Catskill, NY — Bridge Street Theatre is proud to announce the return of SoloFest, the company’s annual celebration of dynamic, intimate, artist-driven performance. Running over three consecutive weekends this March in Catskill, SoloFest 2026 brings an eclectic trio of powerful solo works to the stage — blending comedy, history, storytelling, and deeply personal reflection in ways that are funny, thought-provoking, and profoundly human.
Each production runs Friday and Saturday at 7:00pm and Sunday at 2:00pm, offering audiences the chance to experience three distinct theatrical voices from accomplished artists whose work spans Broadway, film, and award-winning writing.
“Palatable Gay Robot”
March 6–8, 2026
Fri & Sat at 7:00pm | Sun at 2:00pm
Starring Broadway’s Stephen Brower (“Anastasia,” “Lempicka,” “Pippin”), this fast-paced, razor-sharp 70-minute comedy introduces audiences to Billie Bowtie, a gay robot built to entertain straight audiences. Programmed for “crowd-friendly” humor, Billie quickly realizes his preloaded jokes aren’t going to cut it.
Enter The Moderator — a god-like, omnipresent engineer voiced by Broadway’s Julia Murney — who suggests downloading a personal history to humanize Billie’s performance.
What begins 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 increasingly intrigued by his more “unpalatable” truths. As he code-switches through gay stereotypes, pop culture references, and stand-up comedy tropes, Billie attempts to answer one deceptively simple question: what does it mean to be gay?
Blending sharp wit, emotional depth, and biting social commentary, “Palatable Gay Robot” is a bold, hilarious, and unexpectedly moving, truly unique piece of theater you won’t want to miss.
Directed by Zachary Prince
Produced by Klif Entertainment
“Herkimer! How My Ignorant Immigrant Ancestors Saved America and You Can Too”
March 13–15, 2026
Fri & Sat at 7:00pm | Sun at 2:00pm
A community of simple farmers chased out of Europe in the early 1700s. Iroquois warriors. Inept generals on both sides. “Hamilton, the Broadway musical.” And a little-known Upstate battle in the American Revolution that changed the course of history.
In this strange, funny, and moving solo performance, award-winning writer/performer Ned Averill-Snell takes audiences on a deeply personal journey through a turning point in the American Experiment — one that just might reveal how we can fix a few things about America today.
Part history lesson, part family story, and part urgent contemporary reflection, “Herkimer!” explores identity, heritage, resilience, and the surprising ways the past still shapes the present.
Directed by Timothy Dunn
“Archie Parish’s Parting Words”
March 20–22, 2026
Fri & Sat at 7:00pm | Sun at 2:00pm
Written and performed by Ernest Thompson, Academy Award–winning author of “On Golden Pond,” this deeply personal and emotionally rich solo work blurs the boundaries between eulogy and confession, comedy and heartbreak.
Archie Parish — a reluctant, irreverent eulogist — guides us through a series of raw, unsparing memorials for the flawed and the forgotten. As he navigates the messy, beautiful truth of what it means to be remembered, the play confronts the universal longing for meaning, forgiveness, and connection in the face of mortality.
With biting wit and deep compassion, “Archie Parish’s Parting Words” challenges audiences to mine the “hidden gold” in every life, urging us to embrace honesty, vulnerability, and the courage to dance — shamelessly and joyfully — while the music lasts.
SoloFest 2026 Subscription Now Available
Audiences can experience the full SoloFest lineup with a special three-show subscription package, offering access to all three performances at a discounted rate. The SoloFest subscription offers the best value for audiences who want to experience the full range of this year’s programming.
Included events:
“Palatable Gay Robot”
“Herkimer! How My Ignorant Immigrant Ancestors Saved America and You Can Too”
“Archie Parish’s Parting Words”
Subscription Pricing:
$80 Adults
$70 Students
Subscriptions can be purchased online at:
https://bridgestreettheatre.thundertix.com/packages
SoloFest has become a beloved Bridge Street Theatre tradition, offering audiences the chance to experience intimate, actor-driven storytelling up close. These limited-run engagements create a rare opportunity to see extraordinary artists in an immediate and personal setting, where every performance feels like a one-of-a-kind event.
Bridge Street Theatre is located in the Village of Catskill, New York, and is widely recognized as one of the region’s leading professional theatre companies, presenting bold new work, inventive revivals, and distinctive performance events year-round. Now in its twelfth season, Bridge Street Theatre continues its mission to bring adventurous, professional theatre to the Hudson Valley while supporting both established and emerging artists.
Tickets and subscriptions are available now at BridgeSt.org.