Inside The Mind Of The Wildly Talented Peterborough Comic/Actor/Writer Andrew Root
/Thirty-three-year-old Peterborough actor/comic/writer Andrew Root is one of the most talented entertainers in town. Root, a lifelong resident of Peterborough, is perhaps best known as a member of the Citiots improv troupe that plays Gordon Best Theatre regularly—and as the friendly face who serves you coffee at Starbucks. He also writes and produces Crime City, an original monthly stage show in the style of old-time radio that plays on the Theatre on King.
Those in the local arts scene speak really highly of him:
"Andrew Root is a quirky genius whose humor and wit transcends the 'normal' bounds of brilliance." —Ray Henderson
"He is a wonderfully intelligent, hilarious and well mannered being." —Mike Judson
"I love Andrew! I would describe him as someone whose talent and intelligence only pales in contrast to his genuine kindness." —Megan Murphy
"His work with Art for Awareness is outstanding—he is a great actor and friend. Andrew is a true asset to the arts scene in Peterborough." —Geoff Bemrose
Read our wide ranging Q & A with Root (aka Mr. Under Trees) below...
Andrew Root on stage at Gordon Best Theatre performing for Citiots Improv. Photo by J. Lee Photography
PTBOCanada: OK, in 100 words or less, tell us your life story.
Root: Born and raised in Peterborough, played 10 years of church league softball. Left after high school for eight years to live in Paris, a small town in England and the bustling metropoli of Sudbury and Cobourg, then back home to the Patch. Trained as a teacher, working as a barista (among other part time jobs). Loves movies and works for an online movie magazine (brightwalldarkroom.com), performs improv comedy and writes a radio drama podcast. Ardent feminist and will gladly talk to you about that. Currently 33 years old with a wife, a mortgage, two cats and a dog.
PTBOCanada: You attended PCVS in high school. Did it help foster your creative side? You had English degree from where? Did it foster your writing/creativity further?
Root: PCVS was a beautiful place to learn and self-discover. I got to see so many people learning the joy of expression and I learned that creativity and making art is a way of making sense of the world. The Integrated Arts program lets you try your hand at a lot of different modes of expression; it’s a buffet of opportunity, and I’m so glad the program lives on at TASSS.
I got my English degree at Laurentian University in Sudbury. The courses I took were more focussed on the analysis of literature instead of creative writing, though honestly, I wasn’t the best student. I got good/decent grades, but I wasn’t invested. I once decided to do as little reading in a course as I could (though to be fair, I was also doing courses that year that required me to read David Copperfield, all of Austen, most of Shakespeare and all of Ginsberg, so something had to give), and I still got an 86%. After that, I was a little too high on my own opinion of myself to take school seriously. I kept all the books I read (or was supposed to read) from that period and I look back through them occasionally and wish I’d invested more wisely. I’ve done my own writing periodically since high school, but it’s the artist’s equivalent of a sketch book—a sentence here or there, a short story or two, the outline of a novel. I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was precisely six years old, but I got in my own way a lot. I think I’ve finally cobbled together a creative process that works well for me, so now that that’s out of the way, we’ll see what comes out of it!
Photo by Adam Martignetti
PTBOCanada: You're one of the funniest performers up on stage at Citiots Improv—hysterically funny, actually—yet you're a bit of an introvert. What happens to you up there?
Root: We introverts like a good structure, and while improv is generally thought to be entirely random, there are a lot of rules. When I’m on stage, I know that as long as we all follow the rules things will turn out well, so why not say the most outrageous thing that comes to mind? It all satisfies a structure, and that’s a very comforting thought. I have no problem being the focus of a ridiculous scenario or making a fool of myself because everyone in the room is on board for that. I do silly things and the audience watches and laughs (or doesn’t—yikes!). That’s how it goes. But once you step off stage, NO MORE RULES! There are no rules or premade structures when it comes to a conversation, especially when it’s a conversation with someone you just met. We (The Citiots) always hang out after the show and we meet a lot of new people, and the newness of that always throws me a bit. But don’t get me wrong, I love talking to people after the show and meeting new people—I’m just not very good at it!
PTBOCanada: How you ever tried stand-up comedy? At some level, one could imagine you standing up at a mic telling jokes to an audience. Observational comedy. Why improv and not stand-up? Or why not both?
