by Laurie Searle
Press-Telegram
November 20, 1997

Jonathan Larson's smash hit Broadway show, "Rent,'' is in high demand. Originally scheduled to be at Los Angeles' Ahmanson Theater for a few weeks, the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical is now expected to continue there until January.

The traveling show's cast is led by such TV celebs as Neil Patrick Harris ("Doogie Howser M.D.'') as Mark, and Wilson Cruz ("My So Called Life'') as Angel. Cruz took time from his busy schedule in "Rent,'' to speak with the PressTelegram about his personal struggles growing up gay, his family life and how he's learned more about himself by playing a care-giving angel on stage.

Press--Telegram: Where did you grow up?

Wilson Cruz: I was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. From there, I moved to San Bernardino when I was about 10 or 11 with my family.

P-T: When did you know you had it in you to be a performer?

W.C.: I always knew what I wanted to do. It was frightening because when I was young, I was always on. I was always dancing and singing. It was very clear to me that I wanted to be a performer. I just didn't know whether I wanted to sing or dance or act, so I decided to do all of them. I was in the band and choir when I was in fifth grade. I got an agent while I was in high school, but I didn't get any work until college. I was a theater major at Cal State San Bernardino. The first role I got was as a recurring character on a TV series called "Great Scott.''

P-T: Sorry, never heard of it.

W.C.: Don't worry, nobody has. It was on for like 10 minutes and then it was canceled. The following season, that's when I got "My So Called Life.'' It was perfect for me because I was my character, Ricky, in junior high.

P--T: Was it difficult getting started in the business?

W.C.: No. I mean, when I started I would take any agent. I switched agents a couple of times since the beginning. The difficulties I had were more on a personal level, not really with my career. I don't feel like I have struggled as much as other people have to get to the level I am at professionally now. Last year, I didn't work at all, which was evil. But I expected that to happen.

P-T: Tell me about some of your struggles personally.

W.C.: Well, it was mostly with my family when I was growing up. They have always been very supportive of my ability to use my talents but they weren't as supportive with my coming out. The problem was with my dad mostly because Mom has been incredible and my two younger brothers are cool, but my father wasn't so open to the idea of me being gay. It has taken him awhile but he now accepts me completely.

P-T: It took awhile for your character, Ricky in "My So Called Life'' to come out as being gay. What did that character do for you personally?

W.C.: Basically, I was that character of Ricky in junior high even though I played him when I was much older. He went through a lot of the pain that I went through in school. Ricky also legitimized me as an actor. The show legitimized all of us. It was hard work, difficult material, but everyone who worked on the show appreciated our work and that made it fun. "My So Called Life'' was painfully realistic.

P-T: Why do you think it didn't have the staying power as a successful television show?

W.C.: I don't know. There are a million reasons I guess. I think it was too real, too honest. People don't want that at 8 o'clock. They want to laugh and hang out with their friends. No one wants to relive high school. I would have been all over that show if I were in high school. I would have been glued to the television.

P-T: What was it about the role of Angel that made you want to play him?

W.C.: Angel touched me on a personal level. I have lost more friends to AIDS than I care to think about and my character has AIDS. Playing him was a way for me to honor their lives with dignity. At the same time, I identified very closely to the Angel, not the drag queen part, or the drummer part, not even the AIDS part, but the person. I saw in Angel innocence, a life-affirming, joyous person. I wanted to be allowed to be that person two hours every day. In turn, I thought I could bring something to him. What ended up happening was him teaching me and giving me a lot more than I ended up giving him. Angel has changed the way I look at life and the way that I appreciate the people around me. I didn't know what was going to happen when I took the role. It has been an amazing experience. A bonus, and it's only been five months.

P-T: How is it working with the other performers in "Rent''?

W.C.: It has been amazing to work with these people. I have no time to question my ability because I have to get myself together so that I can at least be on the same level as the others. There is an astounding amount of talent on that stage. I feel like I have to live up to what they are giving out. On a personal level, they have turned into my extended family.

Neil (Patrick Harris) is incredible and extremely supportive. Mark (Leroy Jackson) is a godsend and very patient in the rehearsal process. I couldn't ask for a better group of people to work with. Most of them have had more stage experience than I have so I have really learned from them. Sharon (Brown) has done more musical theater than anyone I know. She has really guided me and helped me through this process of putting on a live performance every night.

P-T: Do you think that you would like to continue to do theater or can you see yourself going back to television?

W.C.: I am so willing to do anything. I can't think of just doing television or theater. There is so much material out there and I don't want to limit my experience to one form of the medium. I work harder here than in television. It's a lot of hours. "My So Called Life'' also had a new script each show. With "Rent,'' I'm constantly trying to think of ways to keep it fresh and real. I have to remind myself that most of the people in the audience are watching the show for the first time and it's my responsibility to make it like the first time for me every time.

P-T: As an actor who is gay and has played two major roles that are gay, do you fear that you may be typecast?

W.C.: I hope not. I know I am capable of other roles. It's just a matter of people opening their minds up and letting me do the kind of projects that I want to do. Part of it has to come from me, too. I have to make it happen and I am up for the challenge. These days there are a lot of straight men playing gay men, like Kevin Kline and Tom Selleck ("In and Out''), and Tom Hanks ("Philadelphia'').

P-T: Yeah, what's that all about?

W.C.: Tom Hanks is one of my favorite actors and I think it's great that he won an Oscar for his performance. As long as the establishment lets gay men play straight men, I have no problem with a straight man playing a gay man as long as it is the best actor that is allowed to do so in either situation.

P-T: "Rent'' is such a talked-about play, more than any Broadway or traveling show I can remember. Why do you think that is?

W.C.: "Rent'' deals with a lot of the issues we grew up with. We went through puberty knowing that there was this thing out there called AIDS that was killing people. At the same time, we all wanted to have sex. It goes far beyond getting pregnant. Now you can die from it. But "Rent'' isn't only about that. It is about following dreams and it's about love, different kinds of love. It is not just about white girl meets white boy. It's about black girl meets white girl and Hispanic girl meets white boy. You have got young urban professionals mixed in with people who have chosen to be artists and sacrifice eating for their dreams. It is about people who are brave enough to live their lives, be honest and be themselves at the same time. I think those are the reasons "Rent'' is so accepted by so many different types of people, because it is a show for everyone.

P-T: The Company started in La Jolla. Now you are playing in L.A. at the Ahmanson Theater until January. Where do you go after that?

W.C.: We go to Arizona, Texas, Washington, Florida and a bunch of other cities in other places.

P-T: Do you have time for a life?

W.C.: This is my life. There's my boyfriend, my family and this. That's it. That's all I need.