[MzGalinda]

I know this is disturbingly similar to my post in CATS about Rum Tum Tugger, but since I have a decent vocal range, going from semi-tenor and up, I was wondering if y'all think it's possible for a girl to take the role of Mark Cohen. He doesn't kiss anyone. His range is okay. Aside from that one line questioning the High Holy Days, it seems possible.

What do you think?

[qpidsangel]

no. takes away the fact that maureen leaves him for a woman

[MzGalinda]

Good point. But if he was still played as a guy, would it work?

[Ulla Dance Again!]

I mean... I guess you could try playing Mark... but I just don't see it as one of those roles you can pull a gender-bender on. Apart from a few lyric changes, though, it could work.

[EponineGiry]

Secretly, Mark's my dream role.

But, I don't think it would work.

[RyanJ]

If you could pull off the role well, then it's possible, but you'd have to work that much harder to make them think that you're a guy.

But hey, my dream role is Eponine from Les Mis. I'm not gay, but Eponine is basically my favorite role from almost any show. I just don't see it working out for me in the near future.

[LesWickedPhantom]

doesn't it suck being a girl? tehe.... Mark's a dream role of mine. When I sing Rent songs with my best friend, I'm ALWAYS Mark to her Roger. memorized harmonies and all that jazz.

[DramaRobin2002]

I think it would be a bit of a stretch. Isn't Mark also a baritone? I think I heard that somewhere...anyway, it'd be interesting to see and if you could pull it off, all the power to you! As for my dream guy role in Rent... I would love to play Angel but I think it'd be a bit much having a girl play a guy who's dressed like a girl...

~~~Amy~~~

[qpidsangel]

Not even playing mark as a guy. Because, it's noticable, I don't care how absolutely fabulous you are, it's always noticable if a girl is playing a guys part, or a guy is playing a girls part. With all the different themes etc in the show it would get confusing for the audience, they wouldn't know if Mark was really a girl who went in drag or gay or.... anything...

[what_the_heck013]

If they were to cut out the whole Maureen dumping Mark thing, Mark could be played as a girl.

[MzGalinda]

Yeah, but that cuts out a lot of Mark's character in general.

[what_the_heck013]

Yeah, but you wanted to know if Mark could be played by a girl.

[MzGalinda]

Oh, I know. I'm just stating what's what. I do appreciate the information.

[qpidsangel]

Ok i'll give a more detailed reason as to why Mark should not be played by a girl, even if as a man. Mark is the "normal" connection to the audience, acting as a narrator the audience is supposed to feel a strong connection to him because of his "normalcy." By normal I mean, not gay, doesn't have AIDS. What an average american is. By playing Mark as a man played by a woman, with all the colorful characters in the show, it confuses the audience implying that Mark is also gay or a crossdresser, maybe even have had a sex change. This would cause the audience IMO to lose some of the sympathy toward our narrator.

In reference to taking out the Maureen dumping Mark thing. Maureen is definetly Mark's protagonist throughout the whole show, ommiting the fact that Maureen and Mark had a relationship makes the protagonist bit not as emotional. It's also imperiative to Maureens characterization and the fact that she's constantly flirting and using boys, and now girls. Not to mention we would lose one of my favorite number's Tango Maureen

[broadwaybaby246]

^^^ totally agree

[OutTonight]

[EponineGiry]