Gay country star Orville Peck in talks for new Broadway show

Hold on to your (cowboy) hats: gay country music star Orville Peck is set to return to his musical theatre roots with a new Broadway project.

Everyone’s favourite masked queer cowboy might be best-known for his wide-ranging music collaborations – he’s worked with Trixie Mattel, Kylie Minogue, Elton John and Willie Nelson – but his first taste of the industry came in musical theatre.

As a child, he took ballet lessons for 12 years, before moving from South Africa to the UK to attend the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art. And in 2014, he starred as the boy who never grows old in the Olivier-Award-nominated comedy, Peter Pan Goes Wrong.

Since then, he’s moved to Los Angeles and into country music, released three studio albums, including last month’s Stampede which featured his collabs with Kylie, Elton and fellow country singer Nelson. 

Speaking at an event at the Grammy Museum in LA on Tuesday (17 September), Peck was asked whether he would ever consider a return to Broadway, combining his musical talents with his love of theatre and dancing.

In a short but oh-so-sweet reply, he hinted that something of the sort is in the works.

“It’s crossed my mind,” he said, before teasing: “Recently, it’s got interesting.”

Following his comments, Variety was told by a source that the new project is in the “very early stages of development”.

Most people are well aware of the man behind the mask: he’s Daniel Pitout, the former drummer of Canadian punk band, Nü Sensae.

The musician and friend of music producer Diplo – no, that’s not a gay euphemism – has previously spoken out about his experience of homophobia while trying to break into the country music industry. “A lot of people [were] practically laughing in my face, telling me that being an openly gay man in country would never work,” he said last year.

“I’ve [had] very discouraging moments in my career… but I kept my chin up and refused to let anybody tell me that I couldn’t do what I wanted. If someone tells me I can’t do something, it makes me want to do it even more.”

Quick, someone tell him he can’t do Broadway.

Earlier this year, he thrilled fans by posing nude – well, except for the trademark mask and cowboy hat – for Paper magazine.

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