Root: I’ve done stand-up comedy three times before (fun story, the second time I tried it, two thirds of the audience left in the middle of my set—walked right past the stage to the exit). It can be satisfying, but it’s a nerve-wracking experience. I haven’t cracked the code to stand-up yet. And as I can see it, the only way to do that is to perform more and more. You have to be a bit of a glutton for punishment to be a stand-up, I think, especially when you’re just starting out. There are so many factors to take into account; the audience, the other stand-ups who are performing, the events of the day even. And you have to have so much material! The time just whizzes by. When it comes down to it, both improv and stand-up are ways to make an audience laugh, but the way you go about them are totally different. I’ll probably try stand-up again, but it takes a lot of preparation. I definitely couldn’t jump right on stage right now and monologue for ten minutes and have an audience find that entertaining. I really do think anyone can perform some kind of comedy, but you need some experience and training under your belt if you don’t want to flop.
Root performing at Citiots show. Photo by J. Lee Photography
PTBOCanada: Many comics mine their material from angst—say, from a bad childhood, a divorce... basically from a dark place. Many others come from the opposite place. Where do you mine yours from in regards to your improv?
Root: My childhood was pretty great, thankfully (thanks, Mom and Dad!). I suppose I could complain that I was the youngest (by four minutes) and really drag on that idea, but it’s a shallow well. I’d feel bad creating drama where there wasn’t any.
Everyone in The Citiots has a “thing”—a particular strength they bring to the table. I’ve been told my strength is in dropping jokes into a scene, bringing it up a level, adding new things. That probably comes from growing up with a twin brother, Ian, who’s taller, handsomer, smarter and funnier than I am (he’s seriously handsome. It’s aggravating). I can take what’s already there and hopefully heighten it.
PTBOCanada: Comedy, laughter, is an amazing medicine for people. As a comedian, what place are you trying to bring audience to in every performance?
Root: I want people to be surprised and delighted and forget their troubles. It’s all laughter and happiness, right? Release those endorphins! I can’t tell you how many people have said that they “need a night out with The Citiots” when they’re having a rough day or week or month. And our audiences are lovely. Chock full of the nicest people you’d ever want to meet. It’s a wonderful way to come together and share in an experience. And really, that’s what being a human is all about, right?
Root far right, in plaid!
PTBOCanada: Tell us about Arts for Awareness (a local arts organization that deals with important social issues). You are on the board, right? And what does mental health mean to you?
Root: I’m on the board of directors, sort of a second-string hire after the original board members (Rachel and Geoff Bemrose, Marsala Lukianchuk, Justin Boyd and Brian MacDonald) founded the company.
The issue of mental health is so close to me that it’s not even an issue anymore: more of a fact of life. I have some low-level issues with depression and anxiety, but these are on par with having a tendency towards catching colds; I don’t have to take medication to manage them and I have coping strategies for these episodes—they probably wouldn’t even register as medical issues, and I count myself lucky for that. But I have many people close to me that live with a variety of mental illnesses and aren’t able to shake it off or cope easily on their own. It’s important to realize that mental illness is a form of physical illness; people who live with it require resources and professional help. It really is that simple when you cut through all the stigma surrounding it—a health issue. As part of AFA’s original production of Erasing The Stigma, I interviewed community members about their experiences with mental health and while complex and varied (there are as many types of mental health issues as there are people who live with these issues), they all boil down to the same thing—the need for compassionate care. Education is the most powerful tool a community can have to help people get this kind of treatment. Once you buy into the idea that there is nothing wrong with having a mental illness—once you make that your base assumption—the only way to go is up. AFA’s mission of drawing attention to vulnerable sectors is something I’m very proud of, because we also provide fundraising services. People—for whatever reason—aren’t always willing to empty their pockets into a donation bin. But they’ll come see a show. And if we’re putting on the best shows in town, all the more reason to come out!
PTBOCanada: What did starring in the Arts for Awareness production of Rent as Angel mean to you?
Root: I felt a real case of imposter syndrome when playing Angel in Rent, for a number of reasons: I’m not gay. I’m not a transvestite. I’m not a dancer and I’m certainly not a singer. It’s an important role in the show as well as an important role in the culture that surrounds the show. Angel, in spite of AIDS and poverty and homelessness, finds joy in everything that she does (in my performance of Angel I chose the pronoun “she.” Others may differ, no offense intended). So there was enormous self-imposed pressure to get it right. When I was cast, I was the heaviest I’ve ever been, so I started working out six days a week (I was told this wasn’t necessary, but I didn’t think anyone would believe that a nearly 200-pound man was dying of a consumptive disease), taking vocal lessons and immersing myself in gay and drag culture. Angel’s story is different from my own, so in order to do it justice I had to tell it as faithfully as I could. You learn so much about empathy when you step into someone else’s shoes (or high heeled boots). Angel is an inspiration, and I hope I did her justice.
