Rosita

Rosita is a turquoise, bilingual monster who first appeared on Sesame Street in 1991 in Episode 2888 (Season 23). Hailing from Mexico, her full name is Rosita, la Monstrua de las Cuevas (Rosita, the Monster of the Caves). She is five years old,Season 46 press kit and celebrates her birthday on December 7. She is the second bilingual Muppet to recur on the show (after Osvaldo the Grouch), speaking both English and Spanish.
Rosita has often presented the Spanish Word of the Day, and features frequently playing her guitar, which Luis taught her to do in Episode 3794. She's very good with history, as well as geography."Tough Pigs Live From Sesame Street: Abby Cadabby & Rosita" June 2, 2011
Rosita has an extended family which includes an abuela and other relatives. Her dad, Ricardo, served in the military and is in a wheelchair due to injuries related to his service. He made his debut with Rosita's mom, Rosa, in the 2008 resource video, Talk, Listen, Connect: Changes.
Some of Rosita's favorite toys include a doll named Lola who appears in Episode 3857 and "Monster Lullaby," a stuffed cat named Gatito from Episode 5118, and a purple doll named Carmen (after her performer) from the illustrated books Meet Your Neighbors on Sesame Street and Monster Meditation: Time for School, Rosita!
==Development==
The idea of a bilingual Muppet character for the show was conceived as early as 1990 by Jim Henson. Carmen Osbahr remembered "having just one conversation with him before he passed away... "I always wanted a bilingual character, what do you want?"... We thought that animals would be politically incorrect as any Mexican could be offended, so we decided that we wanted a monster... a colorful monster." After Henson's passing, Osbahr met with some of the show's creative team to finally develop the character as she became.Below the Frame, season two, episode two. 5:15
Rosita was named after one of Carmen Osbahr's best friends in Mexico, and was originally conceived as "a young girl monster proud of her heritage who encounters problems learning English."Apodaca, Rose, "Sesame Street's Newest Resident Is Furry, Affectionate and Latina", Los Angeles Times, January 28, 1993. Sonia Manzano devised the character's surname "the Monster of the Caves."Sonia Manzano interview, video interview for the Archive of American Television, conducted on July 15, 2004.
==Wings==
Rosita originally had wings attached to her arms, akin to those of another cave-dwelling creature, the fruit bat.Borgenicht, David. Sesame Street Unpaved, 1998.
Members of Rosita's family have exhibited the ability to fly, as seen in Episode 3341 where Rosita practices some flying of her own, but has trouble with making landings. Her family's wings are referenced again in Episode 3846 where Rosita decides to find something else to do with her wings rather than fly. In 2017, performer Carmen Osbahr explained that "She couldn't fly but she was able to glide like a flying squirrel. But mainly the big arms with wings were [designed] because she [used] to give very big hugs and to play the guitar."Muppet Wiki on Facebook August 29, 2017
Her designer Ed Christie went into detail on the puppet's construction in the same social media post:
Beginning with Season 35, Rosita was rebuilt and no longer had wings. Years later, Osbahr revealed that the decision to remove Rosita's wings had never been communicated with her:
In a 2011 interview with ToughPigs.com, Rosita offers an explanation for the loss of her wings: she claims that her family flew from their cave (near Snuffy's) during a storm, like a flying squirrel, and she lost her wings. A spare Rosita puppet, with the wings intact, continued to be used as Rosita's Abuela.
By 2021, Rosita's wings were reinstated, as first seen in web videos produced for Sesame Workshop's Coming Together initiative.YouTube: Spanish Is My Superpower
==Notes==
* In Episode 3832, Rosita says that Prairie Dawn is her best friend, but in Episode 3886, she looks for a best friend and eventually settles for Herry Monster. During the 1980s (and as listed in their profiles in The Sesame Street Treasury volumes 6 and 9), it was Herry and Prairie who were often paired as best friends.
* Years before Rosita first arrived, Big Bird made friends with a chicken named Rosita on his trip to New Mexico.
* As of 2000, Sesame Workshop's digital video database was named after the character.TVBroadcast.com "Preserving The Value Of Sesame Street" by Debra Kaufman
==Filmography==
* Sesame Street (1991 - present)
* Sesame Street Jam: A Musical Celebration
* Sesame Street: 25 Wonderful Years
* Sesame Street Stays Up Late
* Stars and Street Forever
* Don't Forget to Watch the Movie
* Lead Away!
* Elmocize
* Elmo Saves Christmas
* Quiet Time
* Elmo Says BOO!
* Fiesta!
