Betty Gilpin joins OH, MARY as Mary Todd Lincoln. Extended through June 28th, 2025!- Page 3

[quizking101]

Posted: 12/5/24 at 7:44am

Impeach2017 said: "I guess they'e de-dragifying the role to make it more acceptable for touring audiences?"

 

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So, the whole play is a farce about a well known First Lady being a alcoholic former cabaret star having an affair with her husband’s eventually killer, who also had an affair with the deeply closeted homosexual President, who is currently fooling around with a solider in his employ

…and yet “de-dragifying” a role created by a non-binary performer is what needed fixing to help soothe the pearl clutchers in the Midwest when this tours?

[quizking101]

Posted: 12/5/24 at 8:09am

.

[kdogg36]

Posted: 12/5/24 at 11:19am

RW3 said: "Just for confirmation, it would be completely doable for me to do this 3 day show in February

2:00pm-Redwood

5:00pm-Oh Mary with Betty

8:00-Gypsy"

Absolutely. The Redwood website gives a running time of 1:45, and Oh, Mary! is even shorter than that, so you should have more than an hour to spare between shows. Enjoy!

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 12/5/24 at 11:28am

I did the same 5 pm/8 pm double bill and had more than enough time. 

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 12/7/24 at 6:04am

girlcop said: "schubox said: "She was great in Glow and Mrs. Davis"

And Nurse Jackie!"

Holy F**K I’ve only just realised Dr. Roman is Betty Gilpin!

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 12/7/24 at 6:22am

…and yet “de-dragifying” a role created by a non-binary performer is what needed fixing to help soothe the pearl clutchers in the Midwest when this tours?"

That was particularly well said 👏 👏 👏 

[JasonC3]

Posted: 12/7/24 at 8:00am

Could we please stop making unnecessary sweeping generalizations about theater audiences based on vast regions of geography.  The Midwest contains multitudes, many of which are quite progressive and where little pearl-clutching occurs.

[Georgeanddot2]

Posted: 12/8/24 at 4:35pm

JasonC3 said: "Could we please stop making unnecessary sweeping generalizations about theater audiences based on vast regions of geography. The Midwest contains multitudes, many of which are quite progressive and where little pearl-clutching occurs."

LOL

[greensgreens]

Posted: 12/8/24 at 7:55pm

I’ll be honest. This show is of zero interest to me without a queer lead. I’m kind of surprised people weren’t more upset with the decision for a cis female to assume the role. I was so excited when talk of JCM stepping in was swirling. I honestly have no desire to see a cis woman in the role - it would be like Glenn Close playing a Charles Busch role. Could she do it and do it well? Absolutely. Does it change the show with a cis woman? Also, absolutely and I think it takes some of the ridiculous campy humour out. 

[TheatreMonkey]

Posted: 12/8/24 at 7:59pm

greensgreens said: "I’ll be honest. This show is of zero interest to me without a queer lead. I’m kind of surprised people weren’t more upset with the decision for a cis female to assume the role. I was so excited when talk of JCM stepping in was swirling. I honestly have no desire to see a cis woman in the role - it would be like Glenn Close playing a Charles Busch role. Could she do it and do it well? Absolutely. Does it change the show with a cis woman? Also, absolutely and I think it takes some of the ridiculous campy humour out."

While I totally get what you're saying -- and it certainly adds an important layer to the role -- Cole has said in multiple interviews that they'd love to see all sorts of actors in the role, including cisgender women. I think Cole wrote it so a wide variety of really funny people can offer their own interpretations of the role. 

[RW3]

Posted: 12/8/24 at 8:17pm

Thank you for the extra assurance! Just wanted to be sure before I bought a ticket

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 12/8/24 at 9:03pm

greensgreens said: "I’ll be honest. This show is of zero interest to me without a queer lead. I’m kind of surprised people weren’t more upset with the decision for a cis female to assume the role. I was so excited when talk of JCM stepping in was swirling. I honestly have no desire to see a cis woman in the role - it would be like Glenn Close playing a Charles Busch role. Could she do it and do it well? Absolutely. Does it change the show with a cis woman? Also, absolutely and I think it takes some of the ridiculous campy humour out."

what a sad, narrow worldview--to which you are certainly entitled! Isnt Cole's current understudy a cis woman?

[Georgeanddot2]

Posted: 12/8/24 at 9:06pm

PipingHotPiccolo said: "greensgreens said: "I’ll be honest. This show is of zero interest to me without a queer lead. I’m kind of surprised people weren’t more upset with the decision for a cis female to assume the role. I was so excited when talk of JCM stepping in was swirling. I honestly have no desire to see a cis woman in the role - it would be like Glenn Close playing a Charles Busch role. Could she do it and do it well? Absolutely. Does it change the show with a cis woman? Also, absolutely and I think it takes some of the ridiculous campy humour out."

what a sad, narrow worldview--to which you are certainly entitled! Isnt Cole's current understudy a cis woman?"

Cole's understudy is a cis woman, but also a character actress. I lose a lot of excitement for this when the role isn't a character actress or a queer person. It just kinda loses what makes it special.

I stand by my initial belief that this is pretty random casting that will not help sell tickets, but I doubt that's really of much concern for the production. The fact that it's a short, campy comedy is enough to sell this show.

Updated On: 12/8/24 at 09:06 PM

[greensgreens]

Posted: 12/8/24 at 10:19pm

PipingHotPiccolo said: "greensgreens said: "I’ll be honest. This show is of zero interest to me without a queer lead. I’m kind of surprised people weren’t more upset with the decision for a cis female to assume the role. I was so excited when talk of JCM stepping in was swirling. I honestly have no desire to see a cis woman in the role - it would be like Glenn Close playing a Charles Busch role. Could she do it and do it well? Absolutely. Does it change the show with a cis woman? Also, absolutely and I think it takes some of the ridiculous campy humour out."

what a sad, narrow worldview--to which you are certainly entitled! Isnt Cole's current understudy a cis woman?"

