Born in New York City, Alexis follows his family to… rural Germany. UGH. Discovering pop divas online is his only salvation. Céline, Whitney, Mariah, Beyoncé, Aretha… you name ‘em, he got ‘em. With 10 live original songs, Alexis vigorously shares the queer joy in becoming a stan (a super-duper-UBER-fan). But stanning has its limits. Somehow being obsessed with women makes you… g-gAy?! News to me… Does Alexis have what it takes to stan himself, conquer the German bullies, and find the diva within?? A campy, heartfelt hour of musical comedy. Bo Burnham but GAY!
Alexis is a queer international artist born in New York City BUT has Greek/Austrian/Italian roots BUT was raised in Germany, which makes them WHAT? GAY! After training at Mountview Academy, they pivoted into comedy through a serendipitous first gig with Matt Rogers. Past projects include Fleabag‘s first German translation, and they’re developing a musical adaptation of Achilles. Their work is genre-bending and takes inspiration from Cat Cohen, Rachel Bloom and Bo Burnham to bridge the gap between theatre, comedy and music.
We sat down with Alexis to learn more about the show.
Alexis, your show A STAN IS BORN! has been a hit at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival! What inspired you to create a musical comedy focused on a queer kid’s obsession with pop divas?
I'm truly so lucky, I never could've imagined my little show that I wrote alone in my tiny London room to be received so positively! In essence, I wanted to explore what queerness looks like in childhood. So far, there's little to no representation of queer-coded children in the media, as sexuality is often linked to sexual awakening and coming-of-age. But what happens before physical attraction comes into play? Moving from NYC to rural Germany showed me that somehow, being obsessed with women makes you... gAy? Counter-intuitive, if you ask me... Another source of inspiration was the impact of the real women in my life, not just the otherworldly divas. My mother, my sister, my godmother, my female friends, these forces of nature that provide safe spaces for queer people.
I'm truly so lucky, I never could've imagined my little show that I wrote alone in my tiny London room to be received so positively! In essence, I wanted to explore what queerness looks like in childhood. So far, there's little to no representation of queer-coded children in the media, as sexuality is often linked to sexual awakening and coming-of-age. But what happens before physical attraction comes into play? Moving from NYC to rural Germany showed me that somehow, being obsessed with women makes you... gAy? Counter-intuitive, if you ask me... Another source of inspiration was the impact of the real women in my life, not just the otherworldly divas. My mother, my sister, my godmother, my female friends, these forces of nature that provide safe spaces for queer people.
How did you approach the writing of the show?
It would've never happened without Mountview, my drama school! My major was musical theatre, but we had to complete this module called the Creative Project in order to graduate. Each student had to fill the stage for 30 minutes and then write a paper on it. No instructions, no guidelines, no limitations. I was STUMPED. Meanwhile, I took up a day job at Soho Theatre for some extra cash and was suddenly exposed to a world of autobiographical solo shows. I didn't know that was an option! I started thinking about how I'd write my own show. I've always loved pop divas, so the idea started with a tribute. That evolved into honoring the real women in my life, the REAL divas. Then I sat down and started improving at the piano to get some original songs going, and the rest is history!
The idea of converting locals into stans sounds hilarious! What can audiences expect from this comedic journey?
Two words: culture clash! A huge comedic source in my show. The German stereotype is well-known, a very reserved, blunt, dry-humored people, and while I'm generally not for stereotyping, I can say first-hand... that one exists for a reason (love y'all tho!) I felt so out of place transitioning from a bustling urban metropolis to a very rural town, along with joining a new school and learning a new language... All this made me very shy. I didn't have the same cultural touch points to connect with other kids over, so whenever I would throw out something pop cultural, it would rarely land. That led me down those internet rabbit holes and ultimately to my diva worship. And then, when I communicated through singing and performing, I would finally get through to the Germans! Music is a universal language, after all, and diva worship can be translated in many other, non-literal ways. So you can expect a lot of good-humored language barriers, cultural differences, and of course, ACCENTS! (only the ones I'm allowed to do...)
How do you reflect on your own personal journey and the growth of the show?