* Elmopalooza
* A is for Asthma
* A Brief History of Motion Pictures
* The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland
* CinderElmo 
* Peter and the Wolf
* Kids' Favorite Songs 2
* Music Works Wonders
*"We Are Family" music video
* Bert & Ernie's Word Play
* Elmo's World: Happy Holidays!
* Talk, Read, Write
* The Street We Live On
* What's the Name of That Song?
* Happy, Healthy, Ready for School!
* The Get Healthy Now Show
* Let's Get Ready!
* Elmo's Christmas Countdown
* Abby in Wonderland
* Being Green
* Elmo Loves You
* Talk, Listen, Connect: Changes
* Talk, Listen, Connect: Deployments
* Coming Home
* When Families Grieve
* Math Is Everywhere
* Food for Thought
* Growing Hope Against Hunger
* Super Healthy Monsters
* Little Children, Big Challenges: Divorce
* Little Children, Big Challenges: Incarceration
* Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas
* The Magical Wand Chase
* Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration
*The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo
*Elmo's Playdate
*Elmo's Playdate: Scavenger Hunt
*The Power of We
*The Monster at the End of This Story
*Elmo's Mindfulness Spectacular
*Elmo and Tango Holiday Helpers
==Album appearances==
*We Are All Earthlings
*Hot! Hot! Hot! Dance Songs
*Fiesta Songs!
*Elmo Saves Christmas: Holiday Favorites
*Kids' Favorite Songs 2
==Book appearances==
* Fix It, Please (1992 edition)
* We're Different, We're the Same (1992)
* Happy Birthday, Rosita! (1993)
* Big Bird Meets the Orchestra (1993)
* Merry Christmas, Everybody! (1993)
* Elmo's Christmas (1993)
* Around the Corner on Sesame Street (1994)
* Bright and Early with Elmo (1994)
* Grover's Mommy (1994)
* Rosita's Block Party (1994)
* Rosita's Calico Cat (1994)
* Rosita's New Friends (1994)
* My Name Is Rosita (1995)
* Rosita's Surprise (1995)
* Sesame Street Stays Up Late (1995)
* Elmo's Lift-and-Peek Around the Corner Book (1996)
* Christmas Songs (1997)
* Elmo's Christmas Colors (1997)
* Pumpkin Patch Party (1997)
* Baby Party (1998)
* It's Not Easy Being Big! (1998)
* Sesame Street Lift-and-Peek Party! (1998)
* Elmo's New Laugh (1999)
* A Very Grouchy Christmas! (2000)
* Clap Your Hands! (2002)
* Look and Find Elmo (2002)
* Listen to Your Fish (2003)
* Brought to You by... Sesame Street! (2004)
* Elmo's World: Sports! (2004)
* Fun with Friends (2004)
* Animal Alphabet (2005)
* Boo! (2005)
* Be a Friend (2006)
* Let's Compare Sizes (2006)
* S is for School! (2006)
* Abby Cadabby's Rhyme Time (2007)
* Big Bigger Biggest (2007)
* Counting All Around (2007)
* Elmo & Friends Picture Stories (2007)
* Lots of Opposites (2007)
* Music Player Storybook (2007)
* Rosita's Easter on Sesame Street (2007)
* I'm a Helper (2007)
* Color Carnival (2008)
* Rosita and Elmo Read a Recipe (2008)
* Rosita and the Beanstalk (2008)
* Storybook ABCs (2008)
* What's the Word on the Street? (2008)
* Count to 10 (2009)
* Love, Elmo (2009)
* My Big Book of Firsts (2009)
* Busy Friends (2010)
* Murray's First Book of Words (2010)
* Elmo's Christmas Picture Puzzles & Songs (2011)
* Elmo's Merry Christmas (2011)
* Over on Sesame Street (2012)
* All Tucked In on Sesame Street! (2014)
* E is for Elmo (2017)
* A Sweet Christmas on Sesame Street (2018)
* H is for Home (2020)
* Monster Meditation: Time for School, Rosita! (2021)
* What If...? (2021)
* Spanish Is My Superpower! (2022)
* Elmo Asks Why (2023)
* Elmo Gives Thanks (2024)
* Good Game: A Sesame Street Guide to Being a Good Sport (2024)
* Sesame Street 2024 comic book
** Issue 2: Bert & Ernie's Spring Cleaning
* I Love to Watch You Grow! (2024)
==See also==
* Rosita's Alternate Identities
* Rosita (animated)
* Rosita walk-arounds
* Sesame Street monsters
==Sources==
__NOWYSIWYG__
Category:Sesame Street Muppet Characters
Category:Sesame Street Characters
Category:Muppet Characters
Category:Sesame Street Monsters