NEWS
Palatable Gay Robot was performed at the Triad Theater in New York City, July 20th and 22nd with special guests Chloe Troast and Kathy Najimy.
Upcoming performances will take place in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and Chicago this September.
To stay up-to-date on tickets, announcement, etc., join this gorgeous mailing list.
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
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 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. "
★ ★ ★ ★
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
★ ★ ★ ★
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
Singing!
Dancing!
Butt stuff!
ABOUT THE SHOW
Meet HumaVibe's latest device, Billie Bowtie. Programmed to be the perfect performer, Billie must ride the line between palatable and personal - gay, but not too gay! As he navigates his sentience amidst growing pressure from the Moderator, Billie glitches through standup comedy, character, song, dance, and storytelling to land in a place of true humanity.
A laugh-out-loud comedy with a meta twist, Palatable Gay Robot is equal parts playful and thought-provoking. Broadway actor and comedian, Stephen Brower, will leave you feeling joyful, inspired, and a bit more sentient.
"To say this show is just hilarious would be a disservice; it is also a metanarrative on identity as a performance. The quick-fire changes to character, the singing, and the dancing demonstrate the breadth of Stephen Brower's talents. I wanted to see this show because of his Instagram videos, and he maintains that level of presence for a full hour." - audience review
Video recorded in August 2023 by Neon Eye Productions
Productions photos by Jaime Prada and Danny Bristoll
Poster and additional photography by Spencer Clark
For archival footage, downloadable assets, and more
please contact us.
HISTORY
Palatable Gay Robot debuted at the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe Festival in connection with Greenside @ Infirmary Street. These performances were first attended by about 12 people at a time. However the show enjoyed 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
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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
For more information about upcoming performances and guest star announcements, sign up for our mailing list.
STEPHEN BROWER
actor, writer, gorgeous forehead
Stephen Brower is a New York City-based actor, writer, and comedian. He made his Broadway debut in the musical Anastasia, and subsequently led the First National Tour as "Dmitry." Other tours include Pippin (u/s Pippin), and An American in Paris (Adam). He most recently appeared on Broadway playing a handful of characters in the new, original musical Lempicka (dir. Rachel Chavkin).
As a stand-up comedian, Stephen has headlined venues in and around New York City, including Stand Up NY, Broadway Comedy Club, and Club Cumming.
Online, Stephen is an avid content creator. Stephen writes and produces funny videos on TikTok and Instagram, and has a combined following of over 400K, which is less than Oprah but still pretty good. @stephenbrower
Stephen is represented by BRS/Gage and Adam Gold, AGI Management.
ZACHARY PRINCE
director
Zachary Prince is a New York City-based actor and director with gluten intolerance and a gardening kink. He was last seen as “Josh” in the Broadway-bound A Transparent Musical (based on the Amazon series) at Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles.
Zach attributes his keen eye for storytelling to his many years on and off Broadway as a standby for much more famous people, where he observed the challenges of sausage-making up close and from varied perspectives.
When Zach isn’t acting or directing, you can find him feverishly inhaling journalism, shopping for plants he can’t afford, or taking pictures of the two Goldendoodles he shares with his partner, Brandon Uranowitz, who has a Tony Award now. There’s a Tony in our house.
Protect trans kids.
Palatable is Produced By
Alan Kliffer (producer) is originally from Canada, and has been producing, writing, directing and teaching comedy for over twenty years. Kliffer ran Asylum NYC for four years, and helped to launch the award winning Off-Broadway sensation Titaniqué. He is currently the Artistic Director of 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.
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)