Oh Mary Tour — Page 3

MARY TAKES AMERICA!


I went to the opening weekend of the tour last night in CT and, considering the last-minute tag-in by John-Andrew Morrison, the show is starting off quite well and the cast will certainly grow into a fuller synergy and be able to explore wackier places as the tour continues to evolve. Considering my huge distaste for Meg Stalter recently in the role, Alaska’s droll and venomous presence was a breath of fresh air - in the vein of how Mason Alexander Park did the role in London. She towers over the cast and those height differences really compound the confrontational comic moments. She has the ability to go crazier for sure, but she has a solid foundation to start and her final cabaret was one of the best sung I’ve heard. Morrison is, reliably, excellent and it’s clear he has the special sauce to work opposite many different Marys, just as Phillip James Brannon does.

Wesley Taylor has come out of the gate swinging as Mary’s Teacher. His hinges come off the wagon earlier than most before him, but it works just as well, since it matched Alaska’s imperious presence - especially as they declare their “love”. He could shoehorn into the Broadway company with ease tomorrow and America is very lucky they will get to see him in the role. Pooya Mohseni is also a fabulous Louise. She is remarkably similar to Bianca Leigh, but she has this smoke-and-honey voice (think Shoreh Aghdashloo) that adds a bit of spice to her ice cream reveal and her discovery of Mary and her teacher. She also REALLY hits the deep register for “Bill” that, if you weren’t paying attention, you’d swear was another actor. Michael Lepore fits fine as Mary’s Husband’s Assistant, however, it appears he might not fully be comfortable yet. He hit his marks but, like most other successors, is missing that tightly wound discomfort that makes his interactions with Abe that much funnier. (It’s a testament to Tony Macht that, in the 50 times I’ve seen Oh Mary, his character is the one I find myself comparing to his original most often aside from Mary).

The set fit well in a touring house (the Belding Theater in the Bushnell is actually slightly smaller than the Lyceum) and most of the set pieces and lighting effects are mostly unchanged from the Broadway production. It may vary from house to house, but I was talking to one of the flymen last night and he said that the tech process for this show requires FAR less calibration than most touring shows and so it’s basically a IATSE princess track. The only change to the set is the addition of a faux proscenium modeled after the Lyceum.

It appeared that all shows were sold out over the weekend and prices rival that of the Broadway production (before Maya). I could EASILY see this recouping with Alaska before J. takes over Mary in January. I can’t imagine the tour not extending since there will almost always be someone who could take it out on the road.

SIDE NOTE: Shout out to the ASL interpreters who worked the show last night. Watching them was as entertaining as the play itself. The MVP was this small older woman with glasses who, with her whole body, FULLY committed to the line “LOUISE WANTS TO RUB ICE CREAM ON HER PU$$¥!” (and I learned some new signs 😆)

Updated On: 9/21/26 at 08:13 AM