Cheech Marin

When producer Robin Tate set his sites on bringing Rick Najera's out-of-town hit Latinologues to Broadway, he did so by recruiting one of the most famous Latinos in America to steer its creative course—Cheech Marin. Though a complete novice to stage directing, to remain fresh in the business, Marin quips, "You do whatever you can!" Still, Marin's show biz legacy is nothing short of iconic. Along with his former comedy collaborator Tommy Chong, the Mexican-American Marin shot to Hollywood stardom in the 1978 bong-gurgling cult classic, Up in Smoke. For the next five years the duo branded their names in box office gold with such hits as Cheech & Chong's Next Movie, Cheech & Chong's Nice Dreams and Cheech & Chong's Still Smokin'. Over 35 years later, Marin proudly declares that "the Cheech & Chong movies are [still] the number-one-weekend video rental" in the United States. Since breaking up the act in 1985, the Los Angeles-born Marin has fulfilled a long list of creative posts: screenwriter, film director, composer, actor, author, art collector, golfer. Recent appearances as an actor in the films of Robert Rodriguez Desperado, Spy Kids and recurring TV roles on Nash Bridges and Judging Amy have rekindled Marin's popularity. Now he's directing a show on Broadway which, over the past few years, has played to sold-out crowds from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, Portland to Miami, while employing more than 70 actors during its various incarnations. Set to open on October 13 at the Helen Hayes Theatre, Latinologues is currently in previews, starring a crackerjack quartet of comic actors—Eugenio Derbez, Rene Lavan, Shirley A. Rumierk and creator/writer, Rick Najera. As Latinologues finished its first week of performances, we caught up with Marin to chat about his work on the show, his journey to Broadway, his understanding of the growing sophistication of Latinos in America, and the story behind his most unusual name.

So, how did you come about directing Latinologues?
Well, this is my first time directing a stage play, and it's amazing how I'm making my debut on Broadway! [Laughs]. But basically, they approached me. I had known [writer/performer] Rick [Najera] for a long time. I knew about the play, but I'd really never seen it until they asked me. And I went, "OK... That might be a good deal." So I went down about three months ago and saw the play in L.A., and I saw immediately what I could bring to it. And so I said, "Ok! I'll take this on."

What was it that you saw?
What I saw was a string of unconnected monologues. So I brought this kind of internal narrative and inter-relatedness of the characters together. 'Cause the analysis I gave to Rick was, "You have a bunch of jewels here and we need to put them in a necklace." And he was very open to that. So we started re-tooling them [the monologues] and inter-relating them [with each other]. We had a longer version where we had even more relationships, but, you know, that would've been over four hours. [Laughs.] So we scaled back. But still, the characters are inter-related with each other now—kind of a big family. When they came together at the end [of the play] it made total sense. And we get a lot of nice, funny endings out of it.

How is directing a play been different from directing a film or TV show?
Well, with film or television, you're concerned with the technical aspect of it more than you are in the theater, because there's no camera. But I liked directing the play because I got to work with the actors, and work with the text, and then with the surrounding lights and background—which I love to do, too!

And how are you finding being on Broadway?
I love it! I mean, I've acted for a long time, but I've only really done—or acted in, rather—one other play on stage. I did the [2003] world premiere of The Late Henry Moss, Sam Shepard's play in San Francisco with Woody Harrelson, Sean Penn, Nick Nolte...

How was that experience?
Oh, it was wonderful. What was really wonderful was knowing that—although it was my first play—I still had more stage experience than all those guys put together!

Because of your stand-up work with Cheech & Chong?
Yeah. But, you know, my work with Tommy [Chong] wasn't stand-up. It was really a two-man acting troupe. We were always in character.

Would it be fair to say that your direction of Latinologues is being drawn from experience as a stage performer?
Yeah, 'cause I knew about staging and pacing. I knew about a live audience. And together with my film experience—creating an ensemble and a "whole piece"—that all came into play, too. 'Cause I knew a lot about acting, so the thing I could bring as a director vis-à-vis being an actor was really essential, I thought, to Latinologues.

Are you making many adjustments or changes during previews?
We're making adjustments every night. But [the show] moves very fast. And we may make changes later on, but right now we're mainly concerned about gettin' those seats covered by asses.

How did you come about your casting choices for Broadway?
Well, the piece came with three actors already set: Rick Najera, who is the author; Eugenio Derbez, who'd been doing it for a while, and he wanted to be on Broadway; and Rene Lavan, who'd also been in the show for a while. The only person who is new is Shirley Rumierk. We found her in New York. And she is tremendous. She's Puerto Rican and Columbian. And though she's Harvard-educated, she's from Hell's Kitchen. So she brought that "street" with her that has just been invaluable to us.

Has John Leguizamo's successful stage shows had any baring on the the decision to bring Latinologues to Broadway?
Yeah [Laughs], we've got the same producer! [Sexaholix's Robin Tate.]

I find Leguizamo's characters utterly grounded in a New York Latino experience. But you and Rick Najera are presenting a different picture in Latinologues. Was that a conscious choice?
Absolutely. This is a unique play, in that it addresses many Latino ethnicities; Cuban, Dominican, Puerto Rican, Chicano, Mexican. Of course [New York] audiences really know the differences between those ethnicities. And accents!

With Latin audiences being so diverse across America, what have you specified for New York?
Well, [the text] can be skewed to fit different communities. It depends on where the show's playing. For instance, the "Miss Puerto Rican Day Parade" piece used to be "Miss East L.A.." And [on Broadway] the basic material has stayed the same, but the accent and attitude of the person gets played totally different. I'm interested in the diversity of the specific ethnicities you're going after. I mean, I've traveled enough—and been in New York enough times—to know the differences. And that's where we're at now with Latino audiences [on Broadway]—we're playing in front of an increasingly sophisticated audience who recognize these things. And I really think we're getting into a new level of depth and diversity with the pieces that you're seeing in front of the Broadway audiences.

Well, you won't be the only Latinos on Broadway this year—you'll be sharing the season with Chita Rivera.
Oh, I love her!

Speaking of stars, any chance of a reunion of Cheech & Chong on Broadway?
You know... You never know! [Laughs.] I have an idea for one.

Finally, how did you come to be called Cheech?
Well, Cheech is short for chicharron—deep-fried pig skins. When I was a baby, my uncle looked at me and said, "Oh, look... He's just like a little chicharron." And so when Tommy [Chong] and I were first getting together—trying all kinds of combinations of names to call ourselves—he said, "You have a nickname?" I said, "Cheech." And he said, "Cheech & Chong." And it's never been anything different.