A STAN IS BORN! returns to Fringe with camp, chaos and heart

Alexis Sakellaris’ musical comedy blends diva worship, personal storytelling and punchline politics

From rural Germany to the Riverside Studios, via a viral TikTok presence and a five-star run at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe, A STAN IS BORN! has travelled far — and not just geographically. “The show has evolved a LOT over time!” says Alexis Sakellaris, the musical comedian and self-professed diva obsessive behind the original queer coming-of-age show.

“What started as me just rhyming the divas’ names on beat turned into a 4-song 30-minute master’s thesis, then into 12 songs and 80 minutes, now finally into a comfy 10-song 60-minute version.” But the evolution hasn’t just been about length or structure. “My performance style relies on improv and adlibs and the audience — no two shows have quite been the same,” they explain. “Pop culture is the basis of the show, but I’m also a deeply impatient person, so it feels super natural to constantly rejig and retool, keep the show current, add and remove references.”

“What started as me just rhyming the divas’ names on beat turned into a 4-song 30-minute master’s thesis, then into 12 songs and 80 minutes, now finally into a comfy 10-song 60-minute version.”

From fringe cabaret to polished musical comedy

The latest version of A STAN IS BORN! — playing at the Gilded Balloon this Fringe, with additional tour dates in Brighton, Brooklyn and Zurich — leans harder into the camp. “This new iteration includes more campy elements, like diva impressions and drag, and a clearer narrative structure,” Sakellaris says. “I feel like I’ve become better as a writer through performing at Edinburgh Fringe and Soho Theatre last summer, as well as starting standup earlier this year, so you’re getting a new and improved A STAN IS BORN!”

Part stand-up, part memoir, part parody-pop concert, the show is a genre-mash that reflects Sakellaris’ own training — and rebellion against it. “My background and training is in musical theatre (Glee practically raised me) so I always knew I wanted to sing and make music while telling my story!” they say. “I was scared to try songwriting, since the bar is so so high in today’s oversaturated landscape. But comedy was such a good gateway into that: a song can’t suck if it’s funny!”

Queer joy, diva obsession, and the power of musical comedy

Musical comedy, for Sakellaris, isn’t just a stylistic choice — it’s a space for expression where traditional musical theatre fell short. “As a politically-minded queer person, musical theatre proved to be very traditional and stifling to me, so comedy was once again this escape that provided incredible freedom of expression,” they say. “The combination of all these disciplines (singing, songwriting and comedy) seemed like the perfect way to tell my story. Why make life easier for myself!”

They credit Rachel Bloom, Cat Cohen and Bo Burnham as key influences — “experts of the artform who are also true musicians and wonderful vocalists (well, maybe not Bo… LOL).”

Behind the laughs: a deeper reckoning with stan culture

On the surface, A STAN IS BORN! is a hilarious tribute to pop divas and the queer kids who love them. But Sakellaris is clear that the show goes deeper. It’s a tribute to real women — their mother, sister, godmother, female friends — the ones who created a safe queer space for them to grow and be seen in rural Germany.

The show doesn’t shy away from stan culture’s darker side either. “I believe toxicity in stan culture occurs when you don’t love yourself,” they say. “If you have support around you and learn to stan yourself, you are then able to pour that love back into other people to a healthy degree, without losing yourself.”

“I was scared to try songwriting, since the bar is so so high in today’s oversaturated landscape. But comedy was such a good gateway into that: a song can’t suck if it’s funny!”

Universality in the niche: making space for everyone

Despite its highly specific references and deep-rooted queerness, Sakellaris says the show’s emotional core resonates broadly. “I’m really confident there’s something for everybody in this show,” they say. “Stan culture may be niche, but I believe everyone has something they’re obsessed with, even if you have to dig deep.”

One scene always gets a strong response: watching Desperate Housewives with their mom. “People either did the literal same or shared something similar,” they say — “that kind of bond is universal.”

Ultimately, the message is one of empowerment: “With the right support around you, you can learn to stan yourself and be your own diva. Especially in today’s unstable times, I think that’s something everybody ought to hear.”

Going viral, getting louder

Offstage, Sakellaris has built a politically engaged following on TikTok. “TikTok was a real game-changer for me this year,” they say. “I started speaking my mind freely, expressing my political opinions and discussing progressive issues cross-culturally in my ‘hot take’ videos.”

That energy fed back into the show. “Choosing to be my authentic self, to not be palatable or likeable anymore, proved successful and generated a lot of attention.” Now, the videos and live sets influence one another — a self-sustaining creative cycle.

“As a freelancer, sometimes your only artistic outlet is creating videos,” they explain. “It’s like being your own writer, director, editor, producer and performer of a microfilm.”

On tour and on message: from Fringe to Zurich

With international tour dates ahead, Sakellaris is curious to see how the show plays. “I’m very American in terms of cultural touchpoints, so I hope the humour will carry over to New York audiences,” they say.

“Swiss people are generally more reserved, but I do have a lot of German-language and culture clash jokes in the show, so hopefully they’ll enjoy that. Queer people everywhere are very tuned in to the divas — that will connect us all!”

Everyone’s a stan — whether they admit it or not

So what about people who claim not to care about pop culture? Sakellaris isn’t buying it. “I don’t believe anyone has ever NOT stanned a pop diva!!”

“If not a pop diva, then it’s your mother, sister, grandmother, female friend… We all know those women in our lives who are simply DIVAS! Stanning is human nature — it gives you strength to uplift others and be uplifted in return.”

You’re a stan, I’m a stan, we all stan together?

“That’s what my show sets out to prove.” says Sakellaris, “We are all stans, and it’s never too late to be even MORE of a stan!”

Featured Image: Alexis Sakellaris – A Stan is Born