I’m not saying it can’t be played by a cis woman and it obviously is being done to positive effect. Just doesn’t entice me into buying a ticket and seems like a missed opportunity to give another non-cis thespian a successful show for their talents. And for those who think this is going to tour just fine without a cis Mary, you clearly don’t understand theatre throughout the country, only the metro areas. So, in a way, if de-dragging the role is preparing it for broader consumption, which I believe is the case, I guess this was inevitable. People will leave theatres the minute a drag Mary steps onstage (sure, not in Chicago or even Kansas City but what about the smaller regional markets?) but would have no problem with any other part of it if played by a cis actress. It loses its subversiveness and becomes just a really funny and “random” play. Also entertaining, but that subversive edge was what pushed this into “can’t miss art worthy of a $400 premium ticket.”

[darquegk]

Posted: 12/8/24 at 10:40pm

Betty Gilpin may be conventionally attractive, but she's associated strongly with the bizarro side of prestige premium TV. Her bona fides for doing "weird roles in weird shows" are self-evident; I feel confident about her taking over the same way I'd feel confident with Cristin Milioti, even over a more "conventional fare" actress I like more like Kristen Bell.

[Bwaygurl2]

Posted: 12/9/24 at 9:17am

greensgreens said: "PipingHotPiccolo said: "greensgreens said: "I’ll be honest. This show is of zero interest to me without a queer lead. I’m kind of surprised people weren’t more upset with the decision for a cis female to assume the role. I was so excited when talk of JCM stepping in was swirling. I honestly have no desire to see a cis woman in the role - it would be like Glenn Close playing a Charles Busch role. Could she do it and do it well? Absolutely. Does it change the show with a cis woman? Also, absolutely and I think it takes some of the ridiculous campy humour out."

what a sad, narrow worldview--to which you are certainly entitled! Isnt Cole's current understudy a cis woman?"

I’m not saying it can’t be played by a cis woman and it obviously is being done to positive effect. Just doesn’t entice me into buying a ticket and seems like a missed opportunity to give another non-cis thespian a successful show for their talents. And for those who think this is going to tour just fine without a cis Mary, you clearly don’t understand theatre throughout the country, only the metro areas. So, in a way, if de-dragging the role is preparing it for broader consumption, which I believe is the case, I guess this was inevitable. People will leave theatres the minute a drag Mary steps onstage (sure, not in Chicago or even Kansas City but what about the smaller regional markets?) but would have no problem with any other part of it if played by a cis actress. It loses its subversiveness and becomes just a really funny and “random” play. Also entertaining, but that subversive edge was what pushed this into “can’t miss art worthy of a $400 premium ticket.”"

I'm excited for Betty but I get where you are coming from. I think this will hit differently with a woman. Just compare the posters of Cole and Betty side by side: Cole is inherently funny/campy as Mary, whereas Betty looks like she's in a prestige drama. 

[SFFrontRow]

Posted: 12/9/24 at 11:20pm

Cole wrote and starred in this and made it a thing in the much more affordable off-broadway makret... that word of mouth gave it legs on Broadway... this role is not unlike John Cameron Mitchell and Hedwig... many other men took on the role and it continued... Ally Sheedy took on the role and wasn't well received.

The whole joyful conceit of this show is Escola or someone who fits into that lane... 

[Fordham2015]

Posted: 12/10/24 at 10:35am

All due respect to Cole, but I wouldn't sit in the Lyceum balcony even if the tickets were free

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/OH-MARY-Will-Offer-5-Tickets-in-HOnor-of-Mary-Todd-Lincolns-Birthday-20241210

[Wick3]

Posted: 12/10/24 at 11:32am

Fordham2015 said: "All due respect to Cole, but I wouldn't sit in the Lyceum balcony even if the tickets were free

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/OH-MARY-Will-Offer-5-Tickets-in-HOnor-of-Mary-Todd-Lincolns-Birthday-20241210"

Wow! There are around 200 seats up in the Lyceum balcony so potentially the odds are pretty good! I unfortunately can’t make it since the lottery drawing is at 4:30pm. 
In the past, in-person lotteries were drawn an hour before the show curtain time (oh Mary performance Friday 13th starts at 730pm.)

[quizking101]

Posted: 12/19/24 at 1:31pm

Phillip James Brannon joining as Mary’s Husband on 1/21/2025!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DDxRnrkS1fN/?igsh=MXJyd2pjYng0MTFueQ==

[Kad]

Posted: 12/19/24 at 1:42pm

Chris Renfro will also be taking over as Mary's Teacher on that date.

[The8re phan]

Posted: 12/19/24 at 1:59pm

quizking101 said: "Phillip James Brannon joining as Mary’s Husband on 1/21/2025!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DDxRnrkS1fN/?igsh=MXJyd2pjYng0MTFueQ=="

not to say that the new cast won't be good, but I pray that the rumors of this being  filmed with the original broadway cast prove true.   Not just Cole, but both Conrad and James brought so much to this piece, and thier contributions too should be preserved

[ACL2006]

Posted: 12/19/24 at 2:18pm

I guess Bianca is staying then?

[quizking101]

Posted: 12/19/24 at 2:44pm

Yes. And Tony

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Chris-Renfro-and-Phillip-James-Brannon-to-Join-OH-MARY-on-Broadway-20241219

[Wick3]

Posted: 12/19/24 at 5:20pm

My understanding is Cole Escola was coming back after Betty Gilpin's 8 week limited engagement? Or has that changed? Will Conrad and James return as well or is the last performance for the entire original cast in mid-January?