Photo by Bob Root ("This photo features my aggravatingly handsome twin brother," says Andrew)
PTBOCanada: You have written, produced, directed and starred in plays, musicals—most currently Crime City, the comedy radio drama serial podcast recorded live in front of a studio audience. Tell us about that.
Root: I don’t technically direct Crime City, maybe just a note here or there on performance. Can’t imagine writing and directing a show at the same time. You’d just get too close to it and lose objectivity, and then the show suffers. My wife directs, and I can see how many balls she has to keep in the air to pull it off, so unless I’m really passionate about a project, I probably won’t find myself directing. Plus, in my limited directing experience, I find that the ideas I have in my head are sometimes very difficult to communicate to the rest of the cast and crew. There are only so many times you can say “y’know what I mean?” and still have the good faith of the people you’re working with.
PTBOCanada: Tell us about the arts scene in Peterborough: what it means to you, where it's been, where it's at, where it's going. What's your take, being immersed in it as you are?
Root: There is always something going on in Peterborough (often many things at once). I had some friends from New York visit on a Wednesday evening last summer and we took a walk through downtown. They were stunned by how much was happening in this medium-sized Ontario town: there was live music at a bunch of different venues, performances at Showplace and Market Hall and the Gordon Best, flyers up for upcoming events at the Peterborough Theatre Guild and the Theatre on King, a new installment at Artspace, more going on in one night than we could’ve taken in if we had a week. When I first started to get involved in Peterborough’s art scene, it seemed a little clandestine; there was this group and that group and overlap was discouraged, but I’m always happy to see an artist or performer work with people they haven’t worked with before. It opens up the scene and encourages collaboration. My own show wouldn’t have ever happened if I couldn’t recruit from many different talent pools. As long as what you’re doing isn’t exactly the same as what someone else is doing, I can’t think of a good reason why everyone can’t work together and be supportive. It’s not always this way, but hey, people are people.
Performing with Kate Ethier (far left) and member of Mantown (far right) at Citiots show
PTBOCanada: The great conundrum for those in the arts is how to get paid, how to make a decent living or any living doing their passion here in Peterborough—or anywhere for that matter other than LA (well, actually, most are waiting tables there as well waiting for their big break that might not ever come). There are no easy answers. Do you have any suggestions?
Root: It’s a struggle, but there is money to be made out there. A few suggestions would be to seek out grants or advertisers (you’d be surprised how many people will say yes if you ask them for money). Make the best possible product/show/art you can, given your amount of time and energy. Manage your expectations on how much money you’re going to make (it won’t be a lot, especially at first) but don’t devalue your craft. Be kind and easy to work with.
PTBOCanada: You work at a Starbucks. Describe life at Starbucks. Do you get a lot of material there from interactions with customers/colleagues?
Root: There’s a reason you hear of so many artists working at Starbucks. It’s pretty ideal when you need a solid, reliable income to fund your passion projects (and, y’know, living expenses). I’m very grateful to have a flexible schedule and a boss and coworkers who understand when I need to switch a shift at the last minute to accommodate a show. It’s a fun job. You feel a bit like a scientist on a kid’s TV show. “Take a bit of formula X, a dash of this chemical mixture, just add the power of steam, and voila!” People think it’s magic. Delicious, $5 magic.
I can’t say that I get a lot of material from coworkers and customers because those experiences aren’t always the most relatable. I refer to them as “new girlfriend/boyfriend stories.” They might be a big part of your day, and you may want to tell people all about every little thing, but you can’t expect them to care to the same degree you do because they’re not as involved as you are. And, I mean, we’re making coffee. It’s not a monumental achievement of the human spirit.
PTBOCanada: OK, where do you get your material from for screenplays, etc.? Conversations? Books? Pop culture? Observing? Imagination? Jotting down notes?
Root: All of the above! I subscribe to two theories when it comes to writing: first, you need to use everything—your own life experiences, news stories, novels, movies, TV shows, art, everything—and draw on those things to inform your own ideas. Not that you borrow and steal, but that you allow yourself to be inspired by the world and the things in which you are interested. Second, you need to think deeply on a subject, and then forget it. An idea will surface. I usually go through phases of absorbing and digesting other people’s work (in the case of Crime City, it’s reading old detective stories and comics, listening to old radio dramas), and then going for a long walk or a bike ride and just letting your mind wander. Jot things down so you won’t forget them, and once you’ve got a good amount of paper scraps and emails you’ve sent yourself, set aside some time to put them in order. A lot of the time I spent trying to write was thwarted by my lack of time spent just wandering and wondering beforehand. You’ve got to come to the table brimming with ideas.
