Christin
Eve
Cato

Christin Eve Cato, an award-winning luminary playwright, dramaturg, poet, educator, lyricist, songwriter, and performing artist, emerges 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, Cato’s voice is often distinguished for her ability to create universal stories grounded in culturally specific narratives. Cato's artistic voice harmonizes with the rhythms of Caribbean culture and the Afro-Latinx diaspora. Her journey in song and lyric writing was ignited during her formative years at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for Music and Art and the Performing Arts, where she was classically trained in vocal music. Immersed in the pulsating heart of New York City's theatrical landscape, Cato has become an indispensable thread in the cultural fabric. She holds esteemed positions such as ensemble member and former Resident Dramaturg at Pregones/PRTT, a founding UNIT 52 ensemble member at INTAR Theatre, and a playwright in the WP Theater 2022-2024 Pipeline Lab. Additionally, she is a former Core Apprentice and current educator at the Playwrights Center, a member and affiliated playwright of The Latinx Playwrights Circle, an associated artist with The Sol Project, and a seasonal roundtable dramaturg at the Musical Theatre Factory.

 

As a prolific playwright, Cato's recent off-Broadway production and 2024 Obie award-winning play, Sancocho at the WP Theatre (March 2023; co-produced by the Latinx Playwrights Circle, WP Theatre, and The Sol Project), garnered high acclaim. Before Sancocho made its off-Broadway debut in NYC, it graced the Chicago theatre scene for the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance’s 2022 Destinos Theater Festival (produced by Visión Latino Theatre Company). The Chicago Tribune and Chicago Reader lauded the play, emphasizing its resonant family dynamics and critiques on generational trauma. The Chicago Tribune celebrated Sancocho as “a multi-sensory experience”, and The Chicago Reader declared it as “rich family fare”.

 

As a performer, Cato is explosive on the stage and periodically performs throughout New York City and across America, entertaining audiences of all kinds. She has also originated roles in productions at Pregones/PRTT and INTAR Theatre, working alongside legendary playwrights like Migdalia Cruz, Candido Tirado, Octavio Solis, and many others. Her versatility extends to dramaturgy, with recent credits including contributions to "Somewhere" at Geva Theatre Center and "The Comedy of Errors" at The Pubic. Beyond the stage, Cato's impact extends to film, where she has produced, starred in, and written award-winning independent short films that have been showcased at prestigious festivals, including the Chicago Latino Film Festival, the New York Latino Film Festival, and the Las Cruces International Film Festival. Her latest short film, American Made, an adaptation of her original short play (a finalist for the 2022 Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival), reached international audiences as an official selection of the 2023 Toronto Lift-Off Film Festival.

 

An advocate for diversity and inclusion, Cato's efforts have earned her recognition from celebrities like John Leguizamo- you can find Cato making a cameo appearance on the MSNBC docuseries, Leguizamo Does America, commenting about the importance of amplifying Latiné stories and writers in both the film and theatre industries. Cato prides herself in being a cultural archivist, writing stories that define our shared human experience.

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Christin Eve Cato is more than an artist; she is a trailblazer shaping the narratives of today and tomorrow. She has been named and is an awardee of the Negocios Now: 40 under 40 Leaders of Latino Excellence.  She has received recognition, including the 2020 Greater Good Commission recipient for Afro-Latinx writers and the 2021 ReImagine New Plays in TYA grant, second place prize winner in the 2023 Miranda Family Voces Latinx Competition, and the 2023 HOLA award nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Playwriting. She is represented by WME Agency and 3 Arts Entertainment and is a proud member of The Dramatists Guild and Actors Equity Association.