alan cumming will help lead two special fundraiser evenings at Pitlochry Festival Theatre this summer as the venue steps up its 75th Anniversary Appeal. The events will bring Sam Heughan and Ewan McGregor into conversation with the theatre’s Artistic Director, with the first set for Sunday 26 July and the second on Wednesday 29 July. The appeal aims to support live theatre, new writing, creative talent, and community engagement while raising £500, 000 by the end of 2026.
Fundraiser evenings set for July
On Sunday 26 July, Alan Cumming will speak with Sam Heughan at Pitlochry Festival Theatre. Heughan, best known for playing Jamie in Outlander, will be the focus of a conversation that looks at his journey from Scottish roots to global success, along with the milestones and creative risks that shaped his career.
The evening will also include a curtain raiser from the Pitlochry Festival Theatre Young Company, opening the event with a short extract from one of their recent performances. The theatre said that element reflects Heughan’s advocacy of youth theatre and his role as Patron of Youth Theatre Arts Scotland.
Alan Cumming and alan cumming in the spotlight
On Wednesday 29 July, Alan Cumming will then sit down with Ewan McGregor for a separate event. The conversation will look back on McGregor’s career, from his breakthrough role as Renton in Trainspotting to international stardom in films including Star Wars, Moulin Rouge and Black Hawk Down.
Organizers say the evening will include behind-the-scenes anecdotes and insights into the acting techniques that have defined McGregor’s work. The theatre also said the event is intended to give audiences a rare chance to hear one of Scotland’s best-known actors discuss his career, influences, and life in the spotlight over the past three decades.
What the theatre says it needs
Pitlochry Festival Theatre says its 75th Anniversary Appeal has three main aims: to support and create live theatre in its anniversary year, to enable bold new writing and fresh voices, and to share theatre with schools, young people, and communities through engagement programmes. It is also aiming to double its number of Patrons and Members during the appeal period.
Alan Cumming said he was “so excited and grateful” that Sam Heughan and Ewan McGregor are supporting the work of what he called a new era at the theatre. He added that he hopes both actors will return to take part in productions at the venue, saying their In Conversation evenings play a vital role in supporting the theatre. Ewan McGregor said he is excited to travel to Pitlochry to chat with his “old pal” Alan Cumming and raise funds for what he called a wonderful theatre.
Why the events matter now
The theatre has described itself as a place unlike any other and said it has spent 75 years bringing extraordinary stories to life. That message now sits at the center of the appeal as the organization looks to secure support for the next phase of its work.
Both events are supported by Anderson Strathern, and alan cumming remains central to the fundraising effort as the theatre prepares for the July conversations and the wider push behind the 75th Anniversary Appeal.
