Gay country star Orville Peck in talks for new Broadway show

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

Everyone’s favorite masked queer cowboy may be best known for his extensive music collaborations – he’s worked with Trixie Mattel, Kylie Minogue, Elton John and Willie Nelson – but his first foray into the industry came in musical theatre.

As a child, he took ballet lessons for twelve years before moving from South Africa to Britain to attend the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art. And in 2014, he played the role of the boy who never grows old in the Olivier Award-nominated comedy, Peter Pan goes wrong.

He has since moved to Los Angeles and immersed himself in country music. He has released three studio albums, including last month’s Rush with his collaborations with Kylie, Elton and fellow countryman Nelson.

Speaking at the Grammy Museum in LA on Tuesday (September 17), Peck was asked if he would ever consider a return to Broadway, where he would combine his musical talents with his love of theater and dance.

In a short but oh-so-sweet response, he hinted that something similar is in the works.

“It crossed my mind,” he said, before teasing: “It’s gotten interesting lately.”

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

Most people know the man behind the mask well: he is Daniel Pitout, the former drummer of the 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 experiences with homophobia while trying to break into the country music industry. “A lot of people almost laughed in my face and told me it would never work to be an openly gay man in the country,” he said last year.

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

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

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

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