far US productions have tried to remain faithful to his vision.

[Kringas]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 4:24pm

I mean there's nothing in the role that says she has to be black. Unless I'm mistaken.

No, but it's been discussed ad nauseam that professional productions of the show (in this country, at least) adhere pretty strictly to the racial delineation set up with the OBC.

Edit: I didn't see what you'd typed until I entered this, Patronus.

Updated On: 1/8/06 at 04:24 PM

[elphatine]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 4:28pm

Plus, go here (http://wannabeinrent.com/) and look under Joanne.

[greenegirl87]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 4:29pm

I know for the movie, in one of Fredi's threads a couple months ago, she mentioned how she begged that they would keep Joanne black.

[Kringas]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 4:31pm

I do think it's kind of stupid that they adhere so closely to the OBC's races. I'm all for racial diversity, but - and again this has been discussed to death - with the possible exception of Mimi - these characters could be of any race. You can still keep the show diverse by having a white Collins and a black Maureen.

[singingwendy]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 4:39pm

ok..you intrigued me.....here's a link to a German production....if you look closely you'll notice that there is NO diversity whatsoever!

german rent Updated On: 1/8/06 at 04:39 PM

[Phantom487]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 4:41pm

Wheres the link?

[Kringas]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 4:48pm

It's also odd on that cast breakdown that Maureen is listed as early 20s only and yet Mimi - the only character whose age is given - is listed as early 20s to late 20s.

[singingwendy]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 4:48pm

ooops...forgot to name the link.....it's there now.....sorry!

[exedore]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 4:53pm

SingingWendy: That's an amateur production. The OGC (the one that toured) followed the racial setup per the OBC. The cast recording has pics.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 4:58pm

There have been not only Black Mimi's but Angels of every persuasion under the sun. at one point there was a break-down for an asian angel sooo the racial thing is pretty much bull. I mean there really isn't anything other than that breakdown (which doesn't seem very professional) that says Joanne's GOT to be black. I don't think it would really matter either way.

[Link Larkin Wanabe]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 5:18pm

"That's the way Jonathan Larson wrote the character and thus far US productions have tried to remain faithful to his vision. "

How do you know that? Jonathan wrote a character, not a race. I HATE how they keep casting for this show based on racial discrimination, especially for a show with such a message of acceptance ance tolerance. Why can't we see a black Roger, an Asian Mark, an Arab Maureen, a white Benny? As long as they embody the characters thats all that matters.

Akiva

[Parks]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 5:25pm

Well...in some Asian country (I believe it was an Asian production of the show), they had an Asian Mark...and I believe there was an Asian Mimi...

One of my friends sent me to the site and it even had all of the songs--

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 5:50pm

in the current world tour the mimi is asian.

on another note, i would personally love to get to be a rent swing and cover mark, roger, collins, and benny despite the fact the .... well look at my headshot <---

[Link Larkin Wanabe]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 5:59pm

Jonart...I would love to play all those roles. But I couldn't sing Roger. But I'm all about playing Mark, Collins and Benny. I totally wanna play benny as a wigger.

Akiva

[PitPro2004]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 7:28pm

Jai was also Angel in the Vancouver, Canada company circa 1998 or 1999. Is it possible that this is the cast you are talking about?

I saw the Vancouver company with Jai when I was on tour, but can't find my Playbill to confirm who was in it other than him.

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 7:35pm

Karen LeBlanc is definitely a black woman, and Patronus, she's not African-American, she's Canadian. And she was one of the best Joannes I've ever seen. :) I don't feel that it's discrimination with the way the show is cast. It's the most racially and ethnically diverse show probably to ever be on Broadway. The fact that they stick to certain characteristics within certain characters isn't that surprising, in North America.

Casts outside N.A. have not stuck to those that kind of typing. Neither have understudies in various North American casts, even on Broadway, for some characters. I don't see a problem with it. There are few enough roles for actors of color on Broadway, that if you started opening up some of those in Rent which have traditionally been cast with black actors, it would limit the opportunities even further.

The current World Tour Mimi is Asian because they wanted a 'name' star in that part of the world.

Pitpro, that WAS the Canadian tour, same cast, for the most part, that was in Toronto. They also had a short run in Ottawa. And no, it's not the cast she was referring to with a white Joanne.
Updated On: 1/8/06 at 07:35 PM

[shortydudette]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 9:00pm

I'd love to see a female Mark. Or a 50-year-old Angel.
Honestly, I think it can be argued that race affects the character, even if it's just because of vocal quality (undeniably different between races). And take, for example, the idea of an Arab Maureen. How many performance-artist Arab women have you seen in NYC? There are certain cultural taboos that, no matter what you want to say about diversity and political correctness, affect character. And, therefore, race affects character. So I see little wrong with maintaining characters the way they originated, even in regards to race.