Orville Peck to make Broadway debut as Emcee in ‘Cabaret’
Enigmatic country star Orville Peck is venturing into acting territory with his first official Broadway debut as Emcee in Cabaret.
Heading to New York City to step into the coveted character’s shoes for a 16-show run, Peck will replace Adam Lambert in the role, performing alongside two-time Tony nominee Eva Noblezada, who will play Sally Bowles.
Speculation regarding Peck’s involvement began circulating last year, and the musician recently took to Instagram to share his excitement about taking on such a challenging and highly anticipated opportunity.
“I grew up as an actor and doing theatre and for a lot of people this is a really coveted role in musical theatre because it’s so open to interpretation and an incredible character,” Peck explained to Variety about the casting announcement. “This was always a dream role of mine when I was a young actor.”
Knowing that his audition needed to wow the casting directors, the musician delivered a rendition of ‘Willkommen’, the popular Emcee opening track that introduces the Kit Kat Klub and sets the tone for the rest of the story.
Last year, footage of Eddie Redmayne’s take on the charismatic Emcee went viral, sparking cultural conversations about previous actors who have placed their spin on the character. Redmayne brought the role to life most recently alongside Gayle Rankin as Sally, earning nine Tony Award nominations and one win for its set design.
While there’s no doubt that Peck will deliver in the role, there’s one additional question he can’t escape: whether he will wear his signature identity-concealing mask. Addressing these speculations in the same interview, the musician used the subject as an opportunity to urge people to come and see the show. “I will say this—people will have to buy a ticket to find out,” he said.
Although he is still enjoying the success of his third album, Stampede, Peck hopes that his latest project will open up more doors to acting opportunities, allowing him to explore other avenues of artistic expression.
Knowing how critical and protective many Cabaret fans are of the character, there’s no doubt that Peck also excelled during his audition, bringing the level of playful and provocative aura to the table needed to make the character stand out as he was intended. The entire atmosphere is set up alongside the backdrop of 1930s Berlin, making the Emcee integral to setting the tone during the show’s opening moments.
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