Meg Stalter officially has another milestone to add to her résumé.
The Hacks star made her Broadway debut Monday night, stepping into the role of Mary Todd Lincoln in the Tony-winning comedy Oh, Mary! at New York City’s Lyceum Theatre. Waiting to celebrate her after the curtain call was someone who knows a thing or two about career-defining performances: her Hacks costar Jean Smart.
The pair reunited at the production’s opening-night afterparty, posing for photos after Stalter’s first performance in the acclaimed play. For fans of HBO’s Emmy-winning comedy, it was a full-circle moment. Across five seasons, Smart and Stalter built one of television’s most entertaining mentor-employee dynamics as comedy legend Deborah Vance and the endlessly unpredictable Kayla Schaefer.
Now, Stalter is taking center stage in a very different comedy.
A New Mary Todd Lincoln Takes The Stage
Stalter succeeds Maya Rudolph, who concluded her limited engagement in the role on July 5. Her run as the unconventional First Lady is scheduled to continue through Sept. 12.
Written by Tony Award winner Cole Escola and directed by Tony winner Sam Pinkleton, Oh, Mary! offers a wildly unconventional take on one of American history’s most recognizable figures. Rather than presenting a traditional historical drama, the play imagines Mary Todd Lincoln as an unhappy woman desperate to escape political life and fulfill her dream of becoming a cabaret performer.
Set during the weeks leading up to Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, the 80-minute comedy blends absurd humor with theatrical chaos, turning familiar history into one of Broadway’s most talked-about productions.
From Television Favorite To Broadway Rookie
Although Stalter is making her Broadway debut, she arrives with a devoted fan base thanks to her breakout performance on Hacks. Her portrayal of Kayla became a standout throughout the HBO series, earning praise for turning an eccentric supporting character into one of the show’s biggest scene stealers.
Smart’s appearance at opening night underscored the close bond the actors formed while working together. The Emmy-winning actress recently experienced her own Broadway return, starring earlier this year in the world premiere of Call Me Izzy, her first Broadway production in 25 years.
Smart made her Broadway debut in 1981 portraying Marlene Dietrich in Piaf and later earned a Tony Award nomination for the 2000 revival of The Man Who Came to Dinner.
One Of Broadway’s Biggest Success Stories
Since premiering at the Lyceum Theatre in 2024, Oh, Mary! has become one of Broadway’s breakout hits.
Created by Escola, who originally starred as Mary Todd Lincoln, the production has earned widespread critical acclaim while breaking box office records. It received Tony Awards for Best Leading Actor in a Play for Escola and Best Direction of a Play for Pinkleton. The comedy also earned Drama League Awards for Outstanding Play and Outstanding Direction, received a special citation from the New York Drama Critics’ Circle and was named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Critics have praised the production’s fearless sense of humor, with The New York Times calling it “one of the best comedies in years.”
The title role has become one of Broadway’s most coveted parts, with performers including Maya Rudolph, Jane Krakowski, Tituss Burgess, Betty Gilpin, Hannah Solow, John Cameron Mitchell and two-time RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Jinkx Monsoon all taking their turn as the delightfully unhinged Mary.
Who Else Is In The Cast?
Joining Stalter onstage are Barrett Foa as Mary’s Teacher, Phillip James Brannon as Mary’s Husband, Bianca Leigh as Mary’s Chaperone and Ryo Kamibayashi as Mary’s Husband’s Assistant.
The creative team includes scenic designers dots, costume designer Holly Pierson, lighting designer Cha See, sound designers Daniel Kluger and Drew Levy, wig designer Leah J. Loukas, music by Daniel Kluger, arrangements by David Dabbon, production stage manager John C. Moore and casting director Henry Russell Bergstein.
Stalter’s engagement runs through Sept. 12, giving theatergoers a limited window to see the comedian put her own spin on one of Broadway’s funniest roles.
Tickets to Oh, Mary! are available here.