Looking back is pretty wild, so many incredible things have happened since I first started writing material for the show in 2023! I toured the US with Matt Rogers after he heard me singing in the Soho Theatre office, what a first gig to have... Then I sold out my show at Soho Theatre in 2024, which meant a great deal, since that's where everything started. I officially entered the comedy world with my first stand up gig in February last year, which was so terrifying, but so rewarding. I got to audition for SNL UK and was nominated for my first award EVER, Best New Show at Brighton Fringe! I performed in NYC for the first time and then had a multiple sellout at the Edinburgh Fringe. That was wild and possibly the biggest achievement of my career so far. Last but not least, I JUST got nominated for the 2026 Musical Comedy Awards, so stay tuned! Alongside all this, the show inevitably grew as well. I became a much better writer and performer, and radically rewrote the show last year to a much better response. All in all, this little show is the reason I'm doing what I'm doing, and I'm so grateful for its existence! My background is in traditional musical theatre, so I could be living a very different life right now... This show, and the world of comedy, was the key to my freedom!
Looking back is pretty wild, so many incredible things have happened since I first started writing material for the show in 2023! I toured the US with Matt Rogers after he heard me singing in the Soho Theatre office, what a first gig to have... Then I sold out my show at Soho Theatre in 2024, which meant a great deal, since that's where everything started. I officially entered the comedy world with my first stand up gig in February last year, which was so terrifying, but so rewarding. I got to audition for SNL UK and was nominated for my first award EVER, Best New Show at Brighton Fringe! I performed in NYC for the first time and then had a multiple sellout at the Edinburgh Fringe. That was wild and possibly the biggest achievement of my career so far. Last but not least, I JUST got nominated for the 2026 Musical Comedy Awards, so stay tuned! Alongside all this, the show inevitably grew as well. I became a much better writer and performer, and radically rewrote the show last year to a much better response. All in all, this little show is the reason I'm doing what I'm doing, and I'm so grateful for its existence! My background is in traditional musical theatre, so I could be living a very different life right now... This show, and the world of comedy, was the key to my freedom!
You have written 10 original songs which feature in the show. Can you tell us a bit about the music within the world of the show?
A key aspect of my show that affects the music is writing from the perspective of my younger self. My diva worship begins when I'm 8 years old and I take the audience on that journey until I'm 12, so there's this element of childlike wonder. I'm exploring everything in real time and relaying my lived experiences pretty much exactly as they happened, such as learning how to riff or singing in public for the first time. Taking everything super seriously, despite clearly being an adult telling the story, creates the comedic core. I took this approach when writing the songs, which I mostly did by improving at the piano, and found in that way, I'm never mocking the divas or diva worship itself. I'm also so inspired by the divas' musicality: there's a lot of riffing in my songs, a lot of R&B influences built into the traditional musical comedy song. Besides, the divas are comedians themselves! Most of them are already so naturally funny, I thankfully don't have to work too much for that in my impressions and songs.
You’re headed to venues in London soon―The Other Palace Studio and Seven Dials Playhouse―before hitting international festivals like Adelaide and Melbourne. How do you feel about performing in front of such diverse audiences?
It's incredibly exciting and also very unsettling! I never know if audiences will know what the hell I'm talking about, no matter where I am. The show is so niche already, the term "stan" alone is so specific to the chronically online Gen Z demographic. And that's the whole point: my cross-cultural upbringing confused me so much, I had to take refuge in online diva worship as a survival tactic. So creating confusion in the audience is an immersive way of reflecting what I felt at that time. But I also do my best to not leave people behind! As I was developing the material, I learned that not everyone is as in tune with pop culture as I am, so I built moments into the show where I get everyone on the same page. Now I know the show can be enjoyed by anyone, even my parents! I played a hometown show in Zurich last year, I was so worried about the language and cultural barriers, but they absolutely lapped it up! It hit even harder for German-speakers, since they understood all the German moments in the show that create my disorientation. I'm excited to see how Australia will respond, I've never even been, so I won't be able to gauge their reactions until I get there!
Do you have to adapt the show in any way depending on where you are performing?
