Bowen Yang to make Broadway debut in Oh, Mary!

Bowen Yang is set to make his Broadway debut in Oh, Mary!.

The Saturday Night Live alum has been announced as the latest star to take on the title role in the hit stage comedy, joining the production for a limited 12-week run.

Bowen will portray Mary Todd Lincoln, the eccentric character originally played by Tony Award winner Cole Escola.

In a new statement, the comedian wrote, "My friendship with Cole has brought me many places over the years: late-night pizzerias, cross-borough social-distance walks, a tough production of Les Misérables sung in Dutch."

"But being part of their deranged and profound masterpiece, Oh, Mary! is my favorite one by far," he continued. "I will spend the rest of my life thanking them for the best Broadway debut a cis gay guy with limited singing ability could ask for."

Bowen's limited run is scheduled to begin on 15 September at the Lyceum Theatre in New York City, where he will join existing cast members including Phillip James Brannon, Bianca Leigh and Barrett Foa.

The comedian takes over the role from Megan Stalter, who was the latest performer to portray the unpredictable character.

The casting news comes a year after Bowen revealed he had previously turned down the role as he was committed to returning to SNL for what turned out to be his final season on the sketch comedy series.

"I was too yoked to that timeframe to give myself the proper runway," he told Vulture at the time. "I was not going to take a Broadway debut without the utmost seriousness and gravitas and respect."

Oh, Mary! opened on Broadway in July 2024 and has since become one of Broadway's most successful productions.

Bowen is best known for his work on SNL, where he has been a cast member since 2019, while also building an acting career with minor roles in films including Wicked and The Garfield Movie.