Cole Escola conquers Broadway, Chris Perfetti roars like a gay lion & a first look at Kristin Chenoweth’s “The Queen of Versailles”

The stars came out last week to perform at the Broadway premiere of Cole Escola’s historic spectacle. Oh, Mary!The show ended with an ecstatic standing ovation and an after-party at The Eagle. (Where else can Broadway glamour be better than at an iconic leather bar?)

Escola’s wacky comedy is loosely based – if only in name – on the cabaret dreams of First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln and received great acclaim when it premiered off-Broadway earlier this year. The original cast is included in the original version, including Escola in the title role, Conrad Ricamora as Mary’s husband and James Scully as Mary’s acting teacher.

Director Sam Pinkleton keeps the pace brisk at a tight 80 minutes, yet still leaves room for Escola’s cleverly crafted script, in which a moody Mary takes on everyone she meets. Without giving too much away, let’s just say her fantasies come true in a stunning finale played with a sincerity that will make you laugh.

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@queerty #ColeEscola speaks after the premiere of #OhMary on #Broadway ♬ Original sound – Queerty*

Escola’s triumph is nothing short of radical after a Broadway season that has taken a step backwards in terms of queer and trans visibility. Escola has been active in the late-night scene for some time, with appearances in The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon And Late Night with Seth Meyersand a camera-grabbing appearance at the Met Gala, but her performance onstage underscores more than 15 years of dedication to the craft, including on-camera roles, television scriptwriting, and the solo sketch show. Help, I’m stuck!

We are clearly having an Escola moment and enjoying every second of it. Oh, Mary! will only run for a limited time of 12 weeks, we’re already fantasizing about which historical figure they might tackle next. Cleopatra? Mother Teresa? The possibilities are endless!
Oh, Mary!, Lyceum Theatre, New York City. Performances until September 15.

A strange mountain lion invades New York’s Little Island

Although New York City is experiencing a heat wave, that hasn’t stopped theatergoers from visiting one of the city’s newest outdoor cultural venues: Little Island, the hilly public park on the banks of the Hudson River.

Little Island is made up of 132 pots set in the river and is beautifully landscaped. There’s also a 700-seat waterfront amphitheater that presents a seasonal (and affordable!) program including dance, music and theater—so you can be sure the gays will be first in line.

Queer was at a recent performance of Open throatadapted from Henry Hoke’s award-winning novel of the same name. Both charming and a scathing commentary on humanity’s crushing self-absorption, the play follows the journey of a queer mountain lion living beneath the Hollywood sign in the midst of a devastating drought.

Adapted by Hoke and directed by Caitlin Ryan O’Connell, Open throat stays close to the source material and follows a narrative format (books in hand), with the lion played by three of our favorite actors: Chris Perfetti (Abbott Elementary School), Calvin Leon Smith (Fatty ham) and Jo Lampert (Orlando). But the star of the evening is Steven Wendt, who accompanies Hoke’s text with live sounds (sound effects) and shadow puppets.

“Open throat proposes a deceptively simple equation that exposes us for what we are: vulnerable, reckless beings who worship ‘green paper,’ speak into wires, and have rendered the natural world uninhabitable,” wrote the New York Times of Hoke’s book. Seeing this idea brought to life on stage – especially in light of today’s political and cultural fragility – strikes a dramatic chord.

More exciting things await you on Little Island, including the icon and activist Queen Jean Summer Legacy Ball (8-9 August), a two-day extravagant celebration of ballroom culture (and a great companion piece to Cats: “The Jellicle Ball” plays at PAC NYC.
Little Island, New York City.

Queen for a day

What happens when one of America’s richest couples decides to build a $100 million mansion in Orlando, Florida, but then their lives explode like a shaken bottle of kombucha? Of course you write a musical!

Or at least that is Evil Composer Stephen Schwartz did it to reunite with Broadway’s OG Glinda Kristin Chenoweth, who in The Queen of Versailles. Bring co-star F. Murray Abraham on board (The White Lotus), author Lindsey Ferrentino and director Michael Arden (parade), and you have a potential Broadway blockbuster.

The production will premiere in Boston this summer for a limited run, with plans to transfer to New York later this season.
The Queen of VersaillesEmerson Colonial Theatre, Boston. Performances July 16 – August 25.

Margaret Cho is still at Joe’s Pub

Joe’s Pub has named comedian, pioneer, and former Pride50 honoree Margaret Cho as the 2024-45 Vanguard Award & Residency honoree. The former costume shop of the Off-Broadway Public Theater has been transformed into a wildly popular downtown venue and has served as an incubator for some of our favorite artists, including Bridget Everett and Justin Elizabeth Sayre.

Cho will curate a year-long artist program and says, “I’m so excited to bring artists who continue to inspire me into the world of Joe’s Pub. It’s an honor to finally be in the audience after so many years of performing, and I want to help create a show that makes me laugh, cry and dream. I look forward to seeing these incredible shows with all of you.”

One of the first performances is the solo show of comedian and rock star Charlene Kaye Tiger Daughter – or how I brought the ultimate shame to my immigrant mother (October 25). Cho will also host Margaret’s childrena show by comedians Nori Reed, Robin Tran and Sabrina Wu (January 24-25, 2025). In the spring, Cho will be a guest on a live taping of the Dopey Podcast (March 11), followed by a solo show by comedian Youngmi Mayer on April 4. Our only question: Will Cho’s rescue dog Lucia Katerina Lawlor Cho (pictured above) make an appearance?
Joe’s Pub, New York City

#Broadwaytok

Liza is still on top form! We stumbled upon a sing-along event she recently hosted with longtime friend and collaborator Michael Feinstein. The EGOT winner took off her shoes to sing Gershwin’s “Embraceable You.”

@staunchlibra Liza still has it! #liza #kicks #legs #foryou #legend #oldhollywood #studio54 #ms #singer #gershwin #lizaminnelli #cabaret #legup #fosse #broadway ♬ Original sound – StaunchLibra

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