theatre4life
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Races set in stone??Are the characters races set in stone? Does Collins have to be black? Mark and Roger white, etc.
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The Very Angry Woman
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Yes and no. They tend to be more flexible with Angel and Mimi (and occasionally Maureen) than anyone else in the show.
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EponineGiry
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What she said. Mark is Jewish and there are very few Jews who aren't white.
(Hasn't Collins been white, or was I hallucinating when I saw that picture?)
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The Very Angry Woman
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Not in the US, except for the NYTW Collins.
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broadwaybaby246
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wasnt the original or one of the early mimi's white? its in the documentary of the movie.
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The Very Angry Woman
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| broadwaybaby246 wrote: | | wasnt the original or one of the early mimi's white? its in the documentary of the movie. |
Daphne Rubin-Vega was Mimi in the NYTW. Don't know who you've been looking at. I'm pretty sure she and Rosario Dawson are the only Mimis in the documentary.
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jcstar
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Hmmmm...
I've seen RENT onstage twice.
1st, I think Angel was black (Jai Rodrigez), but I could be wrong. Equity tour out of Toronto, 1998.
2nd, Angel was white (Justin Rodrigez). Non-Equity Canadian tour 2002.
I don't care, as long as they can sing and play the drum solo.
Andy.
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The Very Angry Woman
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Jai Rodriguez isn't black. He's half Italian and half Puerto Rican.
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broadwaybaby246
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| The Very Angry Woman wrote: | | broadwaybaby246 wrote: | | wasnt the original or one of the early mimi's white? its in the documentary of the movie. |
Daphne Rubin-Vega was Mimi in the NYTW. Don't know who you've been looking at. I'm pretty sure she and Rosario Dawson are the only Mimis in the documentary. |
it was a blonde lady and while she was talking it said her name and Mimi etc..
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The Very Angry Woman
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It's Daphne. She dyed her hair.
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jcstar
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| The Very Angry Woman wrote: | | Jai Rodriguez isn't black. He's half Italian and half Puerto Rican. |
Thank you.
Andy.
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andie
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If Mimi's race is changed, it will make the following verse senseless:
In the evening I've got to roam
Can't sleep in the city of neon and chrome
Feels too damn much like home
When the Spanish babies cry
(OUT TONIGHT)
Besides, her mother speaks spanish when she calls her in VOICE MAIL #5.
Afterwards Mimi & Angel use spanish words in LA VIE BOHEME ("huevos rancheros"). We might suppose Angel just knows a little bit of spanish for no reason whatever =)
Then Angel's name (Angel Dumott Schunard) must give some hint, but I don't have a clue.
As it was said before, there are several references to Mark being Jewish (remember "the Rabbi's daughter" and "Scarsdale Jewish Community Center" in TANGO: MAUREEN?)
But I can't remember any mention of Collins and Benny being black or Roger and Maureen being white... There's Harlem mentioned in VOICE MAIL #2 (Joanne's parents call), but it doesn't necessarily mean anything, right?
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broadwaybaby246
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| andie wrote: | If Mimi's race is changed, it will make the following verse senseless:
In the evening I've got to roam
Can't sleep in the city of neon and chrome
Feels too damn much like home
When the Spanish babies cry
(OUT TONIGHT)
Besides, her mother speaks spanish when she calls her in VOICE MAIL #5.
Afterwards Mimi & Angel use spanish words in LA VIE BOHEME ("huevos rancheros"). We might suppose Angel just knows a little bit of spanish for no reason whatever =)
Then Angel's name (Angel Dumott Schunard) must give some hint, but I don't have a clue.
As it was said before, there are several references to Mark being Jewish (remember "the Rabbi's daughter" and "Scarsdale Jewish Community Center" in TANGO: MAUREEN?)
But I can't remember any mention of Collins and Benny being black or Roger and Maureen being white... There's Harlem mentioned in VOICE MAIL #2 (Joanne's parents call), but it doesn't necessarily mean anything, right? |
but , i am portugueses and i do not look it at all. I speak it fluently, ive been to portugal my parents both grew up there, yet im blonde, green eyes and not your typical portuguese girl. Portuguese "look" isnt as set as the spanish one but all im saying is that a lot of people are spanish and dont necessarily look it.
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DramaRobin2002
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They mostly keep the same general races to make sure the cast is ethnically diverse. If you notice, many times even the ensemble has generally the same. To the question about Daphne Rubin Vega, she did dye her hair and her skin is kinda light, so I can see how someone would get mixed up. I don't think there have been any caucasion Mimis in the US.
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The Very Angry Woman
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| DramaRobin2002 wrote: | | I don't think there have been any caucasion Mimis in the US. |
There have been Mimis and Mimi understudies who are part Caucasian (Marci Harriell, Diana Kaarina, the Alers sisters), but I think for the most part, you're right.
