Production history
Off-Broadway (2024)
The play premiered Off-Broadway at the Lucille Lortel Theatre on February 8, 2024, with previews beginning January 26, 2024. The show had a planned closing date of March 24, 2024, however due to high ticket sales and critical acclaim, the play extended twice, first from March 24 until May 2, and then until May 12. [5] The title is taken from a slang phrase used among gay men going back decades. [6]
Broadway (2024–25)
On April 24, 2024, it was announced the show would transfer to Broadway for a limited twelve-week run at the Lyceum Theatre. The show is written by Cole Escola and directed by Sam Pinkleton, and will mark Escola's Broadway debut as a performer and playwright. Previews begun on June 26, with a run originally scheduled from July 11 to September 15. [7] However, on July 23, 2024, due to popular demand, it was announced the show would extend its run through November 10. [8] On September 19, 2024, it was announced the show would extend through January 19, 2025. [9] The show features original music by Daniel Kluger and arrangements by David Dabbon. Scenic design is by the design collective known as dots with costumes by Holly Pierson. [10] In December 2024, the run of Oh, Mary! was extended a third time to June 28, 2025, and Betty Gilpin was cast as Mary, replacing Escola. [11] [12] [13] Tituss Burgess is set to replace Gilpin for a temporary engagement in March 2025. [14] [15]
Critical reception
Joshua Barone of The New York Times described it as "silly, nasty, tasteless and, in the end, good theater." He described how the play stretches a "stupid joke" to its limits but still leaves audiences "gagging" with laughter. [17]
Amelia Merrill of the New York Theatre Guide emphasized the campy, irreverent nature of Oh, Mary!, calling it both absurd and heartwarming. She pointed out how Escola's reinterpretation of Mary Todd Lincoln, though not historically accurate, explored the First Lady's mental health struggles through comedy. [18]
Jesse Green of The New York Times echoed these sentiments, noting the play's deft combination of camp and discipline. He praised the production for finding a balance between chaotic comedy and choreographed precision. Green also called it "one of the best crafted and most exactingly directed Broadway comedies in years" despite Escola's own admission that it's "the stupidest play." [19]
Howard Miller of Talkin' Broadway emphasized the show's success in balancing a "queer-infused raucous, farcical, campy" energy while maintaining emotional depth beneath its absurdity. [20]
This page is based on this
Wikipedia article Text is available under the
CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
