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[title]As the orchestra plays the opening vamps of “Wilkommen,” Orville Peck ascends to the stage from below, as though rising from some underworld to spread malice. In his regular life as a country-music singer-songwriter with fans around the world, Peck cultivates an air of mystery; he is never seen in public without some kind of elaborate mask. But as the creepy Emcee in Broadway’s Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, he bares his soul—and his full face—every night.
Peck has always had a hankering for the stage. He grew up in South Africa, where he performed in musicals before pursuing acting professionally in Canada and the U.K., including a stint in the West End. That chapter came to an end when he adopted his current persona and released his 2019 debut album, Pony, which earned him a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. But his Broadway debut in Cabaret represents a return to a longtime dream. “I’m trying to take every moment in and savor it,” he says.
Peck is the third person to play the Emcee in the current revival of the classic 1966 musical, after Eddie Redmayne and Adam Lambert. It’s a highly demanding role. The story takes place in 1930s Berlin, where the second-rate singer Sally Bowles (Eva Noblezada) chases fame at the seedy Kit Kat Club as the Nazis rise to power. The Emcee presides over the nightclub scenes and weaves through the rest of the show like a snake; his gradual transformation from naughty ringmaster to conformist taskmaster mirrors Germany’s harrowing descent into fascism. But at curtain call, Peck is back to being himself—which for him means back in his mask.
In honor of Pride, we chatted with the openly gay singer about his life in Cabaret so far.
How did the role of the Emcee come to you?
They asked if I would be interested. Like anyone else, I filmed a self-tape of me singing a couple songs from the show. I was on tour at the time, so I filmed my self-tape in the basement of Wrigley Field in Chicago. When I was in New York for my shows, a few months or two later, I went in and did a callback, essentially, for the creative team. And a few months after that, I got the offer. Getting to make my Broadway debut doing my dream role is kind of amazing.
What drew you to take on the role of the Emcee in the first place?
It was always a dream of mine to do Broadway, but it was more specifically a dream for me to do this role. I was 14 the first time I can remember thinking about it; I saw the film with Joel Grey and Liza [Minnelli]. I've always been drawn to musicals that have a thought-provoking script with a good, meaty story, so Cabaret really appealed to me with that. And then seeing Alan Cumming in the revival—seeing how differently it could be portrayed, but also the freedom it allows an actor. I’m having the time of my life. But it’s a lot of hard work.
Why?
It's a very grueling schedule, eight shows a week, especially for a role like this where I'm on stage most of the time. And when I'm not on stage, I'm changing into something different. It's a pretty crazy marathon of a track. The way that I interpret the character and the energy that I give to it—it's a lot, physically, and of course the subject matter of the show is a lot emotionally. By the end of the show, all of us are pretty exhausted.
What themes from the show really speak to you?
The most obvious is how fragile freedom can be. It feels very reflective of the current political climate in 2025, where groups of people's rights are being challenged and taken away in front of us. This show is a period piece about a specific place at a specific time, but the themes resonate a lot today.
You often sit on stage during the show, which is staged in the round, so you can see the spectators. What have you noticed about how the audience reacts?
It’s a vast array of reactions every night. Our shows, for better or worse, are known for involuntary outbursts from people. We get people sobbing in the show, but we also get people laughing uncomfortably in moments that they don't know how to respond to otherwise, like when a swastika is revealed. I don't think it's because they think the swastika is funny, or that nazism is something to laugh at—I think it takes people off-guard, and they have uncomfortable reactions that they can't control. But that is the point of this show. The show is meant to make people uncomfortable. It leaves people thinking.
How do you walk the line between menacing and jovial every night?
I don't know how to play sinister or menacing. I have to play it as somebody who has a belief system that is really different to mine, but they believe that it is just as important and moral. The Emcee makes menacing, sinister, hateful—and some might even say evil—decisions and choices. But I have to play those as if they’re the most virtuous thing that I can do as a person. If you approach it with that mindset, it crafts a real, three-dimensional person.
Does being part of the LGBTQ+ community shape your performance?
Being part of a group that's often been marginalized—that has been on the receiving end of bigotry, homophobia or aggression—helps me understand how delicate this material is, and how I have to approach it with a lot of thought. I can't be vague about intentions and choices. I’ve spent a lot of time, especially in the rehearsal process, thinking about what makes somebody align themselves with something so hateful. There's a lot to unpack there with people who are marginalized. My Emcee is someone who is very repressed, and who has a lot of shame and anger at the world. Going to that place every night makes me feel lucky to be the opposite in my personal life. I feel very happy and proud of who I am, and grateful that I get to be myself and live authentically, and not have that kind of anger.
How might this Pride be different in your eyes thanks to having this experience on Broadway?
Pride always meant a lot to me, but now more than ever. We have an incredibly diverse cast in every single sense of the word. Everybody is just such a unique, beautiful person—and by the end of the show, we see all of that individuality stripped away. So this Pride, I definitely have a more conscious sense of celebrating everyone's individuality and everyone's unique spirit. It's such a beautiful part of being queer. You have the permission to be whoever you are, and that's due to the community that has been built over the last few decades. This is a community and we did have to work to build it. And that requires maintenance and encouragement of each other.
On your Instagram feed, you posted a screenshot of a notification that Audra McDonald had followed you. Why was that important to you?
Audra McDonald's a legend. My 14-year-old self would have fucking died if he knew that Audra McDonald even knew who I was. So it was a cute little nod to that.
What are your plans going forward? Would you do more Broadway?
Absolutely. It's not going to be a full-time priority; I'm very much a country music artist. But I've opened the door again into something that I really love doing. It’s definitely not the last time.
What's your next dream role?
I went to see Hadestown. It was never on my radar, because it's a newer show, but Eva Noblezada is in Cabaret with us and she originated the role of Eurydice in Hadestown.The role of Hades is sort of Orville Peck–coded. He's wearing some pretty cool cowboy boots and singing in a low register. So maybe in 10 or 15 years I could do a stint as Hades.
In the first revival of Hadestown?
Exactly.
Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club is playing at Broadway’s August Wilson Theatre, and stars Orville Peck through July 20. You can buy tickets here.