PTBOCanada: Your wife Sarah is a teacher. What does she teach you about life?
Root: Sarah has taught me wonderful lessons about hard work and commitment, but also about the importance of play. In her teaching, she sets high standards for her students and demands their best work, but she also lets them know that hard times are not the end of the world. You’ve got to laugh and enjoy life and not let things stress you out. She also taught me that vacations are better when you have a plan. I always doubt her on this point, and I’m always wrong.
PTBOCanada: Who are the great improv comedians/comedians you look up to, listen to?
Root: Amy Poehler is a favourite. She speaks so well about the benefits of taking risks (not just in performance, but in life), and doesn’t let anyone tell her what to do.
•Matt Gourley, an improviser and teacher from California. Matt is a generous performer, totally weird and is the dictionary definition of “interested and interesting”—a must for performers.
•Lauren Lapkus, an improviser and actor who has mastered the ability to speak first and think afterwards. It means her scenes are always energetic and surprising. She also always comes up with justifications for her weird scene choices, so she’s a team player. Check out her episode of the Netflix special, The Characters.
•Bob Odenkirk and David Cross, creators of Mr. Show and With Bob & David. If you want to see how difficult comedy writing can be, watch the behind-the-scenes documentary from With Bob & David on Netflix.
•Paul F. Tompkins, the most well-rounded comedic performer I know of, equally at home in stand-up, writing, weird characters, impressions, improv, monologue and so much more.
•Tig Notaro, easily the best stand-up comedian working today.
PTBOCanada: Who are your influences/mentors locally that have helped you in the arts scene?
Root: Ray Henderson (founder of The Citiots, artistic director of Arbor Theatre). I simply wouldn’t have any of the opportunities in comedy and performance that I do without Ray. He’s a great believer in people, and he has a great mission of bringing fun, talented people together to have fun and show off our talents, and through him I’ve made lasting friendships with exceptional people. I’m very grateful for the work he does.
• Ryan Kerr (operator of The Theatre on King)—Ryan’s mission statement in running TTOK is that people need a place where they can afford to fail. If it weren’t for Ryan giving me a break on the cost of renting TTOK in the opening days of Crime City, I wouldn’t have been able to put on the show at all. It’s really wonderful to know that there’s a place in the city that will allow you to put on your new or weird or cheap production and see what happens with it. Want to do a show? Just do it. That’s what Ryan taught me.
• Kate Ethier. Kate is my best friend and my biggest influence in comedy. She’s a brilliant, inventive performer whose commitment to comedy as an art form runs deep. She’s constantly pushing herself to get better, to try new things, to experiment and dissect what went right, what went wrong and how to do better. Her comedy is smart, personal, and I can’t think of anyone funnier.
Root with bestie Kate Ethier
PTBOCanada: At your special birthday Citiots show in front of your wife, parents, friends and the audience, you performed a song where you were pretty self-deprecating about your life. Existential crisis? Or comedy? Or somewhere in between?
Root: Oh man, probably somewhere in between, with a leaning towards existential crisis? Birthdays are a time for reflection: you think maybe life isn’t going as you’d planned when you’re working in a Starbucks at age 33, but you don’t really realize it until you’re freestyle rapping about it in front of a crowd of 120 people. That tends to crystallize things right up! Look, there are a lot of things in my life that on the surface aren’t great: I trained to be a teacher, but I can’t find work anywhere. I’m up to my neck in student debt. I don’t make a lot of money despite putting in a lot of hours (minimum wage meaning that if it were legally allowed, they’d pay you less), and sadly, we live in a town without a lot of employment opportunities. The hustle of working in the arts (as well as being an introvert who indulges in extroverted work and performance) means I’m tired a lot of the time, and my hair is getting, like, crazy thin. But if you can’t laugh at the absurdity of it all, what can you do? You can have a lot of bad stuff going on and still be awesome. People have layers, you’ve seen Shrek (That’s a line from Kate Ethier’s stand-up, by the way—see how funny she is?). The best shows I’ve ever done with The Citiots tend to come from the need to have a really great laugh. You laugh at yourself first and foremost. Then you dust yourself off and keep moving.
PTBOCanada: In a perfect utopian world where the stars aligned, what would you be doing?
Root: Writing and developing shows with my friends. This being a perfect world, I’d also have to resources available to give these sorts of opportunities to other people. People should be able to do what they love without the pressure of whether or not it’s “financially realistic.” I’d also have a sweet six-pack.
Performing with comedian Adam Cawley
