Video: Alan Cumming Is Not Acting His Age and We're Not Upset About It...
Mar 15, 2024
In this video, watch as Alan Cumming chats more about the new show and welcomes celebrity guests to Studio 54, including Jane Krakowski, Peppermint, Patrick Page, Paige Davis, Billie Jean King, and more.
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I mean, I feel my entire life is not acting my age
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I really do. I feel everything I do is not acting my age. And I sometimes have to sort of give myself a little talking to
0:09
Because it's, you know, I... But I advocate not acting at age. Because I think acting your age is allowing other people to dictate to you how to live
0:18
Hello, I'm Richard Ridge for Broadway World. Alan Cumming is back on Broadway with his new show called
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Alan Cumming is not at his age for two performances only. And we're here on opening night at Studio 54
0:29
to celebrate with Alan and his guests. How does it feel to be back
0:34
It feels so nice. It's actually so many of the crew I know
0:38
from having worked here over the years that are doing the show tonight. So that's really lovely
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And it's just sort of a house that I feel comfortable and I know these walls
0:48
And it's a lovely thing. How did this show come about for you to put together around
0:52
Well, I mean, I've done a few shows like this. I love doing these concerts
0:56
and it's an umbrella theme. And this really, a couple of years I was doing that play Daddy and I had to be naked and I was so sort of shocked at the response
1:06
to my nudity as a man in my late 50s then. And I just thought it was really fascinating and it made me think, why is, so what should I look
1:14
like and why are people behaving and being objectified in that way? So it just made me think more and more about aging and what is age appropriate and then
1:20
all this boom. And you know, I think about aging quite a lot as we all should because we are all doing
1:25
at the same time. And there were some wonderful musical numbers in the show of course Candor and Eb Tell me what they mean to you Well I mean I love those of them so much And uh last Fred no longer with us but they have just been so integral to my whole life
1:40
you know, and, uh, and my, certainly my life in America. And I just love their songs
1:45
They're so clever and always with heart. And there's no sort of fat on them, you know, they're about, and they're really
1:51
songs to be acted. And that's what I feel I am. I'm an actor who sings. I'm not really, you know, I'm not Andy, I'm an actor who sings. Yeah
1:58
What you love about doing a one-man show? I just really like the connection you get with the audience
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It's so incredible because normally you don't have the veil of a character between you
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It's just you and you've got to be really vulnerable and really open
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And you're just talking about your life experience. So it's a really incredibly intimate, powerful thing
2:17
And when you feel that connection, there's really nothing like it. You host one of the most successful shows with the traders
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You'll probably be bringing a whole new audience that knows you from TV to seeing you live
2:27
what that means to introducing a whole new audience to the theatre? I think it's great
2:32
I mean, anything you can do to bring more people to the theatre. I love it. It's been hilarious doing The Traitors
2:36
because suddenly I've got this whole other life. And I'm actually going to be wearing one of my more iconic outfits
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for five seconds this evening. Yes, look out for that. How excited are you to be here tonight
2:50
It's fantastic. We love Alan and Grant, his husband, and we've known them for years
2:56
and he's so incredibly talented. So we can't wait to see what happens tonight
3:01
Tell me what you admire the most about him as a person and a performer Well I think he very authentic He been through a lot but he helps others all the time He been very helpful to us in our endeavors
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And he's so talented. And he's Scottish, I love him. So I got my Scottish card on a night
3:20
How do you're the most about Alan? I do. Like Billy, I think he's incredibly authentic
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He's not afraid to push the envelope, and he likes to have fun, which is important
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I just love Alan as a performer and as a person. and I couldn't be happier to be here on this sold-out, very exciting night in New York City
3:39
I was going to ask you, what do you love about him the most as a person and then as a performer
3:44
Well, as a person, he's so caring and always shows up, which is saying a lot
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He's a great dear and devoted friend, loyal, and he's just a smashing performer
3:56
And he's also one of the best storytellers ever. He can always bring a great story
4:00
I don't know if you watch Curb Your Enthusiasm, but at a dinner party, there should always be a middle, make Alan come in your middle
4:06
I am so excited. I did catch him in Cabaret many, many years ago
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And, God, 20, however many. And, but I didn't get to go to an opening or anything like this
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And this is, like, him. This is him. Obviously, he's great in any role
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But, like, being able to see him doing his thing, I just want to be here to support
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I've gotten to know him in many different chapters of my life, and including recently
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And so it just feels good to be able to support and come out. and see down the block, lined up down the block
4:36
I just so excited you know I think that Alan is unapologetically himself and I think that that is something that I really admire in him and look up to him for I think he a trailblazer in a way that multiple generations now realize
4:51
and to celebrate him right now is incredible. We are so excited
4:54
I haven't told my sister yet, though. Oh, yeah, her sister's a huge number one fan
5:00
and she's going to be so jealous. She's going to be very jealous. Tell me what you admire the most about him as a person and as a performer
5:06
Oh, his freedom. No holds barred. He's just completely raw and he's open and feels
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you just feel like you never know what to expect. And I think he doesn't know what to expect either
5:23
which is what makes it so exciting. I'm just in awe of his talent and in all areas and his energy
5:31
Running a club, writing a novel, writing a memoir, doing a one-man show, doing a show on HGTV, doing a show
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I mean, it's like there are 15 Alan Cummings. Alan does what Alan only can do and unapologetically
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and always researched, always at its best, and always innovative, and keeps it fresh
5:58
It makes it proud of the little thing that I call acting and to be able to witness this one person
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show and someone that I grew up admiring and I'm actually able to see this person in the
6:12
living flesh, I'm a little, yeah, fleclymed
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