‘Oh, Mary!’ Set for HBO With Cole Escola Reprising Lead Role in Filmed Stage Play

A filmed version of the hit Broadway and West End play “Oh, Mary!” will debut on HBO in 2027.

HBO dropped the news in a teaser featuring playwright and star Cole Escola opposite “Sex and the City” stars Sarah Jessica Parker and Cynthia Nixon. As Mary Todd Lincoln, Escola rushes into the HBO offices and says, “Hello. I would like to do my play here, please.” An unseen receptionist gives Escola directions, but as they begin to run down the hall, the receptionist stops them. The “Sex and the City” theme music begins to play as she asks, “Oh, wait! Would you like some water?” and the camera reveals that Escola has been talking to Parker. Then Nixon appears, carrying a glass of water on a silver platter. “No, I wouldn’t,” Escola says, scampering away. “That’ll be nice to have around,” Parker muses.

The HBO special was filmed during the July 28, 2026 performance of “Oh, Mary!” in London. Escola stars as Mary alongside Giles Terera as Mary’s Husband (aka Abraham Lincoln), Bianca Leigh as Mary’s Chaperone, Tony Macht as Mary’s Husband’s Assistant and Michael Urie as Mary’s Teacher.

Per the official logline, the dark comedy follows “a miserable, suffocated Mary Todd Lincoln in the weeks leading up to Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. Unrequited yearning, alcoholism and suppressed desires abound in this 80-minute, one-act play that finally examines the forgotten life and dreams of Mrs. Lincoln, through the lens of an idiot (playwright Cole Escola).”

Sam Pinkleton was the play’s original Broadway director and also directed the special. 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.

“I’m so happy to share this show with a wider audience and spread ‘Oh, Mary!’ awareness,” Escola said in a statement. “Knowing about ‘Oh, Mary!’ is the first step in getting rid of it.”

“I fell in love with theater as a kid by absolutely wearing out the VHS tapes of ‘Cats’ and ‘Into The Woods’ and I am honored to continue that legacy with ‘Oh, Mary!’ on HBO,” said Pinkleton. “Shepherding ‘Oh, Mary!’ through its many lives (and Marys) has been an ecstatic experience and I’m giddy that the genius of original idiot Cole Escola will now be immortalized on televisions across America and beyond.”