Music

Orville Peck to Make Broadway Debut in ‘Cabaret,’ Replacing Adam Lambert as Emcee

Orville Peck is headed to the Kit Kat Club in New York City to make his Broadway debut as Emcee in “Cabaret.”

It was announced Wednesday that the county singer will replace Adam Lambert in the role, while two-time Tony nominee Eva Noblezada will play Sally Bowles, currently being played by “Moana” star Auli’i Cravalho.

Peck and Noblezada’s 16-week run at the August Wilson Theatre begins March 31. Rumors of their casting began popping up on social media in late December.

“I grew up as an actor and doing theater and for a lot of people this is a really coveted role in musical theater because it’s so open to interpretation and an incredible character,” Peck told me during a phone interview ahead of his casting announcement. “This was always a dream role of mine when I was a young actor.”

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Peck, whose self-tape audition included a performance of “Willkommen,” wouldn’t say if he was going to be wearing his signature mask in “Cabaret.” “I will say this – people will have to buy a ticket to find out,” he said.

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The latest “Cabaret” revival, officially named “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club,” opened in April with Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin reprising their West End roles of the Emcee and Sally. The Rebecca Frecknall-directed production was nominated for nine Tony Awards, winning one for Tom Scutt’s set design.

Peck released his debut album “Pony” in 2019, followed by “Bronco” in 2022. His third album, “Stampede,” dropped earlier this year. He has collaborated with Willie Nelson, Elton John, Shania Twain, Kyle Minogue and Beck, and played Coachella and Stagecoach.

Peck moved from his native South Africa to London to study at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in 2014. He played Peter Pan in “Pater Pan Goes Wrong” at the Apollo Theatre in 2016.

Peck is also an LGBTQIA+ advocate and lives in Los Angeles with his partner. Earlier this year, he was honored with the Vito Russo Award at the GLAAD Media Awards.

He told me he hopes is work in “Cabaret” will leading to more acting work: “I’ve been missing it. I love acting.”

Eva Noblezada and Jeremy Jordan at the opening night of “The Great Gatsby” held at the Broadway Theatre on April 25, 2024 in New York City.
Variety via Getty Images

Noblezada is known for her work in the West End and on Broadway. She earned Tony nominations for the 2017 revival of “Miss Saigon” and “Hadestown” in 2019. She currently stars alongside Jeremy Jordan in “The Great Gatsby,” which opened on Broadway in April.

Nobelzada made her film debut in 2019’s “Yellow Rose” from Sony Pictures Stage 6. “While studying musical theater in school, ‘Cabaret’ always stood out,” she said in a statement Wednesday. “I was, and am, amazed by the lineage of theater royalty who have been in the show. And Sally Bowles to me is simply… fascinating.”

The original “Cabaret” from John Kander and Fred Ebb opened on Broadway in 1966. Its 1972 movie adaptation picked up several Oscars, including best actress for Liza Minnelli, supporting actor for Joel Grey and Bob Fosse for director.

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