‘Oh, Mary!’ Plans HBO Debut in 2027
‘Oh, Mary!’ Plans HBO Debut in 2027
Anonymous
Key Points
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“Oh, Mary!” premiered Off-Broadway in February 2024 before transferring to Broadway in July 2024. Cole Escola won the Tony Award for best actor in a play, while Sam Pinkleton also won a Tony for directing; the London production later won the Olivier Award for best entertainment or comedy play.
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The play is an 80-minute, one-act comedy centered not only on Mary Todd Lincoln’s alcoholism and cabaret ambitions, but also on her “unrequited yearning” and “suppressed desires,” examining her “forgotten life and dreams” through Escola’s deliberately absurd perspective.
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The HBO announcement teaser depicts Escola, in costume as Mary, asking to bring the play to HBO before Sarah Jessica Parker and Cynthia Nixon appear as receptionists offering water; Parker then jokes, “That’ll be nice to have around,” as Sex and the City music plays.
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The filmed special’s executive producers include Escola; Alex Bach and Daniel Powell for Irony Point; Carlee Briglia and Mike Lavoie for Mike & Carlee Productions; and Kevin McCollum and Lucas McMahon for Alchemation.
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The Broadway production has featured several prominent successors in the title role, including Maya Rudolph, Tituss Burgess, Jinkx Monsoon and Jane Krakowski; Bowen Yang was scheduled to take over the role beginning Sept. 15.
Cole Escola's Tony-winning dark comedy "Oh, Mary!" is heading to HBO in 2027, bringing the acclaimed Broadway satire to streaming audiences. Rolling Stone reports the filmed special captures Escola reprising their role as Mary Todd Lincoln during a July 28, 2026 performance at London's Trafalgar Theatre, directed by Tony-winner Sam Pinkleton.
The 80-minute one-act play reimagines Abraham Lincoln's wife as a miserable, alcohol-fueled aspiring cabaret singer in the weeks before his assassination. HBO announced the project with a comedic teaser featuring Escola alongside "Sex and the City" stars Sarah Jessica Parker and Cynthia Nixon, though the network has not yet set a specific premiere date.
From Off-Broadway to London and HBO
"Oh, Mary!" premiered Off-Broadway in February 2024 before transferring to Broadway four months later. Yahoo notes Escola won the Tony Award for best actor in a play, while director Sam Pinkleton also took home a Tony. The London production subsequently won the Olivier Award for best entertainment or comedy play, cementing its status as an awards darling.
The special will feature the West End production's cast, including Giles Terera, Bianca Leigh, Tony Macht, and Michael Urie alongside Escola. The Verge confirms the version is filmed from the London performance, marking the first time the play will be captured for television audiences.
A Comedy About Forgotten Dreams and Yearning
The play examines Mary Todd Lincoln's "unrequited yearning" and "suppressed desires" through Cole Escola's deliberately absurd lens. Rather than a straightforward historical drama, "Oh, Mary!" centers on her alcoholism, cabaret ambitions, and what the show frames as her "forgotten life and dreams." This irreverent take has resonated with audiences and critics alike across three continents.
A Star-Studded HBO Announcement
HBO's announcement teaser showed Escola in costume requesting that the play come to HBO. Sarah Jessica Parker and Cynthia Nixon then appeared as receptionists offering water. Parker quipped, "That'll be nice to have around," as "Sex and the City" theme music played—a playful nod to the HBO comedy icon's storied history with the network.
Broadway's Rotating Cast of Successors
Since Escola's original run, several A-list performers have taken on the role of Mary Todd Lincoln on Broadway. Rolling Stone reports that Maya Rudolph, Tituss Burgess, Jinkx Monsoon, and Jane Krakowski have all starred in the production. Bowen Yang was scheduled to begin the role on September 15, continuing the tradition of major comedy and entertainment stars bringing their own energy to the absurdist historical farce.
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