Don Barnhart, Tripp Stelnicki bringing comedy to Rio Grande Theatre

LAS CRUCES – Atomic Comedy has partnered with the Rio Grande Theatre to regularly bring internationally-known comedians to Las Cruces.

John Padon, an Emmy Award-winning comedian originally from Albuquerque, announced that his regional Atomic Comedy Company will be bringing comedians to the area about every six weeks as part of an annual schedule.

The programming kicks off Feb. 1 with headliner Don Barnhart and Tripp Stelnicki. Padon will serve as the night’s host.

Barnhart is taking a step away from his Las Vegas residency to come to southern New Mexico. According to the show notes, Barnhart’s comedy is topical with an “improvisational flair.” His “witty insights” and “facial expressions” make him a memorable comic.

Barnhart released a “Dry Bar Comedy” special in 2019 entitled, “The Spinal Disintegration of Man,” which is available to stream on Peacock. He also has a long history of entertaining the troops internationally.

Stelnicki is an Albuquerque comedian who travels across the country performing at colleges and clubs. Padon described him as a young, “Seinfeld-style” performer with a bit of Chris Rock thrown in.

Padon told the Sun-News in 2022 that his goal is to bring top -tier, “Vegas-style” comedy to more niche audiences such as in Las Cruces. He has over 30 years of experience in comedy and entertainment, leaving him with numerous connections to performers.

“In Vegas you would pay over $100 to see these comics but they owe me favors!” Padon wrote in a news release.

The Atomic Comedy show is at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 1 at the Rio Grande Theatre, 211 N. Main St. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 online or at the door.

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Leah Romero is the trending reporter at the Las Cruces Sun-News and can be reached at 575-418-3442, LRomero@lcsun-news.com or @rromero_leah on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Don Barnhart, Tripp Stelnicki bringing comedy to Rio Grande Theatre