Orville Peck to Perform Unmasked in ‘Cabaret’ on Broadway │ Exclaim!

Orville Peck was rumoured to be looking to give his regards to Broadway with a project that was reportedly “in very early stages of development” last fall, and now the masked country star has officially been cast in Cabaret.

Taking over for Adam Lambert, Peck will play the new Emcee in CABARET at the Kit Kat Club at the August Wilson Theatre for a 16-week limited engagement starting March 31 [via Deadline]. He’ll be joined by Tony Award nominee Eva Nobelzada, who will succeed Auli’i Cravalho in the role of Sally Bowles. 

UPDATE (3/17, 10:10 a.m. ET): In a new interview with The New York Times, Peck has confirmed that he will perform as the Emcee without his signature mask.

“The mask is part of my expression personally as an artist and a very big personal part of me,” the musician explained. “But I’m here to play this role and to bring respect and integrity and hopefully a good performance to it. It’s not about me. I’m not trying to make it the Orville Peck show.”

“The Emcee has been my dream role since I was a teenager,” Peck said in a statement. “The nature of the character allows for complete freedom of individual expression. It can be portrayed through such a vast range of emotions, perspectives, and performance styles. That kind of freedom is every actor’s dream.”

He continued:

I truly cannot believe I’m getting to make my Broadway debut in one of my favourite shows and in probably my favourite role in all of musical theatre. I grew up in the theatre. I was a working actor and a dancer for many years before I started making music. I did the hustle, and the struggle, for a long time, trying to make things happen for myself. But it taught me so much of who I am as a performer and a person, so it feels very full circle to be making a return to it at this point in my career.

The news was shared today by the show’s producers, who wouldn’t say whether Peck will portray the Emcee with or without his signature mask. Tickets are on sale now.