Tony award-winning performer Alan Cumming announced as new Artistic Director for Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2021
Adelaide Festival Centre is thrilled to announce acclaimed cabaret and all-round performer, writer and social activist Alan Cumming as the Artistic Director for Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2021.
Alan Cumming will be the first-ever international Artistic Director in the festival’s history when Adelaide Cabaret Festival celebrates its 21st anniversary next year.
Alan Cumming – photo credit Margarita Menard
The Scottish entertainer boasts an illustrious career as an actor, comedian, singer, writer, filmmaker, author and Broadway and cabaret performer. He has performed with Jay Z and Liza with a Z, hosted the Tony Awards and was nominated for an Emmy for doing so; and lives in New York where he owns cabaret bar, Club Cumming.
He won a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance as the emcee in Broadway show Cabaret and received multiple Golden Globe, Emmy and SAG nominations for his role as political spinmeister Eli Gold on seven seasons of The Good Wife. Alan has received over forty awards for his humanitarianism and social activism, including his contributions to the arts and LGBTQ equality.
Alan Cumming – photo credit BuzzFeed News
He most recently performed at Adelaide Cabaret Festival in 2017 in two sold-out nights of Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs. Billboard said of the show, “he’s an icon to behold – he is unapologetically himself, and with a talent like that, he has no need to apologise”.
Time Magazine called him one of the three most fun people in show business, a title Alan will be sure to uphold when he returns to Adelaide next year with a stellar line-up of local and international artists at Adelaide Festival Centre.
Alan Cumming – photo credit Emil Cohen
Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2021 Artistic Director Alan Cumming:
“I first came to Adelaide over thirty years ago and have always loved the welcome I’ve received there.
“And of course cabaret, with a big and small c, has always been very close to my heart!
“So to be asked to come and curate Adelaide Cabaret Festival after this missing year, to be able to bring together the most vibrant of the world’s cabaret performers, to ask them to entertain us, provoke us, make sense of the maelstrom we’re living through, and most of all remind us why cabaret is such a vital form of connection between performer and audience – well, it doesn’t get much better!
“And apparently you have some nice wine too!”
Adelaide Festival Centre Creative Director Cabaret & Commercial Ebony Bott:
“Alan Cumming is the master of cabaret – and indeed the many artistic pursuits he has put his hand to!
“He champions this unique artform and also the power of the arts and artists to provide that essential ingredient in our everyday lives.
“Adelaide Cabaret Festival is loved by so many artists across the world, and we’re thrilled to be welcoming an international Artistic Director at a time when our global community is in need of galvanising.”
Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2020 Artistic Director Julia Zemiro:
“I will never forget my time with Adelaide Cabaret Festival – 2019 was so exhilarating to deliver and Adelaide welcomed me so, so warmly.
“Our cabaret program for 2020 was to be a full complement to the year before but COVID-19 made us pause in the most profound and serious way.
“We channelled some of these feelings through our online Bite-Sized & Home Delivered cabaret offering, asking artists to respond to this strange new state of the world, personally and politically –- the true trademark of cabaret.
“And to our marvellous cabaret audiences: thank you for your patronage. See you in the foyers next year. Your new AD is going to blow your minds. I can’t wait!”
Adelaide Festival Centre CEO & Artistic Director Douglas Gautier AM:
“During her two years at the helm, Julia Zemiro has done a wonderful job of leading Adelaide Cabaret Festival through the successes and challenges presented this year.
“She has been an outstanding advocate for South Australia’s much-loved winter festival, and we thank her for her dedication.
“I also want thank our loyal cabaret audiences for their encouragement and optimism throughout our online program as we eagerly await the return of live performances at our venues.
“We look forward to celebrating next year’s festival in person with the consummate entertainer Alan Cumming leading the way as Artistic Director of Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2021.”