DiscoverMickeyJoTheatreHow casting made OH, MARY! a hit | The secret behind the Broadway play's star lineup
How casting made OH, MARY! a hit | The secret behind the Broadway play's star lineup

How casting made OH, MARY! a hit | The secret behind the Broadway play's star lineup

Update: 2025-09-07
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The hit Broadway comedy play, created by Cole Escola, went from a downtown success at the Lucille Lortel Theatre to a sold-out, Tony Award winning juggernaut that continues to be one of New York's hottest tickets.


Much of its ongoing success, after the stellar original performance of Cole Escola, can be attributed to the show's brilliant casting of replacement stars, including Betty Gilpin, Tituss Burgess, and Jinkx Monsoon.


With Jane Krakowski newly announced as Broadway's next Mary Todd Lincoln, Mickey-Jo is taking a look back at the show's casting approach, bold decisions, and inspiring approach to identify how it has played a role in making Oh, Mary! a lasting stage success.



00:00 | introduction

02:50 | the history of Oh, Mary!

06:18 | Cole Escola's replacement

12:28 | what connects the stars

16:25 | why recasting matters

21:04 | the lure of the show

About Mickey-Jo:

As one of the leading voices in theatre criticism on a social platform, Mickey-Jo is pioneering a new medium for a dwindling field. His YouTube channel: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MickeyJoTheatre⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is the largest worldwide in terms of dedicated theatre criticism, where he also share features, news and interviews as well as lifestyle content for over 89,000 subscribers. With a viewership that is largely split between the US and the UK he has been fortunate enough to be able to work with PR, Marketing, and Social Media representatives for shows in New York, London, Edinburgh, Hamburg, Toronto, Sao Pãolo, and Paris. His reviews and features have also been published by WhatsOnStage, for whom he was a panelist to help curate nominees for their 2023 and 2024 Awards as well as BroadwayWorldUK, Musicals Magazine and LondonTheatre.co.uk. Instagram/TikTok/X: @MickeyJoTheatre


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How casting made OH, MARY! a hit | The secret behind the Broadway play's star lineup

How casting made OH, MARY! a hit | The secret behind the Broadway play's star lineup