You Had Me at Atmósfera: A Serene Evening of Stand-Up & Stanzas

Chicago born, Bed-Stuy based rover and comedic raver of ceremonies Mateo Rodriguez-Hurtado returns to BAAD! as host & curator for a one night only affair lovingly uniting hard belly-laugh inciting comedians and soul reviving poetic performers.

“You Had Me at Atmósfera” unhooks and frees up limits of traditional live performance for an open-ended kaleidoscopic evening of charisma, aura renewal, and, well, fun! Folks itching to witness budding and glistening artists sharp as a tack by way of the Lower East Side, the Bronx, and other pathways, borders, dimensions ought to buckle up for this harmonious mix of poetry and comedy.

With Christin Eve Cato, Lydia Cortés, Reuben Gelley Newman, Calvin S. Cato & Anamaria Leon.

MATEO RODRIGUEZ-HURTADO (they/them) is a Chicago-born, Bed-Stuy based, MexiRican wearer of many aesthetic gorras. They return to BAAD! having presented their in-person and virtual variety show called MONTH. Mateo co-hosts Glory W(hole), an all queer people of color stand-up show on the lower east side, with Lili Pujol. You've seen Mateo perform at Dixon Place, Club Cumming, The Kitchen, Playwrights Horizons, Chateau de 420 Marcy, among others. Alongside Theatre director Teresa Cruz, Rodriguez-Hurtado is developing a new sci-fi performance called NUCLEUS OR WAIVER. On Spotify, you can hear Mateo's scripted comedy podcast, THE ANIMAL SHOW STARRING SAFARI SAFARI.

CHRISTIN EVE CATO (she/her) is an award-winning playwright, dramaturg, poet, educator, lyricist, songwriter, and performing artist, emerging from the vibrant streets of the Bronx, bringing with her a profound artistic narrative steeped in the rich tapestry of her Puerto Rican and Jamaican roots. Armed with an MFA in Playwriting from Indiana University and a BA in Political Science and Philosophy from Fordham University, her work is often dedicated to creating stories grounded in advocacy for human rights and social justice. Cato's artistic voice harmonizes with the rhythms of Caribbean culture and the Afro-Latinx diaspora, exploring the depths of human existence and the role of matriarchy in our societies.

LYDIA CORTÉS (she/her) is a poet/fiction trilingualed writer who also has dabbled in creative non fiction and bubble bath. She’s published 2 poetry collections, “Lust for Lust” and “Whose Place” and also appears in various anthologies and online zines over the years. She’s the recipient of three residencies at the MacDowell Colony; at The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts; as well as a residency at Valparaiso in Mojacar Spain.

REUBEN GELLEY NEWMAN (he/him) is the author of the chapbook Feedback Harmonies (Seven Kitchens Press). He is a writer, musician, and librarian-in-training based in New York City, and he coedits for Couplet Poetry. His poems have appeared in The Journal, Salamander, Ninth Letter, and Fairy Tale Review.

CALVIN S. CATO (he/him) has dazzled audiences around the world, being named one of Time Out New York’s LGBTQ Comics of Color to Watch Out For. His on-air and radio appearances include Oxygen, Netflix, Sirius XM, RISK!, WIRED Magazine, and an unaired pilot for Vice Media called Emergency Black Meeting. His comedy has been featured in numerous festivals and events including San Francisco Sketchfest, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Gotham Storytelling Festival, Brooklyn Pride, and FlameCon. In early 2021, Calvin was published in Kweendom, an anthology of essays by queer comedians and entertainers. In 2022, Calvin concluded a 3-month run hosting a daily talk show on RushTix.com.

ANAMARIA LEON (she/her) is a clown and comedian, who likes keeping her sets fresh. A resident of NYC, she is originally from the country of flower festivals and emeralds, Colombia. She produces the monthly comedy show, Thyme & Again at Whiskey Cellar. She has been featured in The New York Times and Time Out New York.

Host or Publisher BAAD! Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance