Mary Todd Lincoln must be rolling in her grave (with laughter) at the success of Oh, Mary!, a spoof of the first lady’s life from “nonbinary gay Lutheran atheist” writer and actor Cole Escola (Search Party, Difficult People). Escola portrays Lincoln as an aspiring cabaret star indifferent to a nation torn by the Civil War. Audiences can’t get enough of the outrageous plot and hilarious cast, particularly Conrad Ricamora’s closeted Abe. Improbably and fabulously, it’s now one of Broadway’s hottest tickets.
Escola’s Mary would certainly have enjoyed the limelight. But the star and playwright, who prefers the “gay shadows” of cabaret life to attending this year’s Met Gala, is just happy that they made his friends proud this year.
“I see them after the show, and they have this look on their faces like, ‘You little fucker! You did it! We knew you could!’ My friends are my world and I can't think of a better feeling. Except for maybe the love I feel for everyone who makes this show happen.” @coleescola
