204 - Alan Cumming

Alan Cumming is a Scottish-American actor, comedian, singer, writer, producer, director, and activist who has appeared in numerous films, television shows, and plays/musicals. His London stage appearances include Hamlet, the Maniac in Accidental Death of an Anarchist (for which he received an Olivier Award), the lead in Bent, and the National Theatre of Scotland's The Bacchae. On Broadway, he has appeared in The Threepenny Opera, as the master of ceremonies in Cabaret (for which he won a Tony Award), Design for Living and a one-man adaptation of Macbeth. His best-known film roles include his performances in Emma, GoldenEye, the Spy Kids trilogy, Son of the Mask, and X2. Cumming also introduces Masterpiece Mystery! for PBS and appeared on The Good Wife, for which he has been nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Golden Globe Awards and a Satellite Award. A filming of his Las Vegas cabaret show, Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs, aired on PBS stations in November 2016. Alan is the definition of an artrepreneur and truly does it all . . . from stage to screen, creating bars of soap to having his own nightclub . . . he’s a true chameleon on and off stage.  It was a great pleasure getting to sit down with Alan and discuss: What allows him to pop from one thing to another and do everything at such a high level How he came up with his soap fragrance + names How he still gets nervous and how he deals with those nerves His solo dance piece coming up in 2021 How being vulnerable and not trying to pretend he’s perfect is what gives him confidence  Making the jump between different mediums . . . is there a different type of acting he uses for each?  Why he thinks it’s important to read his own reviews  What is still on his artistic “bucket list” and challenges he still wants to complete And when you’re done, go listen to Alan’s cabaret song and story show, Legal Immigrant on Audible! This week’s #SongWriterOfTheWeek is Joey Contreras! Check out his song "Joyride" from his latest EP, "Joyride." It’s available on iTunes/Spotify/Apple Music. If you like what you hear and want to learn more, check out www.joeycontreras.com or @joeycontreras on Instagram.  This episode is brought to you by Sunlight Studios. With 8 bright and spacious studios for rent, you can rehearse your next Broadway hit knowing you're in good hands. To book a studio today, please visit www.sunlightstudios.com. Use Code DAVENPORT to receive a 5% discount on bookings until January 2, 2020.  This episode was edited by Stanley Wiercinski. Keep up with me @KenDavenportBway on Instagram.