Bowen Yang Makes Broadway Debut in 'Oh, Mary!' and Hopes Cher Will Attend

Bowen Yang has taken over the lead role of Mary Todd Lincoln in Cole Escola's Broadway play 'Oh, Mary!', marking his Broadway debut. Yang, a writer and cast member on 'Saturday Night Live', is performing eight shows a week at the Lyceum Theatre. He discussed the physical demands of the role on Vogue's podcast 'The Run-Through' with hosts Chloe and Marley Marius. Yang described his stamina regimen, which includes Fuji apple-flavored Celsius energy drinks and traditional Chinese medicine. He identified his most Mary-like quality as the duality of the clown, citing the misunderstood outcast and the murderous deviant, comparing it to Pennywise and Bozo, and noting his own trickster energy and feelings of alienation from societal rules. His favorite surprise visitor so far has been Malala Yousafzai, but he hopes Cher will eventually see the show, calling her a 'horny legend.' For future casting, he suggested Keke Palmer and Lisa Rinna. The interview follows Marley Marius's previous podcast debut with Escola in 2024.