Alan Cumming is trading the castle for a New York stage. The Traitors host will star alongside Shirley Henderson in the Off-Broadway premiere of A History of Paper.
The new role brings Cumming back to the theater while his reality TV career remains strong. He and Henderson will reprise the roles they recently performed together in Scotland.
Alan Cumming joins Shirley Henderson for an Off-Broadway musical
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cumming and Henderson will bring A History of Paper to Stage 42 in New York. The limited 13-week engagement will run from February 12 through May 16, 2027.
The two-person Scottish musical follows a relationship through the pieces of paper that accumulate over a lifetime. Letters, postcards, menus, and tickets all become part of the couple’s story.
Oliver Emanuel wrote the book and lyrics, while Gareth Williams composed the music and co-wrote the lyrics. Andrew Panton will direct the production.
Cumming and Henderson already performed the musical together at Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Dundee Rep Theatre in 2026. Their run marked their first time acting together onstage, although the longtime friends first worked together on television about 40 years ago.
Cumming said he was “thrilled” to bring the production from Scotland to his adopted home of New York City. He also described the show as one that connects with audiences in a “visceral and beautiful way.”
The project gives The Traitors host another opportunity to showcase the acting career that predates his reality TV fame. Cumming recently won his third consecutive Emmy for hosting The Traitors, adding another trophy to a résumé that already includes a Tony Award.
As per the outlet, Shirley Henderson also brings significant stage credentials to the production. The Olivier Award winner is known to movie audiences for the Harry Potter and Bridget Jones films.
For Cumming, A History of Paper also marks a return to the New York stage. This time, he will step away from cloaks, round tables, and banishments for a much more intimate kind of drama.
