Entertainment

Alan Cumming at the Tonys Was Predictably Great

by Rachel Simon

Broadway's always been big on reprisals, but this past year, that seems to have been especially true. Between Les Miserables, The Glass Menagerie and A Raisin in the Sun, among others, everything that feels new about this season's shows is actually pretty old. Not that we're complaining — some of the best Broadway musicals and plays this year were reprisals, such as the production of Cabaret that opened in April. While much of that show's success is due to enduring love for the nearly 50-year-old musical, its talented cast of actors also deserve credit — particularly Alan Cumming, a Cabaret veteran and the show's current Emcee who performed a song from the show alongside the musical's company at Sunday night's Tony Awards.

Cumming, who earned a Tony for his role as The Master of Ceremonies in the 1998 revival of the show, performed his signature song, "Wilkommen," at Sunday's ceremony. Although it was a bit less enthusiastic than his last, pre-revival rendition of the song, it was still, predictably, fantastic. The only downside is that his co-star, Michelle Williams, wasn't there to perform alongside him; unfortunately, the actress, along with most others in Cabaret's cast, including Cumming, didn't receive a nomination for her role in the show.

Despite the lack of recognition for his musical, however, Cumming gave an energetic, highly entertaining performance of "Wilkommen" that reminded viewers that he's one of the most talented actors on Broadway. He's been in three different productions of Cabaret to date, spanning 21 years, but no matter how many times we've heard him sing, it never loses its excitement. Nominations or not, Cabaret, as does all of musical theater, owes a whole lot to the marvelous Alan Cumming.

Watch his performance below: