Would RENT still be RENT if.....

[YankeesFan175]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 2:05pm

....the characters were all different races than they are now? not trying to be racist or anything, but i was wondering if all the emotions would still be the same or if new things would be brought to it if say roger was african american, mark was hispanic, and angel and benny were caucasian?

any opinions?

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 2:08pm

Um, I would say yes.

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 2:10pm

I think so. I really don't think any of their races have any sort of important impact on the story.

Updated On: 11/13/05 at 02:10 PM

[Madame X2]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 2:10pm

I don't see why it would really make a difference. I mean, actors of different races than the OBC have played these parts and its not a different show.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 2:11pm

Of course it would. Then again, there would be no one to complain about how racist Rent is because only the minority character dies from AIDS...

Seriously though, other countries have had the characters as different races (usually due to the limitations in their own population) and it doesn't change the story, because race isn't made an issue in the story.

[YankeesFan175]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 2:12pm

really madameX2? what other characters have been played by different races? the only one i know thats been different is an african american mimi.

[Kringas]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 2:16pm

Since the OBC, with the exception of swings and understudies, haven't the races of the characters pretty rigidly followed the same format.

Mark, Roger and Maureen - Caucasian
Benny, Joanna and Collins - African-American
Mimi and Angel - Either Hispanic or African-American

There's no variation from this, is there?

[JACXR71]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 2:22pm

I'm pretty sure Kristoffer Cusick (Fiyero, Wicked in Chicago) played Angel on the nat'l tour, and he's as caucasian as they come. He also understudied Mark, I believe.

[Kringas]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 2:23pm

He was the swing, though, wasn't he?

[JACXR71]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 2:25pm

In his bio (yes, I'm a dork and double-checked), it says "Touring: 1st National RENT (Angel, Mark u/s)."

Does that mean u/s for Angel AND Mark? Or that he played Angel and understudied Mark? Hmm, I guess the latter doesn't make too much sense, so I suppose you're right Kringas. Sorry about that!

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 2:25pm

Isn't Enrico Rodriguez Filipino? Or am I thinking of someone else?

[Kringas]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 2:28pm

Oh, no need to be sorry, JACXR71. I just didn't think they've ever cast the main portrayer of the role as a Caucasion since NYTW.

Updated On: 11/13/05 at 02:28 PM

[ihearttheatre]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 2:51pm

I don't think it would be a huge deal. I get the impression that the original goal was to have a diverse cast, so as long as there was still a variety of people everything would be okay.

[SignoraDiva]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 2:54pm

I wouldn't think it would be a problem...except for the line in Out Tonight when Mimi says "the Spanish babies cry" nothing else gives any refrence to race.

[YankeesFan175]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 3:34pm

signoradiva, i wondered about that line, too. when i saw krystal play mimi, i dont remember if she changed the line or not. it sounds like she mightve changed it, although she was very hard to understand (i saw the show before i knew every song so well.) anyone know if they change the line slightly for that?

[KChenowethfan]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 3:46pm

Mimi's line on "Spanish babies" would not have to be changed if the actress was African American. Her national heritage is not specified, so she could be of Cuban decent, for example. In many Latin American countres, there is a heavy historical African influence, especially in the Caribbean (Afro-Cuban, for example). As a result of interacial marriages, a darker skin color is possible. There are many shades. Not every Latina is J-Lo.

[JayKid]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 3:59pm

Also, a Cuban can be completely white as well. Considering I am 50% (Dad is 100%) and his side of the family was born there and completely white. Since a lot of hispanics were originally from Spain. Then mixed...

So that line doesn't need to be changed period. Hispanic people can be white, black or inbetween.

And anyway, I agree with everyone else, I don't think it matters.

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 4:38pm

I'd say yes, i think....

here's an aditional question that I've always thought about, but can't really come to a conclusion on:

Would RENT still be RENT of some of the gay relationships were straight relationships? like if Angel was a girl. (obviously in any situation it would require rewritten lyrics in some parts)

[RockabyeHamlet]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 4:44pm

I dont think it would change the story if the charecters were different races, but it would change if they changed the sexual preferences of the charecters. The openess of sex in the show is a large part of the message and if most of the charecters were straight it would not be the same show.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 4:46pm

I don't get this "Would Rent still be Rent" part. It all depends on what your perception of what Rent is actually about.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 4:52pm

I don't get the Spanish Babies cried part...what is that referring too?

Well, my question is "Would RENT still be RENT if...Larson had not died?"

[YankeesFan175]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 4:56pm

RentBoy, RENT would be different if Jonathan hadnt died. there are some ways the show could improve, and if he hadnt died im sure there would have been a lot of changes (he practically re-wrote everything after the NYTW version)


and yes, i think the show would be very different if all the gay relationships were straight relationships. the whole gay theme of tolerance, etc. would be completely gone.

Updated On: 11/13/05 at 04:56 PM

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 5:03pm

Rentboy, the "Spanish babies" line is talking about her old neighborhood.

I really don't like when people use that line to "prove" Mimi is Latina, because I had Spanish babies crying in my neighborhood too, and I'm the literal definition of a WASP. It has nothing to do with HER ethnicity, only the atmosphere in what she grew up in. I don't see why more people don't use Mimi's mother calling her and speaking in Spanish as a reason, that's definitely more substantial than a throw-away line about babies crying.

[Kringas]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 5:39pm

or that her last name is Marquez.

[Fizz]

Posted: 11/13/05 at 5:44pm

My friend Susan's last name is Marquez, and she's as white as they come.


Its mainly Mimi's mom speaking to her. Her father's last name is Marquez(unless she took on her mom's maiden name instead), hinting that he is indeed of some type of Hispanic descent as well.

However, Mimi doesn't necessarily have to look Hispanic. My mom was born and raised in Mexico, and still speaks fluent Spanish, and I look more like my Irish dad. (although, I DO have closer to my mom's hair color, and my skin, while pale in the winter, gets super tan in the summer).