A Clean-Cut Comedian
Pulled Apart by the Machine
NEWS
After concluding a short run at the Edinburgh Fringe, a seven-city U.S. tour (including stops in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, Chicago, Toronto, and Tulsa), and selling out seven one-night-only performances in New York City, Palatable Gay Robot is taking a break!
While we reboot and recharge, join this gorgeous mailing list to stay up to date.
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
For archival footage, assets, INQUIRIES, and more INFORMATION please contact alankliffer@gmail.com
Singing
Dancing
Butt stuff
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 Olivier Award winner Noma Dumezweni), 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.
Teaser recorded in August 2023 by Neon Eye Productions
Productions photos by Jaime Prada and Danny Bristoll
Poster and additional photography by Spencer Clark
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:
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Ars Nova (99 seats) with Olivier Award winner Noma Dumezweni
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La Mama (170 seats) with Kaitlin Hopkins
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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
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Triad Theater (115 seats) with SNL's Chloe Troast
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Triad Theater (115 seats) with Obie Award winner Kathy Najimy
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Asylum NYC (140 seats) with voiceover by Noma Dumezweni
PGR mounted a seven-city U.S. tour in September of 2024. Venues included:
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Club Fugazi in San Francisco
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Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles
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Diversionary Theatre in San Diego
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Here-After in Seattle
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The Den in Chicago
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Crow's Theatre in Toronto
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Chimera in Tulsa, OK
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)