Cole Escola has won Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play at the 78th Annual Tony Awards for their performance in Oh, Mary! This makes them the first openly non-binary actor to receive a Tony for Leading Role in a Play. Oh, Mary! also marks their Broadway debut.
As the writer of Oh, Mary!, Escola was also up for Best Play (which went to Purpose). The play portrays Mary Todd Lincoln as an unhappy alcoholic who just wants to be a cabaret star鈥攊f only her husband Abe would get out of her way. Escola was an unknown before the show premiered last year Off-Broadway at the Lucille Lortel Theatre. But the show's success Off-Broadway and subsequent transfer, which has been selling out and extending since last July, has established them as a bona-fide star.
READ: Bernadette Peters Inspired Cole Escola's Tony Awards 2025 Look
鈥淛ulie Harris has a Tony for playing Mary Todd Lincoln," said Escola excepting the honor. I want to thank ... the most important people in my life, my friends who are here tonight, Jeffrey, Jen, Ben, everyone watching at home. Christian, Dakota, the whole gang, John, Claudia, oh and T-Bone from Grindr and Amy Sedaris, who always reminds me how important she is to me.鈥�
Prior to Oh, Mary!, Escola was a comedian who was known for their YouTube channel, which has created a number of viral videos including , a half hour-long 鈥減ilot鈥� for a fake 1970s-style television western. They also appeared in the TV series Difficult People, At Home With Amy Sedaris, Big Mouth, and The Other Two.
Read: Camp and the Art of Being Cole Escola
Though they've played the title role of Oh, Mary! since the beginning, June 21 will be their final performance. Afterwards, Tituss Burgess will take over. The play was recently extended to September 28 at the Lyceum Theatre.
The other nominees in the category are George Clooney, Jon Michael Hill, Daniel Dae Kim, Harry Lennix, and Louis McCartney.
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Cole Escola in Oh, Mary!
Cole Escola and Bianca Leigh in Oh, Mary!
Conrad Ricamora and Cole Escola in Oh, Mary!
Conrad Ricamora and Tony Macht in Oh, Mary!
Cole Escola and Conrad Ricamora in Oh, Mary!
Cole Escola and James Scully in Oh, Mary!
Conrad Ricamora, Cole Escola, and Bianca Leigh in Oh, Mary!
Tony Macht, Cole Escola, Conrad Ricamora, and Bianca Leigh in Oh, Mary!
