Bowen Yang will make his long-awaited Broadway debut in Cole Escola’s hit comedy Oh, Mary! at the Lyceum Theatre on 15 September 2026, stepping into the lead role of Mary Todd Lincoln for a 12-week engagement running through 6 December.
For context, the news came after producers Kevin McCollum, Lucas McMahon, Mike Lavoie, and Carlee Briglia formally announced the high-profile casting transition. The former Saturday Night Live star and Las Culturistas host takes over the iconic role from Meg Stalter, who completes her run on 12 September. Former cast member Hannah Solow will deliver a single bridge performance on 13 September before Yang takes center stage at the historic venue.
The wildly popular play reimagines the former First Lady as a miserable, hard-drinking aspiring cabaret star in the dramatic weeks leading up to Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. Since opening on Broadway on 11 July 2024, the production has transformed into an unprecedented box office giant. It made history as the very first show in the 121-year existence of the Lyceum Theatre to gross more than $1 million in a single week, subsequently breaking its own earnings record thirteen separate times while becoming the first show of its season to fully recoup its initial investment.
Bowen Yang Oh Mary Broadway Debut Marks Major Career Shift
Yang has publicly described the production as Escola’s deranged and profound masterpiece, declaring that joining the cast represented the absolute best Broadway debut he could have ever requested. The five-time Emmy Award nominee built an extraordinary television resume over seven seasons on Saturday Night Live, while also earning a 2026 Tony Award nomination as a co-producer for Titaníque. His growing list of screen credits includes the feature films Fire Island, Dicks: The Musical, and the cinematic adaptations of Wicked.
(Can anyone really picture a more delightfully mad choice for a Broadway entrance than playing a liquor-soaked Mary Todd Lincoln?)
When Yang steps onto the stage this autumn, he will perform alongside continuing cast members Phillip James Brannon as Mary’s Husband and Barrett Foa as Mary’s Teacher. Original cast member Tony Macht returns to the company as well, appearing alongside Bianca Leigh, who continues in her role as Mary’s Chaperone.
Under the leadership of director Sam Pinkleton, who secured a 2025 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play, the irreverent show has accumulated major critical honours. In addition to Pinkleton’s win, the production earned a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Play for creator Escola, alongside two Drama League Awards and a finalist spot for the prestigious Pulitzer Prize.
Ticket Demand Soars For Bowen Yang Oh Mary Broadway Debut
The role of the unhinged First Lady has already seen a starry, rotating lineup of comic talent, including Escola, Betty Gilpin, Tituss Burgess, Jinkx Monsoon, Jane Krakowski, Maya Rudolph, and Stalter. Yet Yang’s arrival signals a fresh wave of hype for a show that shows no signs of slowing down its box office dominance.
To accommodate massive audience demand, the production team has released a brand-new block of tickets extending the Broadway run through 10 July 2027, stretching its overall footprint to nearly three full years. General admission tickets currently start at $59, while fans hunting for cheaper options can access a digital lottery offering $47 seats or purchase $43 day-of rush tickets directly at the Lyceum box office.
Beyond the flagship New York production, the show is preparing to expand its reach across the United States. A separate North American touring production is scheduled to launch in Hartford, Connecticut, later this September.
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