President, Rojas Talent Group

This week, Ira spoke with Edwin Rojas, president of the Rojas Talent Group. In this percentage episode of Ira’s Everything Bagel, Edwin talks about his life in entertainment, beginning with magic at age 10; his decision to focus on business and marketing; launching his career with cruise ships in Florida; why he loved selling the show more than doing the show; learning the four chairs of entertainment (performer, presenter, booker and agent); who he looked to for inspiration when he young (including Johnny Carson and magician Magician Richiardi); his decision to decision  to move to Las Vegas; the “halo” effect of Las Vegas; and how he and his clients coped with COVID. 

A graduate from Florida International University in Business/Marketing, and a South Florida native, Edwin started working “at sea,” in 1981, as a guest entertainer for Norwegian Cruise Line. In the ’90s, he was a cruise director for Holland America Line. 

In 2001, he joined Celebrity Cruises as cruise director and ended up in the corporate office managing the fleet’s cruise directors, and finally booking the talent.  His marketing degree was finally put to good use in the corporate environment. 

Edwin incorporated Rojas Talent Group in 2009, which produces shows for numerous casinos, theatres, hotels and resorts, cruise lines and many top corporations.