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broadwaybaby246
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| The Very Angry Woman wrote: | | DramaRobin2002 wrote: | | I don't think there have been any caucasion Mimis in the US. |
There have been Mimis and Mimi understudies who are part Caucasian (Marci Harriell, Diana Kaarina, the Alers sisters), but I think for the most part, you're right. |
thanks TVAW maybe im thinking of one of them, next time i watch the documentary ill check for a name.
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The Very Angry Woman
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I'm very sure none of them are in the documentary.
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theatre4life
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Well, i was in a hurry when i typed this. I forgot that Mark is Jewish and i know that Mimi has her Spanish line in "Out Tonight". My main reason for asking is because i know the amature rights are available and i would love to play Collins. I can sing his part pretty well.
Thanks for replies. 
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DramaRobin2002
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I don't think it's going to be as strict in amateur productions. It's going to depend on the director and the talent pool. But the rights actually aren't available in the USA yet. MTI has it on their site but it is still restricted.
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thebeautyisClara
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With a show like Rent, I don't think ethnicity matters as much. There are a few line that pertain (mentioned in above posts), but they can be easily changed. I would really love to see a caucasian Mimi...my friends and I have "fantasy cast" our show - - ie we go around singing our parts and generally just act out the show - - and I am a blonde Mimi. We'd like to actually do Rent eventually, and we discussed the whole Mimi-being-Spanish thing, but I'm a perfect fit for Mimi so we didn't press it too much.
Above all, what should really matter is if the actor is good enough to pull it off.
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DramaRobin2002
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| thebeautyisClara wrote: | With a show like Rent, I don't think ethnicity matters as much. There are a few line that pertain (mentioned in above posts), but they can be easily changed. I would really love to see a caucasian Mimi...my friends and I have "fantasy cast" our show - - ie we go around singing our parts and generally just act out the show - - and I am a blonde Mimi. We'd like to actually do Rent eventually, and we discussed the whole Mimi-being-Spanish thing, but I'm a perfect fit for Mimi so we didn't press it too much.
Above all, what should really matter is if the actor is good enough to pull it off. |
They keep diverse ethnicities for the Broadway show because New York itself is a big melding pot of different races. I'm pretty sure it also promotes the theme of accepting all types of people. But like I said, I doubt that will carry over to amatuer productions as Broadway usually has a bigger talent pool to draw from. I believe the Dutch cast was all caucasion.
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LoneWanderer
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| andie wrote: | | Then Angel's name (Angel Dumott Schunard) must give some hint, but I don't have a clue. |
I'm pretty sure the name is just a nod to his characters counterpart in La Boheme.
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The Very Angry Woman
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| DramaRobin2002 wrote: | | ...because New York itself is a big melding pot of different races. |
Or "melting," even.
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DramaRobin2002
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| The Very Angry Woman wrote: | | DramaRobin2002 wrote: | | ...because New York itself is a big melding pot of different races. |
Or "melting," even. |
Is it melting pot? For some reason, I always thought it was melding...actually, I'm not sure why I thought that. Anyway, thanks TVAW!
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The Very Angry Woman
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Well, I suppose it's for the same reason people think "Might as well" is "Minus well" and pronounce "cross-eyed" as "cross-eyeded."
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DaddyDiesel
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Ithink as ong as there is some ethnicity mixed around it doesnt overly matter who is wha trace except for some minor lyric changes.
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theatre4life
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since this post got reawakened, i want to ask:
when will the amature rights become available in the US?? what determines this??
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Tom
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| theatre4life wrote: | since this post got reawakened, i want to ask:
when will the amature rights become available in the US?? what determines this?? |
I was told by MTI that the US rights will not become available until 2009 - I keep asking them, hoping that the rights will get released sooner.
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ShadowInTheWings
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Did they give any particular reason for that date? I always thought rights wouldn't come out of the show was still on Broadway, does that mean they're planning to close before 2009?
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Tom
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I believe the 2009 dates has more to do with tours than the Broadway show. There are shows playing on Broadway now (Chicago, Beauty and the Beast) that offer amatuer rights to groups as long as they are not in the NYC geographical region
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theatre4life
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See, i dont get that, 'cos Chicago tours and you can do it at your community theatre as long as the tour isnt gonna be too close at the same time. Why cant they just do that with RENT??
I didnt think of it before, but i emailed MTI and this was what i got in response:
Thank you for your email. At this time, the amateur performance rights to RENT are not available due to the current national tour as well as the ongoing Broadway production and a release date has not been set. Please feel free to check back with us from time to time to see if the availability status has changed.
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DramaRobin2002
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It might have to do with the fact that Chicago has been out a lot longer. I'm sure they have their reasons for not making it available yet.
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