Edinburgh Fringe Playbill Pick Palatable Gay Robot is embarking on a national tour throughout the month of September.
Starting September 16 in San Francisco at Club Fugazi, the production will also play Los Angeles September 18, San Diego September 21, Seattle September 25, Chicago September 26, and a to-be-announced date in Toronto. Full tour stop information can be found here.
Tony nominee Noma Dumezweni has joined the touring production as the recorded voice of the product designer. Dumezweni previously voiced the designer in person for the show's Ars Nova engagement, following in the footsteps of previous demonstration narrators Alison Luff, Jackie Hoffman, Beth Leavel, Kathy Najimy, Chloe Troast, and Kaitlin Hopkins.
Playbill Pick: Palatable Gay Robot at Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Written by and starring Broadway's Stephen Brower, the piece reimagines Brower as Billie Bowtie, the latest AI product from fictional future company HumaVibe. With programming perfect for gossip, date nights, and fundraisers, he’s never overbearing or offensive, and always knows the right thing to say, serving as the perfectly palatable gay robot in a heterosexual world.
The show begins with a voiceover from a trustworthy product designer (Dumezweni), welcoming Billie into the world. Billie is charming, charismatic, and well-dressed, but there is a bug in his programming. As the demonstration begins to fall apart at the seams, the near human vulnerabilities at the core of Billie's consciousness begin to spill forth.
Directed by Zachary Prince, Palatable Gay Robot previously played London's Phoenix Arts Club, Ars Nova, La MaMa, Littlefield, Chelsea Music Hall, Triad Theater, and Greenside @ Infirmary Street. Palatable Gay Robot has sold out every performance since its Edinburgh Fringe run.
Alan Kliffer will produce. Brower is managed by Adam Gold for AGI Entertainment.
Visit ArsNovaNYC.com.