Who knew Mary Todd Lincoln could be so funny? The first lady is the subject of Broadway's most hilarious new play- Oh, Mary!
Oh, Mary! is a dark comedy about a miserable, suffocated Mary Todd Lincoln in the weeks leading up to Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. Unrequited yearning, alcoholism, and suppressed desires abound in this 80-minute one-act play that finally examines the forgotten life and dreams of Mrs. Lincoln, through the lens of an idiot (playwright Cole Escola).
Escola originate dthe title role in the production, which is directed by Sam Pinkleton. The cast also inlcudes, Conrad Ricamora, James Scully, Bianca Leigh, and Tony Macht.
The play arrives on Broadway following a sold out, twice extended world premiere run at the Lucille Lortel Theatre. The limited engagement, originally scheduled to close in September 2024.
Escola dons the iconic bratty curls through January 19, and Emmy nominee Betty Gilpin stars as Mary Todd Lincoln beginning January 21 through March 16.
The delights of Oh, Mary! (Lyceum Theater, booking to Sept 15) are many, varied, and all-winning. If, like many, the world and life in general has left you tense, this Broadway show—transferred by way of rave reviews and celebrity visitors from an award-laden sold-out run at the Lucille Lortel Theatre downtown—will liberate waves of plentiful laughter from within. In the best way that only theater can, the hilarity is communally shared by your fellow audience members, who are losing it merrily all around you. For 80 minutes, the Lyceum is a rumbling sea of giggling and guffaws.
The script, and the direction of Sam Pinkleton (erstwhile choreographer of Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812), start things off at too high a level that eventually leads to some lulls. And Mary’s character arc, while necessarily schizophrenic, could be laid out more cleanly. But with this many laughs and surprises at every juncture, who can be bothered to carp? Does the show merit multiple viewings during its limited run? And is there more than enough room and incentive for a sequel? Oh, Mary, don’t ask.
2024 | Off-Broadway | Off-Broadway Premiere Production Off-Broadway |
2024 | Broadway | Original Broadway Production Broadway |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2023 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Play | Conrad Ricamora |
Videos