The world is less whimsy and fun and more tense and somber. Sometimes, a little satirical comedy is all we need! Cole Escola knew the desire for fun shows and delivered exactly that. “Oh, Mary!” swept the country up when it first debuted in 2024. Escola created the hour and 20 minute play about all the “what-ifs” of none other than Mary Todd Lincoln. The play is supposed to be bizarre, silly and most importantly, inaccurate.
“I had the idea of what if Abraham Lincoln’s assassination wasn’t such a bad thing for Mary Todd, and then I sort of worked my way backwards from that and thought about what she might have wanted, and what’s the stupidest possible thing she could’ve wanted, which I landed on being a cabaret star,” Escola said when asked about what inspired the story.
The show follows Mary Todd Lincoln and her husband (you know, the 16th president of the United States). Mary is an aspiring actress and her husband has bigger fish to fry (the Civil War), so he lets her take acting lessons. Some of the characters in the show are just as bizarre, the leading lady being, of course, Mary Todd Lincoln, her acting teacher, a chaperone, Abe Lincoln and his assistant.
Many iconic public figures have taken on the leading role in the Broadway play. Escola originated the role, but actors and actresses like Jinx Monsoon, Betty Gilpin, Tituss Burgess and the current portrayal of Mary Todd done by Jane Krakowski. Mary Todd Lincoln is an androgynous role, making the cast changes that much more exciting. Whether or not Mary is played by a man or a woman and what that person may or may not look like is irrelevant in picking the next lead.
The stage show has won numerous awards. It was nominated for five Tonys this last award season, winning two of them. Escola won Best Leading Actor in a Play and the play’s director, Sam Pinkleton, won for Best Director of a Play. Adding to its popularity, Escola appeared on shows like CBS Sunday Morning, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Tonight Show and many others.
For now, the show plans on running until July 5, 2026. After what will be almost a two-year run, “Oh Mary!” has lifted the spirits of those who go to see it, many different critics saying it is one of the best comedies and even calling it a “phenomenon.” So, if you want a good laugh and to see the potential hidden truth behind Abe and Mary’s relationship… “Oh, Mary!” is the show for you!