Absolutely, no two shows are ever the same! I have some dedicated moments in the show where I give myself the chance to improvise, comment on the city I'm in, or on the pop cultural moments that are currently taking place. That's really important to me in a show rooted in pop culture, the landscape is always shifting and the diva I'm worshipping today may be canceled tomorrow (Barbz, don't come for me...) It's a comedic skill I'm still developing, responding to things quickly and coming up with takes that will entertain audiences. I also heighten parts of the show, depending on how an audience is responding. If they really like the villagers' German accent, I'll ham that up. If they prefer the diva impressions, I'll make those more fun. If the riffing tickles them, guess what: I just thought of an extra riff! Your wish is my command, I love entertaining and interacting with whatever energy the audience is giving me in the moment.
What was a piece of theatre that has had a big impact on your career?
OOH, where to begin! My favorite musicals of all time are Dreamgirls (a diva show if there ever was one!), Hairspray (best movie musical adaptation), Into the Woods (fairytales and Sondheim, need I say more?!), In the Heights (better than Hamilton, don't @ me...) and Hadestown (my Greek roots are QUAKING). I'm also deeply inspired by Cat Cohen's solo shows (she has a gorgeous voice, which is actually quite rare for a musical comedian, interestingly enough...) and Bo Burnham's specials (no no, please, don't call me the gay Bo Burnham, I don't deserve it... well, if you insist...) I'm also obsessed with Rachel Bloom in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (you know she wrote ALL the songs??), Glee (guilty... I'm a Santana) and Desperate Housewives. And I also cannot forget Rob Madge's seminal solo show My Son's A Queer (But What Can You Do?), which provided immense visibility to queer and gender-nonconforming solo performers. This (slightly unhinged) media diet gives you a pretty good idea of what makes me up as a person!
OOH, where to begin! My favorite musicals of all time are Dreamgirls (a diva show if there ever was one!), Hairspray (best movie musical adaptation), Into the Woods (fairytales and Sondheim, need I say more?!), In the Heights (better than Hamilton, don't @ me...) and Hadestown (my Greek roots are QUAKING). I'm also deeply inspired by Cat Cohen's solo shows (she has a gorgeous voice, which is actually quite rare for a musical comedian, interestingly enough...) and Bo Burnham's specials (no no, please, don't call me the gay Bo Burnham, I don't deserve it... well, if you insist...) I'm also obsessed with Rachel Bloom in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (you know she wrote ALL the songs??), Glee (guilty... I'm a Santana) and Desperate Housewives. And I also cannot forget Rob Madge's seminal solo show My Son's A Queer (But What Can You Do?), which provided immense visibility to queer and gender-nonconforming solo performers. This (slightly unhinged) media diet gives you a pretty good idea of what makes me up as a person!
What keeps you inspired?
I've lately been on a musical theatre kick, weirdly enough! Returning to my roots, you might say. I went to see Eva Noblezada in Cabaret (jaw DROPPED) and The Producers, which, if you don't know it, is like the musical comedy prototype of the modern era (and also has links to Germany... if you now, you know!) I think I'll always be a singer first and foremost, since what inspires me most is always tied to singing and music. I also keep being inspired by pop culture, often sitting down at my keyboard to combine the two and create a new, unhinged comedy song. That's my favorite feeling in the world, reaching flow state and writing a brand new song that didn't exist before! I have a few new projects that I'm working on as well as performing my current show, so those future prospects excite me as well. Several exciting things to come!
What do you hope someone takes away from seeing A Stan Is Born?
I'd love (especially queer) people to think about the impact of women in their lives and the safe spaces they provide. As we come out, it's easy to leave our past behind and focus on our chosen family. That's valid, but I wouldn't be where I am today without those special women and girls in my life growing up. I'd also love to stimulate conversations around queerness in childhood, what that looks like, how we can help queer kids feel more seen. One of my goals is developing this (or anything!) into a kids' show, à la Sunday morning cartoons. But ultimately, I just hope audiences leave feeling uplifted! The show at its core is meant to encourage people to stan themselves. Because if you can't stan yourself... how the hell you gonna stan somebody else?!
A Stan Is Born plays at The Other Palace Studio in London from 15th - 17th January 2026. Tickets are available from https://theotherpalace.co.uk/a-stan-is-born/
The show also plays at Seven Dials Playhouse from 10th - 12th February 2026. Tickets are available from https://www.sevendialsplayhouse.co.uk/shows/a-stan-is-born
The show then plays at the Adelaide Fringe in Australia from 15th Feb - 22nd March 2026. Tickets are available from https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/a-stan-is-born-af2026
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