I played Sam in the film After Louie, directed by Vincent Gagliostro and written by Vincent Gagliostro and Anthony Johnston. The movie explores the contradictions of modern gay life and follows Sam as he deals with his struggles from the past and the uncertain future.
We shot the movie in June 2016 in NYC and it had its premiere at the BFI Flare festival in London in March 2017
I played Ted Tinling in Battle of the Sexes, the true story of the 1973 tennis match between the number one tennis player at the time Billie Jean King and the former champion Bobby Riggs (played by Emma Stone and Steve Carell respectively). The movie was directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris and written by Simon Beaufoy.
I recorded a song with The Hot Sardines called When I Get Low, I Get High! It was fun, and extra special since we recorded in the same studio where David Bowie made Black Star. When the album was released, I performed When I Get Low, I Get High! at the Joe's Pub album launch.
February 5th saw the release of my album Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs, Live At The Cafe Carlyle. My cabaret show of the same name originated at the Cafe Carlyle in June 2015, so I thought it was only appropriate I should return there to record the live album. Also, I was able to use this amazing shot by Jordan Matter as the cover art!! Yes, we really did take this outside the Carlyle's revolving doors, and yes we were all naked!
I celebrated the album's release with a sold out concert at Carnegie Hall! You can buy the album here, or download it on iTunes!
I began the year performing Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs as part of my Australian tour with dates at the Melbourne Arts Centre and at the Sydney Festival. On my return to the US I toured the show to Palm Beach, Tampa, Toronto, a sell out show at Carnegie Hall in New York, Bethesda, Naples, Detroit, Minneapolis, Princeton, Port Washington, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, West Hampton, Martha's Vineyard, Provincetown, Great Barrington, Las Vegas, and returned to my roots by taking the show to the Edinburgh International Festival in August. Then I returned to the US and played Amherst before returning to the UK to play Brighton, the London Palladium, York and Gateshead. Then I rounded off the year with US shows in Pittsburgh, Morristown, Kansas City, Louisville, Chicago, Carmel Indiana, Cleveland, finishing up with a New Year's Eve show in Park City, Utah! Phew!!
We also released a live album Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs Live At The Cafe Carlyle and recorded the show for a PBS special.
