Interview: Maya Sofía Finds Joy as Resistance in Diversionary Theatre’s RENT

Nearly 30 years after its premiere, RENT continues to hit audiences with startling force. The musical’s themes of love, grief, survival, housing insecurity and community remain painfully familiar, which is part of why Maya Sofía believes this production feels especially urgent.

For Sofía, who plays Mimi Marquez in Diversionary Theatre’s new production of RENT, the story is more than a nostalgic return to a beloved musical. Especially at a theater rooted in LGBTQ+ storytelling, the show carries a weight that extends far beyond the stage.

“In so many ways for so many different communities, if anyone is doing RENT, it should be Diversionary,” Sofía said.

As she rehearses alongside cast members who were impacted by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the material began surfacing memories and emotions that still feel close. “Cast members of mine remember this epidemic not being addressed, how scary it was and remember not wanting to come out for many reasons, specifically because of the lack of knowledge and stigma. And these are my castmates!” she said.

Diversionary Theatre describes the production as a “bold, reimagined production of the iconic musical that changed everything,” noting that this version strips the story “down to its core, reminding us what it means to live, to fight, and to love — no day but today.”

That philosophy — no day but today — also defines Sofía’s understanding of Mimi.

Mimi is one of the most recognizable characters in musical theatre: passionate, sensual and vulnerable. Sofía first played her in 2021 during a San Diego Musical Theatre production right after the pandemic shutdowns.

At the time, Sofía was only 20. “I played her very youthful, with so much joy for life... and I still do,” she said. “She’s the one always saying ‘no day but today’ because she can only control how she can live in that moment.”

Now returning to the role years later, Sofía says her relationship with Mimi has changed. “Doing it now, older, I can own my body more,” she said. “I was shy and it was scary. But now, it’s Diversionary... it’s so about owning your sexuality and beauty, and being free.”

“I think that I was very excited to come into this role again because I know who I am more. I am comfortable in my body and I am choosing to do this.”

Sofía repeatedly returns to one idea while describing Mimi: joy. Not as escapism, but as survival. It is a guiding light she sees at the center of Mimi’s humanity. “She continues to remind me that,” Sofía said. “It feels, especially right now, like it’s constantly the end of the world. Through Mimi I try to remind people that there is ‘no day but today’; we have to be brave enough to love in times of uncertainty.”

That spirit has deepened through the company’s rehearsal process. Sofía says the team continuously reminded performers they were supported. She credited co-directors Sherri Eden Barber and Coleman Ray Clark for building an environment rooted in compassion throughout an emotionally demanding production. Even while navigating difficult subject matter, Sofía said the company consistently reinforced care in the rehearsal room. “They start and end every rehearsal letting us know that.”

The production also involved extensive research. Sofía says the team immersed the cast in articles, documentaries and interviews with nurses, AIDS survivors and sex workers to better understand the world surrounding Larson’s story.

One moment that now lands differently than it did years ago is “Will I.” “I just had more time to get to know more people,” she said. “These were tough things to see and listen to, but easy to empathize with. Now listening to this song, I really connect with the people that I encountered in my research.”

For Sofía, RENT is ultimately about systems that leave people behind and communities that refuse to let one another disappear. She believes some audiences have forgotten the realities behind the musical’s central conflict. “There is a new cool opinion about the show: ‘Growing up is realizing Benny was right, and people should’ve paid their rent.’ But landlords tried to squeeze profit out of them at the expense of people’s health and lives,” she said while discussing the historical context behind the show.

Instead, Sofía points toward another truth: community care. People found ways to survive, rebuild and resist together.

That feeling extends into Diversionary’s immersive staging. However, audiences should not fear being singled out. “The audience is not involved in calling out or getting singled out,” she said. “The space is what makes it immersive, and the audience is part of the community.”

For Sofía, community also means representation. As a performer from Tijuana, Mexico, stepping into Mimi carries another layer of meaning. “I’m really happy to be a person from TJ playing Mimi,” she said. “Representing Tijuas and my community, being Latina, especially now with Latinos being targeted.”

Even amid the show’s heartbreak and struggle, Sofía hopes audiences leave with the same message she continues finding in Mimi: Joy can be an act of resistance.

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