Jake Mace
Dylan Adler’s upcoming EdFringe show Haus of Dy-lan is pitched as a blend of high energy storytelling and musical comedy. Dylan looks to explore growing up with a gay twin, racial identity, getting bullied in school, and screaming at his therapist over the hour. We caught up with Dylan for a pixelated pint to find out more about what inspired the show.
You can catch Haus of Dy-lan at Beside at Pleasance Courtyard from July 30th to August 24th from 19:30 (60mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Jake: Hi Dylan, you describe yourself as a classically trained pianist turned unhinged gay musical comic. Tell us about the journey to performing your upcoming show Haus of Dy-lan.
Dylan: Before I started comedy I was an aspiring classical pianist and musical theatre composer. Then I fell in love with comedy and now make jokes about my butthole. It’s been a journey from high brow to lowbrow art. I still play piano in my act but it’s to accompany myself while I sing songs about getting kicked off of Grindr. It took me a while to start incorporating music into my stand up, but I found music was very effective in building comedic tension and elevating energy. Now my college degree is finally being put to use. My show “Haus of Dy-lan” is autobiographical and contains a mixture of jokes, stories, songs, and even a backflip. I was a gymnast for ten years and didn’t want that to go to waste either.
Jake: The show explores what it’s like growing up with a gay twin, racial identity, getting bullied in school, and screaming at your therapist – tell us about what inspired the show and how you found the comedy in it.
Dylan: The show is very autobiographical so every joke or song is pulled from personal experience. A lot of my material draws from experiences that have in the past caused me shame like bedwetting, fighting with my gay twin brother, or getting bullied in high school. I try to find the joy in these experiences and release the tension these topics inherently bring up. We all have experienced shame and discomfort and it’s cathartic to release that tension through laughter. I try to bring a sense of joy and levity into everything I write.
Jake: What are you hoping the audience might take away from the experience, if anything?
Dylan: I want the audience to leave feeling like they just finished a night of dancing at a gay bar. I want them to feel completely depleted but also connected and entertained. I want the audience to laugh, cry, and forget about their own troubles as they immerse themselves into the world of a demented musical comedian who’s been described as a “theatre kid who’s escaped Alcatraz”.
Jake: Tell us what you’re most excited about for EdFringe 2025.
Dylan: I am honestly so excited to see as many shows as I can. The Fringe has been described to me as “adult theatre camp” which makes me beyond excited. I’m a theatre kid who didn’t get to go to theatre camp so I’m excited to live out my childhood dreams. I’m also so excited to perform my hour so many times consecutively and fully hone in on it.
Jake: If your show was a beverage of any kind (alcoholic, non-alcoholic – be as creative as you like!), what would it be and why?
Dylan: My show would be a shot of Sake with a dash of Manischewitz and Ketamine. The Sake and Manischewitz cover my ethnicity and the Ketamine covers my sexuality and overall vibe. One sip of this drink would take you into an entirely different dimension which is something I aim to do with my show.
You can catch Haus of Dy-lan at Beside at Pleasance Courtyard from July 30th to August 24th from 19:30 (60mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Image Credit: Kim Newmoney
