Cole Escola's 'Stupid' Dream Came True With 'Oh, Mary!'

Cole Escola's 'Stupid' Dream Came True With 'Oh, Mary!'

Fresh Air · 2025-05-19

Escola gives former first lady Mary Todd Lincoln a wild second act in the Tony-nominated play Oh, Mary! "This play is about a woman with a dream that no one around her understands," Escola says. The actor spoke with Ann Marie Baldonado about growing up in rural Oregon, the inspiration for the play, and making sense of its surprise success.

Maureen Corrigan reviews Ocean Vuong's new novel, The Emperor of Gladness.

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