On June 8, 2025, Cole Escola made history at the 78th Annual Tony Awards by winning Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for their dazzling portrayal in Oh, Mary!. This victory not only marked Escola’s Broadway debut but also established them as the first openly nonbinary actor to receive a Tony Award in a leading play category. The ceremony, held at New York City’s iconic Radio City Music Hall and hosted by Tony and Emmy Award winner Cynthia Erivo, celebrated the outstanding achievements of the 2024–25 Broadway season.
Oh, Mary! is a dark comedy that reimagines Mary Todd Lincoln as a troubled, alcoholic woman yearning to break free from the shadow of her husband, Abraham Lincoln, and pursue her dream of becoming a cabaret star. Written by Escola themselves, the play offers a fresh, irreverent take on a historical figure often overlooked in American theater. Directed by Sam Pinkleton, the 80-minute one-act play first premiered Off-Broadway at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in 2024 to critical acclaim, selling out its run and earning two extensions before transferring to Broadway’s Lyceum Theatre, where it has continued to captivate audiences with sell-out performances and a recent extension through September 28, 2025.
Escola’s performance as Mary Todd Lincoln is a tour de force of comedic timing and emotional depth, portraying a woman caught between personal desires and the looming tragedy of her husband’s assassination. The role has garnered Escola multiple accolades, including a Drama Desk Award, a Theatre World Award, and two Outer Critics Circle Awards prior to their Tony win. Their portrayal is described as a “high-wire act,” blending riotous humor with poignant moments that resonate deeply with audiences and critics alike.
Before their breakthrough on Broadway, Cole Escola was primarily known as a comedian and writer with a cult following. Their YouTube channel features viral videos such as Our Home Out West, a half-hour pilot parodying 1970s-style television westerns, and Help! I’m Stuck!, a solo sketch comedy special filmed during quarantine. These self-produced specials earned Escola recognition as the New York Times’ “Best Sketch Comic of 2020” and one of Vanity Fair’s “25 Best Performances of 2023.” Beyond digital media, Escola has appeared in television series including Difficult People (for which they also wrote), At Home With Amy Sedaris, Big Mouth, The Other Two, Search Party, Man Seeking Woman, Mozart in the Jungle, and Ziwe. They have also consulted on HBO’s Hacks and contributed writing to Comedy Central’s The Other Two.
Escola’s rise to stardom has been as much about their theatrical flair as their acting chops. At the Tony Awards ceremony, they paid homage to Broadway legend Bernadette Peters by donning an elaborate silver-blue gown inspired by Peters’ 1999 Tony Awards dress for Annie Get Your Gun. The gown featured off-shoulder draped sleeves, sheer chest paneling, and intricate beaded embroidery, complemented by a curly updo wig reminiscent of Peters’ signature hairstyle. This sartorial choice was a nod to Broadway history and underscored Escola’s growing influence in the fashion world.
In addition to the Tony Awards red carpet, Escola has made waves in the fashion scene throughout 2024 and 2025. They closed Presley Oldham’s first-ever runway show in New York City in 2024, sat front row at Christian Cowan’s fall 2025 show, and cohosted Thom Browne’s spring 2025 dinner during New York Fashion Week. Their bold, theatrical style, including a vibrant floral suit by Christopher John Rogers worn at the 2025 Met Gala, has cemented their reputation as a fashion icon on and off the stage.
The success of Oh, Mary! has attracted a diverse audience, including notable celebrity visitors such as Steven Spielberg, Melissa McCarthy, Mark Hamill, Sally Field, and Mia Farrow, both during its Off-Broadway run and on Broadway. Interestingly, while Sally Field did not receive an Oscar for her portrayal of Mary Todd Lincoln in Spielberg’s 2013 film Lincoln, the Tony Awards have now spotlighted this complex historical figure through Escola’s groundbreaking performance.
While Escola’s portrayal has been the centerpiece, the production has seen other talented actors step into the role during Escola’s planned leave. Betty Gilpin, star of American Primeval, and Tituss Burgess, known from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, have both received praise for their performances as Mary Todd Lincoln. Burgess is set to take over the role permanently after Escola’s final performance on June 21, 2025.
The Tony Awards themselves have a complex history with gendered acting categories. Despite the ongoing conversation around nonbinary and gender-neutral recognition in the arts, the Tonys, like the Oscars and Emmys, continue to maintain separate male and female acting awards. However, other organizations such as the Drama Desk Awards, the L.A. Film Critics Association, and the Independent Spirit Awards have moved toward gender-neutral categories, allowing all actors to compete on equal footing regardless of gender identity. Escola’s win as the first openly nonbinary actor to claim a Tony in a leading play role marks a significant milestone in this evolving landscape.
Escola’s acceptance speech was a heartfelt and joyous moment, where they acknowledged the legacy of their role’s history, saying, “Julie Harris has a Tony for playing Mary Todd Lincoln,” referencing the celebrated actress’s previous Tony win for the role. They went on to thank “the most important people in my life, my friends who are here tonight, Jeffrey, Jen, Ben, everyone watching at home. Christian, Dakota, the whole gang, John, Claudia, oh and T-Bone from Grindr and Amy Sedaris, who always reminds me how important she is to me.” This blend of gratitude, humor, and personal connection encapsulated the spirit of their journey.
As the curtain rises on the next chapter of Oh, Mary! with Tituss Burgess stepping into the spotlight, Cole Escola’s groundbreaking achievements continue to resonate. Their journey from a viral YouTube comedian to a Tony-winning Broadway star exemplifies the dynamic possibilities in today’s entertainment world, where talent, authenticity, and bold creativity intersect to rewrite the rules. With a play that challenges historical narratives and a performer who defies traditional categories, Oh, Mary! and Cole Escola have firmly secured their place in Broadway history.
