Lara Smith
Lara Smith
If you think that everyone in comedy has a childhood tale of woe, tapping into the pain to draw creativity, Andrew Rosas is here to prove you wrong. I recently caught up with Rosas at Cosmic Coffee + Beer Garden and found out creativity and talent can also come from happy stories. With an upbringing from two very supportive parents, Rosas’ creative side was fostered very early-on. Born in bustling San Antonio, but raised in a rural part of the city, his parents would make the long drive each day to the North East School of the Arts (NESA), where Rosas went to high school. When asked how early on it became obvious he leaned toward the performing arts, Rosas questions whether it was “nature versus nurture.” Having a penchant for being a “ham,” paired with writing and telling stories from a young age, it was obvious there was already a raw talent there to cultivate.
Studying film in the NESA magnet program, comedy wouldn’t come into play for him until well into his 20’s. Beginning college at The University of Texas, music was the next passion to catch Rosas’ attention, but realizing that didn’t hold his focus, he left UT. Ultimately he would find his academic niche, earning a Creative Writing degree from St. Edward’s University.
However it was softball that got him his introduction into comedy and sketch, playing in a league with Mac Blake and David Jara. Both were members of the popular sketch group Stag Comedy and also cast members of Master Pancake Theater. It wouldn’t be long before he met John Erler, quickly becoming a cast member himself. For Rosas, this was a dream come to life, wondering what it would be like to work on the show way back when it was known as Mr. Sinus (don’t sue us, this is history). Rosas recalls his moment of being invited to join the cast as one of those screaming on the inside moments, while trying to play it cool. As a regular part of the cast of Master Pancake since 2012, Rosas has gotten to flex and hone his comedy writing muscles. Those skills have recently gotten the attention of the entertainment and media giant, Rooster Teeth, after writer/director Owen Edgerton sent a pilot over for them to view. Rosas was hired on as a full-time writer for the studio last September, yet another one of his dream jobs.
Having dabbled in improv, and still performing some standup, Rosas admits standup comedy “didn’t get its hooks in me” the way writing seems to have. While I can personally vouch that Andrew Rosas definitely has the skills for standup, he seems to recognize it’s not his true love. Perhaps it’s this self-awareness and focus that have given Rosas the ability and tenacity to keep landing the next “dream job.” He recalls coming home with that same “what if they discover I’m a fraud” voice that often seems to plague creative people pursuing their dreams. But with the realization that he was already doing it, he learned to quiet the voice and keep going.
As an interviewer, it is sometimes a challenge to get people to talk about themselves and tell you their own story. Sitting down with Rosas was an interviewer’s delight. A natural storyteller, he did all the heavy lifting for our interview and it was fantastic (I should’ve asked him to do this article). Now go listen to our interview to hear him tell the tale himself!