Upcoming Oh, Mary! dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
Close enough to catch every eye-roll
For Oh, Mary! the best seats are in the center orchestra, from about the fourth row to the middle of the house, at the Lyceum Theatre on West 45th Street. The comedy runs on facial expressions, pratfalls and line readings, and this is where you see all three clearly. The front rows of the first balcony are the smart value alternative. As of October 1, 2026, the production's website lists performances through July 10, 2027.
The Lyceum has just 922 seats, so you are never far away. The question is how much of each reaction you catch.
Orchestra, first balcony, second balcony: the Lyceum ranked
The Lyceum opened in 1903 and has run longer without interruption than any other legitimate theater (a house for professional live stage productions) in New York City. The orchestra holds 409 of its 922 seats, the first balcony (frequently marketed as the mezzanine) 287, the second balcony 210, and the boxes the remaining 16. The balconies are cantilevered, so no support columns block your view, and the auditorium is wide rather than deep.
- Center orchestra: the top choice and the most in-demand. The very front rows also work, though you look up at the stage.
- Front of the first balcony: close by Broadway standards, with a clean view of the whole stage. In a house this size it often beats the back rows of the orchestra.
- Second balcony: high and steep. Every joke reaches you, but the expressions that land them look small.
- Far sides: the wide room means edge seats angle away from the action.
The orchestra can be reached without steps; both balconies are stairs only.
Mary Todd Lincoln as you have never seen her
Oh, Mary! is a one-act comedy by Cole Escola, who also created the title role. It is a gleefully absurd spoof of the days leading up to Abraham Lincoln's assassination in April 1865. In this version the First Lady is a boozy ex-cabaret performer itching for a comeback, Abe is firmly in the closet, and an aide to the president, the chaperone assigned to keep Mary in line and a struggling acting teacher are all pulled into her plans. Accuracy is beside the point. The play is camp (humor built on exaggeration and knowing bad taste) performed with precise timing. Sam Pinkleton directed.
Off-Broadway hit to Tony winner
The play opened Off-Broadway at the Lucille Lortel Theatre on February 8, 2024, after previews from January 26, and it was extended twice. Broadway previews followed on June 26, 2024, and the Lyceum opening came on July 11, 2024, billed as a limited run through September. Demand kept moving the end date, and the run has been extended again and again.
- Pulitzer Prize for Drama: finalist.
- Tony Awards: five nominations and two wins, Best Actor in a Play for Escola, the first non-binary winner of that award, and Best Direction of a Play for Pinkleton.
- Olivier Award: the 2026 comedy and entertainment prize went to the West End staging, which opened at the Trafalgar Theatre in December 2025.
Reviews divided. Jesse Green of The New York Times ranked its direction among the most precise of any Broadway comedy in years; Michael Sommers of New York Stage Review called it flimsy. Ticket buyers have largely agreed with Green.
The rotating Mary and the road company
The lead changes hands regularly, and many people pick a date by the star. After Escola, the role has gone to Betty Gilpin, then Tituss Burgess, Jinkx Monsoon and Jane Krakowski, and later Hannah Solow, John Cameron Mitchell, Maya Rudolph and Megan Stalter, with Escola back for a stretch in 2025. Bowen Yang took over on September 15, 2026, and the website lists him through January 17, 2027. Check the cast for your performance before you buy.
The road version was made public in January 2026 and starts in Hartford, Connecticut, late in the year; Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Los Angeles are among the cities named so far. Alaska Thunderfuck plays Mary on tour through January 17, 2027; J. Harrison Ghee, who opens as Mary's Husband, then steps into the title role. Dates on sale appear in the event list on this page.
Eighty minutes, adult jokes, no break
The show runs 80 minutes in a single act with no intermission. Use the restroom and the bar before curtain, and arrive early: a latecomer can wait a long time to be seated in a show this short.
The website gives no formal age guidance, but the humor is aimed squarely at adults: running jokes about heavy drinking, frank sexual material including the president's affairs, gunfire in a slapstick version of the assassination, and queer slang and camp references throughout, starting with the title. Older teens who enjoy sketch comedy usually do fine; younger children are the wrong audience.
Star weeks, small house, fast sellouts
With so few seats and a rotating headliner, Oh, Mary! can tighten up quickly. The first and last weeks of a famous Mary's engagement draw the heaviest interest, and short celebrity runs can sell out. Friday and Saturday nights go first. The Thanksgiving-to-New-Year's stretch, spring break and summer run hot across Broadway, while weeknights and non-holiday matinees offer the most choice. The production also offers a digital lottery and a limited in-person rush at the box office. Every Reserved Seat order is backed by a 100% guarantee. The current Mary and lottery details are on the Oh, Mary! website.
Frequently asked questions
Where should I sit for Oh, Mary!?
Center orchestra from about the fourth row to mid-house shows the facial comedy best. The front rows of the first balcony are a strong value choice in this small theater.
Does Oh, Mary! have an intermission?
No. It runs about 80 minutes in one act, so plan restroom and bar visits before the show starts.
Who plays Mary Todd Lincoln on Broadway now?
As of October 2026, Bowen Yang, who is listed in the role through January 17, 2027. Casting rotates, so check the date you want.
Is the second balcony at the Lyceum worth it?
It is the budget option: high and steep, with clear sound but small faces. For a comedy built on expressions, the first balcony or orchestra is a better choice.
Where does the Oh, Mary! tour go?
Hartford, Connecticut, hosts the opening in late 2026. Named cities so far include Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Is Oh, Mary! for adults only?
No formal age limit is published, but the humor is adult, with drinking jokes, sexual material and a farcical shooting. It suits older teens and adults.