We had the pleasure of sitting down with Nana Rodriguez, a trailblazing Latina comedian making waves in the stand-up world. From her roots as a passionate storyteller to performing at the upcoming Que Chiste Comedy Festival in Seattle, Nana shares the challenges and triumphs of her journey. In this interview, she opens up about the importance of representing Latin voices in comedy, the inspiration behind her material, and what fans can expect from her at Que Chiste. If you're curious about the rise of diverse talent in comedy, Nana's story is a must-read!
Nana, we are so excited to have you perform with us at Que Chiste in Seattle, but we want to know more about the road that brought you here. What inspired you to start your career in comedy, and how has your journey been so far?
A bad break up inspired me, it had me down and out and mad, so I just stepped up to an open mic and told my story about it and it made people laugh.
My journey has been great every day learning and working on my writing.
At its core, Que Chiste is here to uplift the voices and experiences of our Latin community. How does your Latin heritage influence your comedy style and the themes you explore in your performances?
It plays a big part because I use my family and our stories as inspiration. Also in my family, we all like to joke a lot and roast each other so humor is big for us.
What can audiences expect from your upcoming performance with Que Chiste in Seattle?
In your face high energy. [I'm going to] tell it like it is.
When you're not on stage, what are some of your favorite things to do in Seattle or the Pacific Northwest?
Explore local good eats, for sure check out a dispensary and go for a hike.
Can you share a memorable experience from one of your performances, especially one that resonated with a Latin audience?
Recently, I performed in Texas and in my set I talked about Alzheimer's. After the show, an audience member came up to me in tears and shared her story about dealing with it with her mother who just passed, and how happy she was to hear she isn't alone. I told her life can be tough and be full of struggles, however don't forget to laugh. It's important we don't let those things eat us up and we have room to breathe and find humor and laugh at our pain.
How do you incorporate current events and social issues into your comedy, especially those affecting the Latin community?
I like to watch the news with my Dad and that helps inspire some of my comedy about current events such as gentrification.
What are your thoughts on the growing diversity within the comedy industry, and how do you contribute to it?
I think it is great to see the growth. However, us latinos are underrepresented, especially Latinas. There are so many of us out there that we don't hear about. I enjoy networking and collaborating with other Latinas in different cities to help support each other. We all try to help each other with bookings as well.
What advice would you give to aspiring comedians, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds?
Keep telling your story.
What future projects or collaborations can your fans look forward to after your run with Que Chiste Comedy Festival, particularly in the Pacific Northwest or within Latin communities?
I will be at the Latina Comedy Festival in Chicago and the Laugh After Dark Fest in Las Vegas!
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