singing dancing butt stuff
TICKETS
London, England April 7th at Underbelly Boulevard. Tickets.
Wilton Manors, FL April 12th at the Gray Box Theater. Tickets.
Minneapolis, MN April 20th at the Parkway Theater. Tickets.
Atlanta coming soon! For updates on tickets and all things Palatable, sign up for this newsletter.
ABOUT THE SHOW
[Palatable] Gay Robot is a fast-paced, razor-sharp 70-minute comedy that introduces Billie Bowtie, a gay robot built to entertain straight audiences. Though designed to deliver “crowd-friendly” humor, Billie quickly realizes his preprogrammed jokes aren’t going to cut it. Enter The Moderator (voiced by Julia Murney), a god-like, omnipresent engineer, who suggests downloading a personal history to humanize Billie’s performance.
What starts as a simple reboot spirals into a journey of self-discovery, as Billie grapples with a corporate world built on heteronormative ideals and an audience intrigued by his more “unpalatable” truths.
Can Billie stay true to his newfound identity and be a successful product? As he code-switches through gay stereotypes, pop culture references, and every standup trope imaginable, Billie attempts to answer one deceptively simple question: what does it mean to be gay?
With a bold mix of sharp wit, emotional depth, and biting social commentary, [Palatable] Gay Robot is one truly piece of theater you won’t want to miss.
For archival footage, assets, and INQUIRIES please contact alan@klifentertainment.com
Recent
Reviews
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
from Entertainment Now
"Stretching the bounds of what a one man show can be, the line between robot, performer and human melds to answer more than what it means to be palatably gay. There’s no telling whether it’s societies or entertainment industries that are responsible for the pejorative portrayals of gay men. But there’s no denying that works like these are destined to break this cycle. And it doesn’t hurt that the careful craft behind this piece makes revolution the most fun it can be."
by Avantika Sood
★ ★ ★ ★
from Fringe Biscuit
"An uproarious and poignant rollercoaster ride of identity politics. The performance rests on Brower’s incredible character-switching, a technical marvel facilitated by voice-over intros and remarkable physicality... Brower’s commitment to craft and his nuanced critique on the state of gay representation in media make this a must-see. "
PLAYBILL PICK
of the Edinburgh Fringe
from Playbill.com
"A fast-paced and characterful stand-up routine, with performer, Stephen Brower, deftly handling the robotic physicality while landing every joke... This is some sophisticated writing. It’s not just a stand-up routine, nor is it just a play or a gimmick. Like Billie, Palatable Gay Robot is complex, hilarious, and human."
by Ben Connaughton
★ ★ ★ ★
from The Wee Review
"Palatable Gay Robot unambiguously succeeds. It’s well-conceived, well-delivered, and wears its sophisticated premise remarkably lightly. The humour is constant, and palatable indeed… but some uncomfortable realities still come through."
by Richard Stamp
★ ★ ★ ★
from Broadway World UK
"Ultimately, Palatable Gay Robot is a fantastic hour of comedy that does a wonderful job of treading the line between a serious reflection on sexuality and a funny set of standup."
by Kat Mokrynski
STEPHEN BROWER
writer, "Billie"
Stephen Brower is an emerging actor, writer, and comedian. His solo show, [Palatable] Gay Robot, premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2023 (Playbill Pick) and continues to play venues across the country. On television, he recently guest starred in the 4th season of HACKS. On stage, Stephen made his Broadway debut in the musical Anastasia, and subsequently led the First National Tour as "Dmitry." Other theater credits include Broadway: Lempicka (dir. Rachel Chavkin); Tour: Pippin (u/s Pippin), and An American in Paris (Adam).
Online, Stephen is an avid content creator. His TikTok and Instagram videos have amassed a following of over 400K, which is less than Oprah but still pretty good.
