Everything you need to know about ‘Oh, Mary!’ on Broadway

Comedian Cole Escola’s irreverent, bawdy, and sometimes ridiculous portrait of an American first lady was a breakout hit in 2024 and remains popular.

There’s something about Oh, Mary! Playwright Cole Escola’s campy comedy loots American history and hilariously rewrites Mary Todd Lincoln as an aspiring cabaret performer with big dreams and bigger issues (marital, alcoholic, etc.). Oh, Cole!

In this bawdy and silly theatrical portrait, the first lady, in a hoop skirt and ringlets (“bratty curls,” per Escola), is oblivious to the ongoing Civil War as her husband grapples with battlefield duties and gay desires.

The play premiered off Broadway in January 2024 before moving to Broadway’s Lyceum Theatre that June. Audiences have been in stitches ever since. For a good laugh, see Oh, Mary! for yourself.

Get Oh, Mary! tickets now.

What is Oh, Mary! about?

Set in the weeks leading up to Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, the play combines actual 19th-century figures with scoops of absurdist fiction for a cheeky take on history. Oh, Mary! conjures Mary Todd Lincoln as discontented with both her role as first lady and her marriage to the 16th president, only desiring to return to her true love: cabaret.

Abraham Lincoln, meanwhile, has the Civil War and a raging personal secret on his hands. He lets Mary take acting lessons to get her out of his hair, but all doesn't go as planned.

Where is Oh, Mary! playing?

Oh, Mary! is playing at the Lyceum Theatre, located at 149 W. 45th St. between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. Built by producer-manager David Frohman, the theatre opened on November 2, 1903.

In 1950, the Shubert Organization took ownership of the theatre. The venue became the first Broadway theatre to be granted landmark status in 1974. Recent productions at the theatre include Grey House and A Strange Loop.

How long is Oh, Mary!?

Oh, Mary! runs 1 hour and 20 minutes with no intermission. The typical duration for a Broadway play is between 90 minutes and 3 hours.

What days is Oh, Mary! playing?

Oh, Mary! plays Tuesday through Sunday, with two performances on Thursdays and Saturdays and no performances on Mondays. Tickets are currently on sale through June 28.

Additionally, please note that Oh, Mary! does not have traditional matinees; the earliest performances are at 5 p.m. on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

When did Oh, Mary! premiere?

Oh, Mary! made its world premiere off Broadway at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, beginning performances on February 8, 2024. It then debuted on Broadway on June 26, 2024 at the Lyceum Theatre, with the same cast and creative team.

Who wrote Oh, Mary!?

Oregon-born comedian, actor, singer, and playwright Cole Escola wrote Oh, Mary! and originated the title role. Celebrated for their distinctive cabaret performances and television roles, Escola’s screen credits include Difficult People, At Home with Amy Sedaris, Search Party, and Big Mouth. Oh Mary! marks Escola’s Broadway debut as both a writer and performer.

Oh, Mary! characters

The principal characters are a mix of historical figures and fictional characters who resemble actual 19th-century women and men.

• Mary: A booze-addicted first lady who yearns desperately to be a cabaret star.
• Mary’s Husband: Also known as Abraham Lincoln, he's a conflicted American president who is juggling war duties and closeted passions.
• Mary’s Teacher: A hunky acting instructor who fires up the first lady’s professional and personal desires.
• Mary’s Chaperone: An ice cream-loving woman named Louise who serves as Mary’s confidante.
• Mary’s Husband’s Assistant: A young man named Simon who is the president’s obliging aide.

Who is in the cast of Oh, Mary!?

The original cast of Oh, Mary! on and off Broadway includes Cole Escola as Mary, Conrad Ricamora as Mary’s Husband, James Scully as Mary’s Teacher, Bianca Leigh as Mary’s Chaperone and a barkeep, and Tony Macht as Mary’s Husband’s Assistant and a pianist. Sam Pinkleton directs the ace ensemble.

On January 21, 2025, Emmy Award nominee Betty Gilpin (Glow) takes over the role of Mary through March 16. Other newcomers joining her are Phillip James Brannon as Mary’s Husband and Chris Renfro as Mary's Teacher.

What awards has Oh, Mary! won?

Oh, Mary! premiered on Broadway in summer 2024, so it hasn’t received any awards yet. The show will be in the running for the 2024-25 season’s upcoming honors, including Tony Awards.

For the play's Off-Broadway run, Escola won Outer Critics Circle Awards for playwriting and performing, as well as a Theatre World Award.

Major productions of Oh, Mary!

Oh, Mary! has only had two major productions: off Broadway at the Lucille Lortel Theatre from January to May 2024, and on Broadway at the Lyceum Theatre since June 2024. Both productions were extended multiple times past their originally scheduled closing dates due to popular demand.

The success of Oh, Mary! in New York could likely lead to other productions across the country and the world.

Celebrities who have starred in Oh, Mary!

Oh, Mary! is a star-spangled affair, showcasing multiple famous faces from stage and screen.

• Cole Escola: Oh, Mary! made Escola a breakout star, but they already had a successful career as a comedy performer and writer, with screen credits including Difficult People, At Home with Amy Sedaris, Search Party, and Big Mouth. They wrote Oh, Mary! and originated the role of Mary Todd Lincoln on and off Broadway.
• Conrad Ricamora: Known for roles on the TV show How to Get Away With Murder and the movie Fire Island, Ricamora originated the role of Mary's Husband (aka Abe Lincoln) on and off Broadway.
• James Scully: Scully originated the role of Mary's Teacher on and off Broadway. He is best known for appearing on Netflix's You and Hulu's Fire Island.
• Betty Gilpin: Gilpin, known for starring in Netflix's Glow and American Primeval, makes her Broadway debut succeeding Escola in the role of Mary from January 21 to March 16, 2025.

Fun facts about Oh, Mary!

Escola’s play has pressed the right buttons for theatregoers while pushing their career to new levels. Learn more about the show, including how people are wigging out about Oh, Mary!

• Escola has repeatedly described the humor in Oh, Mary! as “stupid,” emphasizing absurdity without the need for serious themes.
• Why dramatize the life of Mary Todd Lincoln specifically? Escola told New York Theatre Guide, "She's the only historical figure I can think of that has a husband who was assassinated while they were seeing a play."
• In 2024, the success of Oh, Mary! landed Escola a spot on TIME’s 100 Next list, on the Met Gala invite list, and in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, in which they rode atop a pink flamingo.
• Oh, Mary! isn’t a musical, but pop songs loom large. That includes a curated pre-show playlist to set the mood and a plot-driven musical medley toward the end of the play.
• The wig Mary wears (yes, those bratty curls) has turned heads to the point where whole articles have been devoted to it. Talk about a good hair day.

Get tickets to Oh, Mary!

Right when we could all use a good laugh, Oh, Mary! has arrived on cue to become a standout comedy on Broadway.

Get Oh, Mary! tickets now.

Photo credit: Oh, Mary! on Broadway. (Photos by Emilio Madrid)