Actor Alan Cumming has been named as the new artistic director of Pitlochry Festival Theatre, taking over from Elizabeth Newman. Cumming, best known for his work on The Good Wife and Schmigadoon, first took an interest in the venue on an episode of All Aboard Scotland’s Poshest Trains. Newman brought up the possibility of him running a theatre, and the actor quietly applied for the role when she resigned in 2024. His first season has not yet been announced, but Cumming has hinted at musicals that may not be well known, as well as Shakespeare and other classics.
For Cumming, his ultimate dream is to bring a show from Pitlochry to Broadway. Although he has been based in New York for many years, the actor splits his time between New York and Scotland, describing himself as “the Pied Piper of Pitlochry.” The three-day Winter Words festival, which Cumming has programmed, is a snapshot of the kind of programming he hopes to do more of. Liz Lochhead, Douglas Stuart, and Andrew O’Hagan, among others, are all set to take part.
In his persuasion of the role, Cumming told recruitment personnel about all of his other obligations but was struck by the theatre’s mantra for sharing Pitlochry with the world and the world with Pitlochry. The actor sees himself as a voice for the wider theatre community and aims to direct and perform on his own stage while continuing with projects of his own.
In the medium term, his plan is to help restore the theatre’s sense of being a “community centre” for people to come together in the arts. He hopes to make the venue vibrant for plays, talks, and music events. Cumming also sees his appointment as a boon for Pitlochry in Scotland. People and audiences are excited about the prospect of visiting the picturesque small town to see some world-class theatre programming
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