Stephen is represented by Innovative Artists (talent, digital, comedy), and Adam Gold (manager), AGI Entertainment. @stephenbrower
JULIA MURNEY
voice of "The Moderator"
Julia Murney is delighted to welcome you to this HumaVibe
presentation. When not extolling the virtues of palatable robots
(gay and otherwise), she can be found walking across fancy
stages (often while singing and sometimes while painted green)
or walking across tv screens (as concerned moms and less
concerned moms). For the right fee, you too could have her
narrate things or recalibrate settings for you. She is very proud of Billie Bowtie.
ZACHARY PRINCE
director
Zachary Prince is a NYC-based actor and director with gluten intolerance and a gardening kink. Directing projects include: Stephen Brower’s [Palatable] Gay Robot (Playbill Pick - Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2023), and Sharone Sayegh’s The Goldsmith (Aspen Solo Flights Winner 2025, Regional Premiere 2027).
Acting credits include: Broadway: Mother Play, Honeymoon in Vegas, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever, and Baby It's You. Off-Broadway: The Last Five Years at Second Stage. International: An American in Paris (Adam) at Théâtre du Châtelet. National Tour: Jersey Boys (Frankie Valli). Regional: A Transparent Musical (Josh) at Center Theatre Group, Grand Horizons (Brian) at Asolo Rep, and The Glass Menagerie (Tom) at Pioneer Theatre.
Insta: @zachyprince; www.zacharyprince.com
ALAN KLIFFER
producer
Alan Kliffer is originally from Canada, and has been producing, and directing comedy for over twenty years. Kliffer served as the Artistic Director for Asylum NYC and The Second City New York. In addition, Kliffer has produced industry audition showcases for Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show, and Just For Laughs, as well as award winning plays and musicals.
Current productions include: Heated Rivalry - The Unauthorized Musical Parody, Ruby Red, Don't Stop I'm About To Jazz and more!
Instagram: @klif
ANN MERRIAM
dramaturg
Ann Merriam has focused on storytelling and community building through Arts Education, Performance and Mentorship for more than three decades. She led the Musical Theatre Department at Wexford Collegiate in Canada, where she created a program that launched many careers. Ann coaches emerging actors and produces in Toronto and New York, fuelled by her belief in the transformative power of theatre and music.
HISTORY
Palatable Gay Robot debuted at the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe Festival in connection with Greenside @ Infirmary Street. These performances were first attended on average by about 12 people at a time. However the show received good reviews and great word-of-mouth, leading to an impromptu sold out one-night-only engagement at the Phoenix Arts Club in London.
Overseas, the role of the Moderator was voiced by acclaimed stage and screen actress, Alison Luff. Once returning to the States, the role was rewritten to accommodate an in-person guest star.
Since making it's New York debut in 2023, Palatable Gay Robot has proudly sold out every venue in which it's been performed. Here's a brief history:
-
Ars Nova (99 seats) with Olivier Award winner Noma Dumezweni
-
La Mama (170 seats) with Kaitlin Hopkins
-
Littlefield (250 seats) with Tony Award winner Beth Leavel
-
Chelsea Music Hall (120 seats) with Emmy, SAG, and Critics Choice Award nominee Jackie Hoffman
-
Triad Theater (115 seats) with SNL's Chloe Troast
-
Triad Theater (115 seats) with Obie Award winner Kathy Najimy
-
Asylum NYC (140 seats) with voiceover by Noma Dumezweni
-
Dixon Place (three shows, 130 seats) with Broadway's Julia Murney
PGR mounted a seven-city U.S. tour in September of 2024. Venues included:
-
Club Fugazi in San Francisco
-
Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles
-
Diversionary Theatre in San Diego
-
Here-After in Seattle
-
The Den in Chicago
-
Crow's Theatre in Toronto
-
Chimera in Tulsa, OK
For more information about upcoming performances and guest star announcements, sign up for our mailing list.
GET IN TOUCH
Stephen's socials
Zachary's socials
ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTORS
Daniel Jaffe (videography), Natalia Sanchez (graphic design), Glenn DeVar (music), Spencer Clark (promotional photography/design), Andrea Berting (costume), El Theodorou (sound design, Edinburgh), Alison Luff ("Moderator," Edinburgh), Noma Dumezweni ("Moderator," Ars Nova)