“Swings” are performers who aren’t casted as one specific role in a musical, but rather casted to cover multiple different characters.
In RENT, swings will cover all ensemble roles of their gender and cover one or two principal roles. Often, an actor’s race will come into account when casting swings, too.
Types of Swings
Most productions cast certain actors to cover specific principal roles. The swing types that are present in most, if not all, productions go as follows:
- Designated Mark and Roger cover
- Designated Collins and Benny cover
- Designated Mimi and Maureen cover
Some productions also include a designated Mimi and Joanne cover. Less likely covers include a Roger and Angel or a Mark and Angel cover.
